Support in the event of violence in pharmacy

What is the violence in pharmacy protection benefit?

Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals and, unfortunately, face a heightened risk of violence and threats in the workplace. Due to incidents occurring, the PDA has launched a zero-tolerance campaign and a comprehensive policy toolkit (see bottom of page) to help reduce these risks. Despite these efforts, violent incidents continue to occur, sometimes leaving pharmacists physically and psychologically harmed.

Experience of these episodes has shown that, when they do occur, employers will rarely want to give the pharmacist the time off that they need to recover and even if they have been injured, they will only offer the minimum time off with pay allowed according to their employment contracts before offering only statutory sick pay benefits. In the event of a self-employed locum becoming the victim of a violent attack in the workplace, employers will not be required to pay anything at all for the time taken off to recover.

The combined effect of this is that pharmacists, whether employed or self-employed will often have no alternative other than to come back to work following a harrowing violent attack in the workplace. All of this at a time when they are neither physically or mentally recovered and the alternative is that their income is dramatically reduced should they take the necessary time off.

To assist, the PDA, at no extra cost to members, has introduced an automatic benefit for those who are victims of violence at work. This benefit provides financial support for up to ten consecutive days for any lost earnings, allowing pharmacists the ability to take more time to recover physically and mentally. It applies to both employed and self-employed members, subject to specific eligibility criteria.

Eligibility

• You must be in gainful employment at the time of the incident as a pharmacist or trainee.
• You may be employed or self-employed.
• You are the victim of a criminal offence involving violence, in person, at your workplace, while carrying out your professional activities.
• The perpetrator must not be a colleague, family member, romantic partner, or supplier.
• The incident must be reported to the police promptly, and a crime reference number obtained.
• Details should be provided to include any supporting evidence available (e.g. CCTV footage, witness statement or a copy of the statement given to the police.)

What does the benefit include?

Financial support

• Financial support provided for any consecutive calendar days of lost net wages, salary, or remuneration (net of any sick pay or equivalent received) up to a maximum of a ten working day period.
• The benefit would always seek to replace your regular pay or regular locum fee. The earnings cap would be £350 per day and up to £3,500 per incident.
• Maximum of two incidents per annual period (up to a maximum of £7,000 total).

Legal support

• The arrangements are additionally supported by an introduction of the member to a firm of specialist lawyers to pursue a compensation claim from the perpetrator (or employer if employer negligence contributed to the incident). Legal costs are not covered under this benefit, but the specialist firm may be able to put in place a ‘No win, No fee’ arrangement.

Wellbeing support

• The PDA will be supporting your emotional recovery by utilising its Wellbeing and Financial Resilience Strategy and by working in partnership with Pharmacist Support and other strategic partners.

How to access the benefit

Below is a summary of actions that need to be taken as soon as possible after an incident you may have been subject to:

1. Report the incident: Promptly report the violent incident to the police and obtain a crime reference number. Retain this reference number as it will be required to support your claim.
2. Notify the PDA: Give notice to the PDA within seven days of the incident. If you are subject to more than one incident, within three days of each other, this will be treated as one incident.
3. Submit documentation: Provide to the PDA:
   • Police correspondence confirming the incident, date, and crime number.
   • Records confirming you did not work for all or part of ten consecutive days due to recovery needs.
   • Records of wages, salary, or remuneration you would have otherwise received.
   • Details of what financial support you did receive from the employer (or other e.g. agency or critical accident policy)
4. Respond to requests: Cooperate with reasonable requests for further information from the PDA or insurer.
5. Cooperate with recovery: Assist the PDA and insurer in any efforts to recover the financial benefit from perpetrators or employers if negligence is proven.

Mandatory steps for payout

• Notify the PDA within seven days of the incident.
• Seek the benefit within eight weeks of being eligible for it.
• Submit all required documentation as outlined above.
• Respond to any further information requests from the PDA or insurer.
• Please read and be familiar with the section of the insurance policy which is called Cover Type H.
• Only in-person incidents at the workplace while undertaking your pharmacist activities are in scope.

Case study: The benefit in action

Scenario 1

A PDA self-employed locum member is assaulted by a patient while working in a community pharmacy. The pharmacist sustains physical injuries and experiences symptoms of PTSD. The incident is reported to the police, and a crime reference number is obtained.

• The member notifies the PDA within seven days.
• The pharmacist is unable to work for eight days while recovering.
• They submit police correspondence, medical records, and evidence of lost earnings.
• The locum normally receives a locum fee of £280 per day and returns to work after being away from work for 8 days. The self-employed locum is not entitled to any sick pay benefits from the employer, neither do they have any other loss of income protection. The locum receives a financial benefit of 8 x £280 = £2,240
• If employer negligence contributed (e.g., failure to maintain security measures, or severe reduction of staff which meant that the locum was alone in the pharmacy during the hours of darkness), and/or if details of the perpetrator of the crime was known, the PDA would introduce the member to lawyers to pursue compensation for damages.
• The member also receives wellbeing support from the PDA via the PDAs Wellbeing service to help their recovery and return to work.

Scenario 2

A PDA employed pharmacist working in a GP Practice is assaulted by a patient in the consultation room. The pharmacist sustains physical injuries and needs to visit the A&E for treatment. The incident is reported to the police, and a crime reference number is obtained.

• The member notifies the PDA within seven days.
• The pharmacist is unable to work for nine days while recovering.
• They submit police correspondence, medical records, and evidence of lost earnings.
• The pharmacist normally receives a salary of £320 per day and returns to work after being away for 9 days. The pharmacist is entitled to three days sick pay benefits from the employer, and they receive £118.75 per day statutory sick pay for the remainder of their time off work, they have no additional income protection insurance. The pharmacist receives a financial benefit of (9 x £320) – (3 x £320) – (7 x £118.75*) = £1,207.50
• If employer negligence contributed (e.g., failure to maintain the panic button alarm in the consultation room), and/or if details of the perpetrator of the crime are known, the PDA would introduce the member to lawyers to pursue compensation for damages.
• The member also receives wellbeing support from the PDA via the PDAs Wellbeing service to help their recovery and return to work.

* Current rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in the UK

Additional Support and PDA Policy

The PDA’s policy is clear: zero tolerance for violence in pharmacy.

Employers are required to undertake risk assessments, implement mitigation measures, and ensure staff safety. The PDA will robustly pursue employers who fail to act on staff safety concerns and will support members in seeking compensation and regulatory action where appropriate.

For more information or to report an incident, contact the PDA directly. Your safety and wellbeing are our priority.

As part of a long-running campaign to end violence in pharmacies, the PDA has Violence in Pharmacy policy documents and resource available, which can be found here.

Read the INSIGHT MAGAZINE article here

Not yet a PDA member?

If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.

Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and for the first three months of being newly qualified.

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Read about our key member benefits here.