A changing professional profile: Ethnicity and gender issues in pharmacy employment in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Objective. This research was conducted to determine whether there were significant differences between the career profiles and ambitions of United Kingdom pharmacists from different ethnic and gender sub-populations. The results were subsequently analysed to determine whether any differences found between sub-populations had varied over time. Method. The research methodology employed a postal survey and interviews, to measure parameters relating to pharmacists' current careers, career histories and career ambitions. Questionnaires were distributed to 500 ethnic minority pharmacists and 500 non-ethnic minority pharmacists; there were 1867 valid returns. Twenty-seven ethnic minority community pharmacists working in one inner city area were interviewed. Setting. The sample for the postal survey was identified from a surname analysis of the Register of Pharmaceutical Chemists. Key findings. Ethnic minority (mainly Asian) pharmacists accounted for 15 per cent of UK pharmacists. Of pharmacists aged under 30 years, 72 per cent of white pharmacists and 50 per cent of ethnic minority pharmacists were female. Both male and female community pharmacists from ethnic minorities favoured ownership roles relative to white pharmacists in all measured age groups. Management roles were favoured by both white male and female pharmacists, while locum roles were more frequently undertaken by white female pharmacists. Family ties were found to have a relatively strong influence on the careers of ethnic minority pharmacists. Conclusion. We speculate that family involvement may have enhanced the availability of both human and financial capital for business start-up, but find indications that this influence may not persist over time. In hospital pharmacy, there were indications of underachievement and career anxiety among pharmacists from ethnic minorities, the proportion of hospital pharmacy managers from ethnic minorities being disproportionately low. Attention is drawn to some policy implications, notably for training, flexible working patterns and the need for demographic scenario planning in the profession.