Pharmacists rush to help colleagues in Hawke’s Bay

Around half a dozen pharmacists and a pharmacy technician have been giving their colleagues in Hawke’s Bay some much-needed respite.

In mid-February, the area was badly hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused flooding, slips, road closures and fatalities.

Pharmacists from elsewhere have been keen to help.

When Green Cross Health regional manager Bronwen Shepherd put out a call for pharmacists, she had 12 applications in a single day.

Ms Shepherd says four came from Wellington the Saturday after the cyclone and eight others volunteered. She referred them to Health Hawke’s Bay, which has been coordinating the pharmacists, making sure they are properly accommodated and prioritising the pharmacies most in need.

Medwise clinical pharmacist Pauline McQuoid and colleague Louise Ranson, who are from Bay of Plenty, arrived on 22 and 23 February respectively.

Ms McQuoid helped coordinate four pharmacists and a pharmacy technician who have assisted at community pharmacies. She and Ms Ranson also packed medicine bags which nurse practitioners and GPs took by helicopter to isolated communities, such as Wairoa, Tutira, Pātoka, and Dartmore. Ms Ranson also locumed in Flaxmere, in Hastings.

Pharmacies in the area were reluctant to ask for assistance because other colleagues are in the same situation: “They’re used to coping and absorbing the pressure all themselves. We had to gently encourage people to take the help,” Ms McQuoid says.

Ms McQuoid spent six days in Hawke’s Bay and the other pharmacists and the pharmacy technician have been there for one or two weeks each. It was very rewarding, “but I get to walk away at the end of the day, those guys [Hawke’s Bay pharmacy staff] have to stick with it and work their way through. All credit to them”, she says.

That’s what pharmacy is all about; having the opportunity to help out when people are in need

Hamilton pharmacist David Murray, who got his pharmacy licence at the start of last year, jumped at the chance to go to Hawke’s Bay. He had been following the disaster response and was feeling for everyone affected.

His employer Pharmacy 547, which sent people to Christchurch after the earthquakes, said they would support him to go. “That’s what pharmacy is all about; having the opportunity to help out when people are in need,” says Mr Murray. He arrived on Monday 27 February and is due to go back 10 March.

He was initially rostered to work 11 days in a row. After a complaint from Rebekah Taylor, owner of Glenns Pharmacy, Taradale, that the length of time was not safe, he was given two days off during his fortnight in the area, which he is happy with.

“There was some miscommunication. It must be a tough job coordinating it,” Mr Murray says. Pharmacy Today asked Health Hawke’s Bay for comment but did not receive a response by deadline.

Mrs Taylor, who Mr Murray is staying with, is glad the issue has been sorted out. She says she had to speak up because he was expected to have no days off.

The locum pharmacists are covering the locals so they don’t burn out, but she doesn’t want that to happen to the visitors too. “We can’t be scaring the volunteers away.” It was also initially not clear where she had to drop Mr Murray off for work.

On Friday 3 March, Mrs Taylor and her husband hosted a pizza, board games and coffee night for pharmacy workers who had come to help. Two other pharmacists, who Mr Murray thinks are from Auckland, turned up. They are saying the same sort of things: “Everyone is happy to have extra hands and has been really welcoming,” he says.

Mr Murray has been working wherever needed at pharmacies in Napier, so they have an extra pair of hands. “It sounds, like they have been pulling some really big hours.”

His help has given pharmacists a chance to get to stuff they haven’t been able to attend to for the last couple of weeks. “All the workers have their own things going on and have been flat out,” he says. “It must be really nice to have a chance to sort their own lives out and have a break.”

There is a real sense of community. No one has been grumpy, even though people must be tired and worn-out, he says.

Unichem Munroe St Pharmacy owner and pharmacist Fraser Smith would not normally ask for help but after COVID-19 and the April 2023 floods in Napier, Cyclone Gabrielle was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Green Cross Health sent two pharmacists up from Life Pharmacy Queensgate in Wellington the weekend after the cyclone hit. They worked 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday because there was such a demand for repeat prescriptions and 14-day emergency supplies of medicines. The pharmacy and medical centre were a hub because they had a generator. The doors of the small pharmacy were shut, people were triaged at the door and waited outside for their medicines.

Since then, four or five other pharmacists have lent a hand. “I could see my staff starting to wilt,” says Mr Smith. It wasn’t just due to the high volume of scripts but also because it was draining to speak to people all the time.

Without the extra help, the pharmacy would have had to shorten its hours. Neither the business nor its workers were flooded, apart from one carport. However, they were upset by the devastation they saw on their way to work, especially in Clive and Pakowhai.

“They have all been so willing to just muck in and help,” says Mr Smith of the visiting pharmacists.

Michael Mishkiri, who owns five pharmacies, has helped him out “immensely” over the last few days. It means the three full-time pharmacists, including Mr Smith, could get a break. “It’s allowed me to catch up on a few things that I had set aside,” he says. “Michael and others who don’t know me from a bar of soap have all fitted in…and have just been fantastic.”

He’s made sure the visiting staff have enough time off too. “I can’t say how appreciative we are of all the help we’ve had.”

The pharmacy is still exceptionally busy, which is potentially exhausting for staff, says Mr Smith.

Ideally they would have extra staff for another three to four weeks, but he doesn’t want to put demands on people.

Pharmaceutical Society Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti branch president Susan Donaldson says it has been absolutely marvellous to have the locums in Hawke’s Bay.

Mrs Donaldson, who is a retired pharmacist, says they have been “just fabulous” and have allowed staff dealing with the flood effects to attend to things at home. They are tired and the locums have relieved the pressure. “Thank you to the rest of New Zealand for releasing them.”

The Pharmaceutical Society will be holding a social get together on Sunday 2 April, probably in Napier.