At the moment, I'm having a love-hate relationship with my work.
I love being put on the healthcare counter, catching people who takes the wrong medicines.
I enjoy being in dispensary, dispensing and going "AH, I know what this is!"
I like watching my pharmacist, and pre-reg's expression, when I manage to answer their questions,
(Oh, Nottingham, you are such a fine pharmacy school!)
The only thing I hate with a vengeance is...
having to fulfil my PCS quota, and doing FRPS.
PCS: Free Prescription Collection Service
FRPS: Free Repeat Prescription Collection Service.
These are some of Boot's evil strategies to retain and secure their customers, from the competitive clutches of Lloyds, Rowlands, Co-op and the like. These so called "Free" services, are meant to guarantee future businesses.
Don't get me wrong, these free services does come in handy to some people who really do need them. With these new initiatives, they can have a better life living with medication. However, there are also some which clearly do not need them, and also DO NOT WANT THEM.
Having a quota to fulfill, is sort of like forcing an employee to do something, for the sake of their job. I dislike having a quota to live up to everyday. What I hate even more, is having to shove these "services" to every single customer who is not on our program already.
You know, like a sales man, knocking on your door, trying to sell you some revolutionary product, because he has to fulfil his quota, else lose his job. The thought of it makes me feel constipated.
It is completely unethical, and unreasonable to me. The Pharmacist Code of Ethics No.1, clearly states, "make the care of your patients, your first concern", not your first business! I feel sorry for all the people that I met, for they had to listen to my lecture, and then figure out a way to decline my offer later on. It must've been more uncomfortable for them, than it is for me.
In my opinion, I would've been more supportive if it were left to my soon-to-be professional discretion, to promote the service to people who might need it. Instead of having to forcefeed everyone I meet, just so that I can fulfil my quota. Making my job or the business as my first concern is clearly in contradiction to the code of ethics.
If I stopped doing that, it would upset my tutor/ manager, as they are also under pressure from their superiors to push this service further. Eventually, it would also compromise my position as a candidate for employment upon graduation.
But then again, if this were kept on, I'm not sure if I wanted to work for an insufficiently ethical corporate organization who's more about making money out of the pharmacy, than running one for the people.
This is definitely pushing me to the brink of cutting off community pharmacy as a job prospect in my consideration. Tomorrow I will have to go out and face my quota again. My distaste for such practices, is making me struggle with my conscience, wondering if what I'm doing is the right thing to do...
I love being put on the healthcare counter, catching people who takes the wrong medicines.
I enjoy being in dispensary, dispensing and going "AH, I know what this is!"
I like watching my pharmacist, and pre-reg's expression, when I manage to answer their questions,
(Oh, Nottingham, you are such a fine pharmacy school!)
The only thing I hate with a vengeance is...
having to fulfil my PCS quota, and doing FRPS.
PCS: Free Prescription Collection Service
FRPS: Free Repeat Prescription Collection Service.
These are some of Boot's evil strategies to retain and secure their customers, from the competitive clutches of Lloyds, Rowlands, Co-op and the like. These so called "Free" services, are meant to guarantee future businesses.
Don't get me wrong, these free services does come in handy to some people who really do need them. With these new initiatives, they can have a better life living with medication. However, there are also some which clearly do not need them, and also DO NOT WANT THEM.
Having a quota to fulfill, is sort of like forcing an employee to do something, for the sake of their job. I dislike having a quota to live up to everyday. What I hate even more, is having to shove these "services" to every single customer who is not on our program already.
You know, like a sales man, knocking on your door, trying to sell you some revolutionary product, because he has to fulfil his quota, else lose his job. The thought of it makes me feel constipated.
It is completely unethical, and unreasonable to me. The Pharmacist Code of Ethics No.1, clearly states, "make the care of your patients, your first concern", not your first business! I feel sorry for all the people that I met, for they had to listen to my lecture, and then figure out a way to decline my offer later on. It must've been more uncomfortable for them, than it is for me.
In my opinion, I would've been more supportive if it were left to my soon-to-be professional discretion, to promote the service to people who might need it. Instead of having to forcefeed everyone I meet, just so that I can fulfil my quota. Making my job or the business as my first concern is clearly in contradiction to the code of ethics.
If I stopped doing that, it would upset my tutor/ manager, as they are also under pressure from their superiors to push this service further. Eventually, it would also compromise my position as a candidate for employment upon graduation.
But then again, if this were kept on, I'm not sure if I wanted to work for an insufficiently ethical corporate organization who's more about making money out of the pharmacy, than running one for the people.
This is definitely pushing me to the brink of cutting off community pharmacy as a job prospect in my consideration. Tomorrow I will have to go out and face my quota again. My distaste for such practices, is making me struggle with my conscience, wondering if what I'm doing is the right thing to do...
2 comments:
pcs and frps for me is still 0, if that's making you feel any better.. lolx.
I share the same sentiment. I've been through the same thing. It sucks that you have to do thing even you knew t was not a right thing to do.
However, welcome to the real world, gurl! There many other ugly things that we have yet to witness with our very own eyes. As long you can maintain what's true to you, we can help make the world better.
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