From workforce intelligence to workforce development: advancing the Eastern Mediterranean pharmaceutical workforce for better health outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The pharmaceutical workforce in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region plays a key role in improving health outcomes through responsible use of drugs and optimizing effective choice and use. Investment in this workforce's development and planning is fundamental to achieving universal health coverage. AIMS: To provide an overview of the pharmacy workforce capacity trends in the Region and emphasize the importance of workforce intelligence for strategic development. METHODS: A review of the literature and global pharmacy workforce studies conducted by the International Pharmaceutical Federation to identify trends and issues in the Region. RESULTS: The Region has high workforce production capacity compared to other WHO regions but challenges in workforce planning and intelligence strategies persist. Effective workforce planning relies not only on quality intelligence, but also on cross-sectoral coordination and stewardship, and the Pharmaceutical Workforce Development Goals provide countries within the Region with a framework for development. CONCLUSION: There is no workforce development without workforce intelligence.

A comparative analysis of pharmaceutical workforce development needs across the commonwealth.

BACKGROUND: Increasing demographic healthcare challenges, such as increased life expectancy coupled with increased use of medicines for complex morbidities, point to the need for globally applicable transformative policies in health workforce development. The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has established a set of 21 Global Development Goals (FIP DGs) to strengthen pharmacy workforce and benchmark professional developmental needs. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify policy directions and factors affecting pharmacy workforce development across the Commonwealth, and to examine country progress made towards implementing workforce oriented FIP DGs. METHODS: The study involved a literature review and a global survey of commonwealth countries professional leadership bodies. The literature database search included PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, Scopus and PsychINFO databases as well as the websites of the respective national pharmacy organisations of Commonwealth countries. A global survey was also conducted to assess country-level alignment with the workforce component of FIP DGs. RESULTS: Thirty-one articles representing 21 Commonwealth countries were included in the literature overview. The development needs identified were workforce shortages and inequitable distribution across practice areas and geographical regions, low workforce supply capacity, workforce feminisation, lack of professional recognition, limited training opportunities, low job satisfaction, high workload and attrition. The survey showed disparities in country-level progress and alignment with the FIP DGs. High-income countries in the survey sample reported alignment with most of the FIP DGs, while the low-income countries reported alignment with fewer DGs. More than two-thirds of the countries showed alignment with the FIP DGs related to academic capacity, early career training, quality assurance and advancing integrated services. About half reported alignment with the FIP DGs related to competency and leadership development, respectively, while only a third aligned with the equity and equality DG. CONCLUSION: This study identified realistic pharmacy workforce developmental needs across a range of Commonwealth countries. Addressing these needs through appropriate policy interventions will be essential for increasing the pharmacy workforce capacity and assuring the delivery of high-quality pharmaceutical care and medicines expertise in these countries.

Using a global systematic framework tool to guide the advancement of the pharmacy workforce education and training on a national level.

BACKGROUND: Systematic education and training strategies play a critical role in preparing a competent pharmacy workforce to meet the evolving healthcare needs of nations. Reports have shown that investing in healthcare workers' education and training not only has a positive impact on employment rates and economic growth but also results in measurable improvement in health and population outcomes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of globally validated workforce goals as a guide to the planning and advancement of the Kuwait pharmacy workforce's education and training. METHODS: A mixed-approach qualitative study involving representatives of key stakeholders was conducted. Focus group interviews were carried out with pharmacists with patient and non-patient facing roles (N = 33). In addition, semi-structured interviews with the three main pharmacy Continuing Professional Development (CPD) providers in the country were conducted. Data were analysed using a framework analysis method. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analysed and coded using MAXQDA-12. The International Pharmaceutical Federation Workforce Development Goals (FIP WDGs) were used as the framework for data analysis. RESULTS: Participants' responses highlighted three main priorities: the importance of initial and post-graduation needs-based education (WDG 2), the need for competency development and competency frameworks (WDG 5), and the crucial role of active policy and regulations that would enforce the profession development (WDG 9). Investing in competency development was seen the top priority for the pharmacy workforce in Kuwait. CONCLUSION: This study provided insights into areas in need of systematic development for pharmacy workforce in Kuwait including foundation training for early career pharmacists, competency development and competency frameworks, and policies and regulations that would enforce the profession development. In addition, the use of the FIP WDGs framework was found to offer a framing device to better understand and identify priorities and needs for pharmacy workforce development.

Using a global framework for health workforce development: National case studies on continuing professional development in pharmacy.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Investing in the education, training and development of the global health workforce is integral to achieving global health goals, including universal health coverage and access to safe and quality services. Systemising and formalising CPD & CE for health workers as part of their professional development has become a central component of health workforce development. A global framework for pharmacy workforce development support countries to assess their CPD & CE development needs and facilitate progress towards global goals. This paper describes this global framework and how it's being used and implemented in countries worldwide.

The FIP Nanjing Statements: Shaping global pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education.

The quality assurance of pharmacy education is a global goal and indicator of transformative pharmacy workforce development. FIP has published a number of tools, guidelines and resources to support individuals, institutions, nations and regions advance pharmacy education - especially as the state of pharmacy education varies widely in countries around the world. The Nanjing Statements offer a potential additional tool aimed primarily at institutions to evaluate, monitor and advance their educational standards. The upcoming assessment tool being developed by FIP in partnership with Howard University will facilitate its utilization by educators and institutions worldwide and provides a global, practical mechanism of advancing the education of the pharmacy workforce worldwide.