Pharmacies urged to turn away abusive, racist or Islamophobic patients

Pharmacists and their teams have been urged to turn away patients who are being abusive, racist or Islamophobic .

It comes after a poll found more than half of community pharmacy teams have felt unsafe amid riots across the country.

The snap survey, carried out by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), represented about 350 community pharmacies.

We should not expect community pharmacy teams, under any circumstances, to accept being subjected to intimidation, harassment, racism or Islamophobic abuse

It also found some 13% of pharmacy teams had faced racist comments in the last week, while one in three had considered closing early due to safety concerns.

NPA chief executive Paul Rees said: “The last two weeks have been tough for so many people working in community pharmacy – especially for those who are of South Asian heritage, black or from other ethnic minorities.

“We should not expect community pharmacy teams, under any circumstances, to accept being subjected to intimidation, harassment, racism or Islamophobic abuse.”

The NPA, which represents more than 5,000 independently-run community pharmacies, has urged community pharmacies to take a “zero tolerance” approach to racism.

It comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the PA news agency earlier this week that the NHS will take a zero tolerance approach to racism.

He said: “ People who are abusing NHS staff can be turned away, and should be turned away, if that is the way that they are treating our staff.”

Mr Streeting’s comments followed reports that two Filipino nurses had been attacked as they travelled to work to provide emergency cover during unrest in the city last Friday.

According to reports, the taxi they were travelling in was pelted with rocks.

While the nurses were physically unharmed the Mirror reported they were left “terrified” by the ordeal.

Mr Rees added: “In line with Wes Streeting’s comments earlier this week about abuse of NHS staff, we would encourage pharmacies to take a zero tolerance approach towards patients who behave in this way – and would advise them to turn people away who are being abusive, racist or Islamophobic and contact the police.

“ Pharmacies are the heart of their communities and as the front door of the NHS have been particularly vulnerable to a rise in violence and intimidation in the last few weeks.

“We are immensely proud of the diversity of pharmacy contractors and their teams and are doing all we can to support them at this time.”