Community pharmacy is experiencing an alarming rise in aggressive and violent incidents. The worst incident involved two pharmacists (both UCA Executive Committee members) being stabbed in a pharmacy in West Belfast.
UCA surveyed its members who told us about their experiences which can be summarised as follows:
· Aggressive and rude behaviour from patients on a daily basis
· Violent incidents/attempted robberies in the past year
· Attempted/robberies increasingly involving knives or guns
· Increased concern/worry among pharmacy staff and pharmacists about the risk of a violent attack or robbery
· Increased concern among pharmacies about drugs held on the premises being the target of an attack
· Difficulties in getting a successful prosecution / negotiating the legal process