The career as a hospital or community pharmacist typically requires a period of compulsory pre-registration training right after graduation from university. After which one will be registered as a licensed pharmacist under the provision of the Pharmacists Registration Act (Cap 230).

All licensed pharmacists can choose to work in hospital or community pharmacy. Our currently statistics show that only about ½ of our total pharmacy population in Singapore work in such settings. They form the most important and visible segment of practitioners in our health system with direct dealing with the health and well-being of the patients.

Since 1980s, clinical pharmacy services have been part of hospital and community pharmacy services, complementing the roles of other healthcare providers like doctors and nurses. Pharmacists are well-positioned to rationalize and optimize the manpower utilization of trained healthcare experts. Right siting of pharmacists’ roles in our healthcare system can optimally re-distribute the burden of healthcare services, thereby helping to keep healthcare cost increases at reasonable level.

Over the years, one startling observation I notice is that many hospital and community pharmacists have a very short career life-span in their position. Though it is very refreshing to see many youthful-looking, younger pharmacists working in these environments; but the flip side is the more experienced ones in their prime stage of their career and leadership; typically in the 40s and older age range, have become so scanty to the point of near non-existence. Many have left the practice and attrition of experienced pharmacists into non-patient care sectors will :

a)       perpetually drive shortages of pharmacists in such practice sectors; and

b)      cause considerable loss in the scarce talent pools needed to guide and train the newer generations of practitioners entering into our health system workforce.

We now have more pharmacy graduates entering the work force. A number of them have decided not to take up the pre-registration training from the outset, a clear signal that they don’t intend to be in the patient-care practice.

It will take some time yet to ensure that such attrition is controlled at a functionally acceptable level; and retention or institutionalization of skills/experience are being managed at critically to ensure that the profession remains progressive to face the many more challenges brought forth by the rapid policy and technological changes. It is obviously not an easy task, but some strategy to solve this ought to be implemented, nonetheless.

Ng Cheng Tiang

 President, PSS

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