Marking 1 March, Zero Discrimination Day, Pharmacy Forum NI has launched a new initiative aimed at advancing, encouraging and supporting Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in the Northern Ireland pharmacy workplace.
As part of the launch, Pharmacy Forum NI is organising throughout 2021 a three-part EDI CPD webinar series – Diversity & Inclusion in NI Pharmacy – Creating the right Culture. The first of these will take place on Tuesday 23 March @7-8:30pm focusing on the theme: The case for inclusion and handling race.
The series is set up to promote a culture of diversity and inclusion within the NI pharmacy profession that aims to cultivate a safe and inclusive workplace environment; keeps us in step with our increasingly diversified workforce and population; and supports current and future workforce needs.
The Forum’s EDI initiative was prompted in summer 2020 by reports of racism in NI pharmacy that were covered by the local, regional and industry the media at the time. The Forum issued a public statement condemning “any discrimination – be that racial, sectarian, disability, sexual orientation or in any other way”. In addition, the Pharmacy Forum NI Board further agreed to undertake a long-term programme of work dealing with EDI at large, aimed at creating the right culture in NI pharmacy.
Since then, the Forum has set up a new EDI Working Group and a new online resource hub highlighting PASS support available for anyone facing discrimination, harassment or bullying. The Forum is also continuing work on the roll-out of the 2021 webinar series.
For more information, visit the EDI Hub: www.pfni.org.uk
If you’d like to find out more about the EDI activity or get involved, please contact Roisin.Hughes@psni.org.uk.