Counselling and Peer Support
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Pharmacist Support has a range of support available to help manage your mental health and wellbeing. There are proactive wellbeing resources available on our website.
Our services are confidential and open to our pharmacy family which includes pharmacists, trainees, MPharm and OSPAP students.
Counselling (for psychological and emotional support)
If you would benefit from professional psychological support, we offer a confidential counselling service. Since we launched this service in 2021, our counselling provider has developed a deep understanding of the issues facing pharmacists and we are pleased to report much shorter waiting times to see counsellors via our counselling partnership than through many other routes.
The counsellors are there to help you deal with a variety of issues. By seeking constructive help, you may identify ways of addressing the root causes of your concerns in order to help you to cope.
Listening Friends (for peer support)
Our Listening Friends service offers you the choice of speaking in confidence and anonymously to one of our trained volunteer pharmacists. This peer support provides pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students with an opportunity to talk to a pharmacist trained in listening skills about any stresses or pressure you may be feeling. Our volunteers do not provide advice, but they will offer you the time and space to talk through those issues to try to find clarity. They can also sign post you to our Information and Enquiries Team for further specialised help and support.
Listening Friends peer support is intended to be over a short term. If you feel you need longer-term assistance or help for more complex issues relating to your mental health, please have a look at our counselling service as this may be a better fit for you.
Addiction Peer Support
If you’re struggling with an addiction and are uncertain about contacting the Addiction Support helpline, you may find it easier to first speak with one of our trained pharmacist volunteers through our Addiction Peer Support service.