Pharmacy- It’s ok to have a bad day.
I am writing this on a day I feel particularly grumpy. I woke up in a bad mood, so I thought I would take advantage and do something silly, like lay out all my frustrations in a blog as a means of therapy.
So hold onto your seats ladies and gentlemen.
Doctors versus Pharmacists
It appears I must be missing something. The ongoing disagreements between pharmacy and doctors don't make sense. I think everyone is losing sight of the actual goal. Doctors and Pharmacists are there for the same purpose and that is to improve the community’s health. In my mind there is a golden opportunity for both parties to come together and create solutions to improve community health. I believe the future of both professions lies in working a lot closer than what they currently are. I think there are some great opportunities here.
Landlords
The way some landlords are treating pharmacy owners, particularly in the larger shopping centres is just not morally or ethically right. Some pharmacy owners are rather helpless; some are losing their businesses and are desperate to get some security over the future of their businesses. These people have fought so hard for so long, battled years of PBS reform and Price Disclosure measures, they have their own homes on the line and let us not ignore the lives of the staff they employ. Despite the actions of the landlords, innocent pharmacy owners are not being protected by anyone. Pharmacy needs protection from this behaviour.
The Professional of Pharmacy
I look forward to the day when the profession of pharmacy becomes the attractive career choice it once was. Pharmacy businesses are under pressure, continually fighting constant earnings erosion from Price Disclosure, greedy landlords, fighting to keep their businesses. To stop there business from going backwards owners turn to the one thing they are in control of, and that is wages. So we get this situation where pharmacy is not the rewarding career it once was. Pharmacists are underpaid when you consider the knowledge and value they can provide. Business owners are getting squeezed, some are closing their doors, and pharmacists are underpaid and undervalued. The system is broken.
Pharmacy is more than just a retail store. It is a vital link in our community’s health. It is a profession that needs to be reinvigorated. It needs to become the exciting career option it once was. So I am grinding my gears on behalf of my clients and my business (because pharmacy is our livelihood too). If this how I feel when I am grumpy, I can only imagine how frustrated owners/pharmacists must feel some of the time. I have had pharmacy owner’s cry in my office because of landlords, or their financial positions.
Where is this blog going?
Even though I sound fairly cynical in this post, I do believe we can create light at the end of this tunnel. Now is the time for pharmacy owners and pharmacists to reenergise their love for pharmacy. Start looking at what is working within your four walls and stuff that isn’t. Reach out to your support network to assist you. That could be the Guild, wholesalers, staff, mentors or your accountant. Trust me; having a support unit is key to any business. I believe owners need to focus on what they can change rather than something out of their control. There will always be obstacles to overcome. Things we can’t do anything about this. But you need to be proactive rather than reactive. Create strategies that help you control your pharmacy’s future.
Like me there will be days where it seems things aren’t going your way. That’s ok, we all have those days. But in a funny way the dark days also create opportunities when we stop stewing long enough to change those things we can change, get back under control and talk to the people around us about why we are feeling this way and what we can do about reversing the situation. Chose your attitude. How can you become a better person?
So as I am coming to the end of this blog, you may have noticed my positivity is climbing its way back.
Half way through writing this blog a few things happened. I was working with one of my employees and this immediately shifted my mood. They were motivated and being proactive with a job that wasn’t easy. Their determination and will power made me realise that it’s ok. I would listen to my wonderful team and hear the laughing and happiness that is so prevalent at Peak. I was also talking to some clients this morning too and as I was talking to them I had a blinding flash of the obvious moment. Regardless of how we feel, we have a team around us that feeds off our energy. In fact we all feed off each other. They need your energy and positivity just as much as you need theirs.
Your customers/clients/patients all have their own battles to fight in their own lives, why should we make their day worse? It is quite selfish really. The greatest return we get from our profession comes from the positive impact we make in other peoples lives. So rather than staying in my grumpy state, I started becoming a little more optimistic. Nothing is ever going to change by focusing on the negative.
I hope this raw and extremely honest blog helped you in some way.
