Hospital Pharmacy Workforce Project

Language

English (UK)
Armenian
Croatian
Czech
Deutsch
Español
Estonian
Finnish
Français
German (Austria)
Greek
Italiano
Macedonian
Magyar
Nederlands
Norsk
Polski
Português
Română
Serbian
Slovenian
Slovak

The European Hospital Pharmacy Workforce Investigation
Dear Colleagues,

We invite all pharmacists working in hospitals, pharmacy assistants, technicians, and other related professionals to participate in this important survey about workforce dynamics within hospital pharmacy settings.

This study aims to gather insights into staffing levels, evolving professional roles, job satisfaction factors, and other key aspects affecting professionals in European hospitals. Your responses will help develop evidence-based strategies to strengthen workforce planning, support professional development, and address the challenges faced by hospital pharmacy teams.

The survey uses conditional (skip) logic, ensuring that the questions you see are relevant to your professional role and previous answers.

🕒 Estimated Completion Time: 10–15 minutes.

🔒 Confidentiality: All responses are anonymous and will be treated with strict confidentiality.

We greatly appreciate your time and contributions to this important initiative.

Sincerely,

Nenad Miljković

EAHP President

Petr Horák

EAHP Workforce Project Chairman
The note on pharmaceutical technicians/assistants and other professions:

This questionnaire is intended for all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in hospitals and hospital pharmacies in the EAHP member countries. As we do not have a uniform definition of the profession of pharmacy assistant in Europe, for the purposes of this survey, we use the following:

A pharmacy technician is a healthcare professional who assists pharmacists in dispensing medications and providing pharmaceutical services. Their responsibilities may typically include preparing and dispensing prescription medications under the supervision of a pharmacist, managing inventory, storage, processing prescriptions, and compounding medicines, and dispensing medical devices.

In Europe, a pharmacy technician is also named a "Pharmaceutical Technician," "Pharmaceutical Assistant," or "Pharmacist Assistant," depending on the country (there are further names that are specific to different countries; namely, the Nordic countries have all different names for Pharmacy Technicians). This questionnaire is also relevant to all other healthcare professionals working in hospital pharmacies with similar competencies as pharmacy assistants (i.e., nurses).
Saving the survey draft

Depending on your role, this survey will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Should you need to interrupt your work on the survey, you may save the draft and continue the survey later. You will find the SAVE button at the end of each page. If you click this button, the prompt will ask you to log in to Jotform using your Google or Microsoft account, or sign up using your email. Nevertheless, you may skip this step using the link below ("Skip Create an Account"). In the next step, the system will allow you to copy the link to your saved draft or fill in your email to which the link will be sent.
Introductory part
With which gender do you identify?
What age are you?
How many years of experience do you have in hospital pharmacy?
Have you ever worked in another sector?
In which sector have you worked?

Other
Working position

Other, please specify
What are your current working hours?

Other, please specify
In which country do you work?
Your hospital is located in?
Type of hospital (tick all that apply. For instance, if you work in a general hospital which also cooperates with a university on teaching future healthcare professionals, select both "General" and "Teaching").
Hospital ownership

Other, please specify
Number of beds
Services provided by your hospital pharmacy (tick all that apply)
Which compounding services does your hospital pharmacy department provide?

Other
Which medical devices dispensing services does your hospital pharmacy department provide?

Other
Which medicines dispensing services does your hospital pharmacy department provide?

Other
Which procurement/drug supply services does your hospital pharmacy department provide?

Other
Which clinical pharmacy services does your hospital pharmacy department provide?

Other
Which education/mentoring services does your hospital pharmacy department provide?

Other
What is your primary responsibility?

Other (please specify)

General questions/perception
Is there a shortage of hospital pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, or support staff in your HOSPITAL (please see the definitions below)?
No shortage: The number of staff corresponds to demand; no overload or service disruption is observed.

Mild shortage: Temporary gaps; some positions are harder to fill, but services are maintained without major limitations.

Moderate shortage: Regular staffing issues, increasing workload, frequent overtime, and occasional service delays or reductions.

Severe shortage: Unable to maintain services at standard levels; departments may close, patients may be turned away, and positions remain unfilled for extended periods.

Critical shortage: Systemic crisis, patient safety at risk, significant service failures, emergency measures required.
In which working category(ies)?

Other (please specify)

Which factors, in your opinion, contribute to the workforce shortages in your HOSPITAL?*

Rows	Not at all important	Not much important	NEUTRAL, N/A	Quite important	Very important
New roles of hospital pharmacists (and HP workforce in general)
Ageing population/increased number of patients
Increased workload due to personalisation of care
Ageing workforce
Non-sufficient number of graduates
Decreasing interest in healthcare/pharmacy professions
Too challenging career (to pass through a specialisation process, for example)
Insufficient wages
Suboptimal working conditions
Insufficient support from other professions
(Hospital) pharmacy workforce leaving to other countries (brain drain)
Hospital pharmacy workforce leaving the hospital sector
Insufficient workforce level set by regulation
Growing number of administrative tasks

Are there any other factors contributing to the workforce shortages in your HOSPITAL?
Have you noticed changes in your HOSPITAL's workforce situation (supply vs. demand) over the past 5 years?

Which factors, in your opinion, contribute to the reasons behind the sufficient hospital pharmacy workforce/lack of HP workforce shortages in your HOSPITAL? Please rank the importance of the following factors.*

Rows	Not at all important	Not much important	NEUTRAL, N/A	Quite important	Very important
high numbers of pharmacist graduates
high numbers of pharmacy technician graduates
competitive salaries
structured training for new graduates
clear career path in hospital
attractive working terms and conditions
Interesting and challenging career path
availability of experiential learning in local hospitals for pharmacy students during their undergraduate degree

Are there any other factors contributing to sufficient hospital pharmacy workforce in your hospital? (please specify)

Impacts of the Shortage

How has the current workforce shortage impacted service delivery in your hospital/hospital pharmacy? Please rank the impact*

Rows	Neutral, N/A	No impact	Low impact	Significant impact	Very high impact
Longer waiting times for patients
Reduced time for direct patient care and consultations
Increased risk of errors or compromised patient safety
Delayed implementation of new services/clinical roles
Higher stress levels and burnout among staff
Negative impact on multidisciplinary/multi-professional cooperation
Reduced support to other professions/clinical decision processes
Staff leaving the hospital pharmacy for other sectors
Staff opting for a "portfolio" career and working in a number of sectors e.g. community and hospital, etc.

Are there any other substantial impacts of the workforce shortage on your services?

Questions specific to chief pharmacists/chief pharmacy technicians (and deputies)
How many FTEs of pharmacists work in your hospital?
How many FTEs of pharmacy technicians work in your hospital?
How many employees (in FTEs) work in your hospital pharmacy department altogether?

Which services/activities are most affected by workforce shortage?*

Rows	Neutral, N/A	No impact	Low impact	Significant impact	Very high impact
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Dispensing
Compounding
Procurement
Quality assurance
Research and publications
Outpatient oriented activities
Multiprofessional/multidisciplinary cooperation
Implementation of new services/technologies
Personalisation of care

Have any services or activities been cancelled, slowed down or postponed due to workforce shortages?
Which services or activities have been cancelled, slowed down or postponed due to workforce shortages?
In which of the following workforce categories do you experience shortages? (Tick all that apply.)

Other
In which of the following workforce categories do you experience shortages? (Tick all that apply.)

Other

How many FTEs would you need to fix the shortage? (Please enter 0 if there is no shortage in the working category.)*

Rows	FTEs
Lead pharmacists
Consultant pharmacists
Experienced pharmacists
Entry-level pharmacists
Lead pharmacy technicians
Experienced pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technician specialists
Entry-level pharmacy technicians
Supporting personnel

How many FTEs would you need to fix the shortage? (Please enter 0 if there is no shortage in the working category.)*

Rows	FTEs
Lead pharmacy technicians
Experienced pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technician specialists
Entry-level pharmacy technicians
Supporting personnel

Is your management/HR aware of the problem?
Do you have a human resource plan (a workforce development plan) on (tick all that apply):

Hiring process & salaries
Can you find a suitable candidate once the position is open/approved in a timely manner?
For which working categories you are unable to find a suitable candidate(s) in a timely manner:

Other
For which working categories you are unable to find a suitable candidate(s) in a timely manner:

Other
Is there a significant number of your staff coming from abroad? (Tick all that apply)
Do you think YOUR COLLEAGUES are paid fairly?

Other

Strategies & mitigation

Which strategies would be most effective in addressing workforce shortages in hospital pharmacies?*

Rows	Not Effective	Slightly Effective	Moderately Effective	Very Effective	Extremely Effective
Increasing salaries and benefits
Redesigning competences
Improving working conditions (e.g., better staffing ratios, reduced overtime)
Streamlining or improving specialisation pathways (making it less cumbersome)
Enhancing support from pharmacy technicians/assistants
Enhancing support from the supporting professions (e. g. administrative)
Offering more flexible working hours and career development opportunities
Implementing retention measures (e.g., mentorship, career progression)
Strengthening collaboration with other healthcare professionals to share workload
Advocating for national or European-level policy changes on staffing requirements
Raising awareness about hospital pharmacy

Are there any other strategies you would like to add?
What are the current measures for mitigating the workforce shortages in your hospital? (Tick all that apply.)

Other
Do you think you are paid fairly?
Why do you think you are not paid fairly?

Other

Job satisfaction/well-being
Why did you enter hospital pharmacy? (Tick all that apply.)
Are you satisfied with your working conditions?

1

2

3

4

5

1 is Worst, 5 is Best
Have you considered leaving your current position due to workforce-related challenges (e.g., excessive workload, low wages, stressful environment)?
How likely is it you will be working in the hospital pharmacy sector in one year?

1

2

3

4

5

1 is Very unlikely, 5 is Very likely
How likely is it you will be working in the hospital pharmacy sector in 3 years?

1

2

3

4

5

1 is Very unlikely, 5 is Very likely
How likely is it you will be working in the hospital pharmacy sector in 5 or more years?

1

2

3

4

5

1 is Very unlikely, 5 is Very likely
If you answered highly likely/likely for any of the options in the previous question, for what reason(s) would you wish to stay in hospital pharmacy/not consider a change? Please tick all that apply.

Other
If you answered highly unlikely/unlikely, for what reason(s) are you considering a change? Please tick all that apply.

Other

Overall job satisfaction*

Rows	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
Are you satisfied with your professional development?
Does your workplace offer you enough time for your professional development?
Do you have a clear professional development plan/Clear career pathway?
Do you feel supported enough by other professions?
Do you feel appreciated enough by your patients?
Do you feel appreciated enough by your colleagues?
Do you feel appreciated enough by other healthcare professionals and management in hospital?
Do you feel effectively supported by your superiors?

Dear colleague, thank you for your time on this questionnaire. The very last part focuses on the risk of burnout among hospital pharmacy personnel.

The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) is a set of questions (below) designed to assess employee burnout levels by focusing on two key dimensions: exhaustion and disengagement. Unlike other burnout measures, the OLBI includes positively and negatively worded items to provide a more balanced and accurate view of how individuals experience their work. The exhaustion items evaluate feelings of physical and cognitive fatigue, while the disengagement items assess emotional distance and lack of enthusiasm toward work tasks. You, as the respondents, are encouraged to answer honestly based on your recent experiences, as your feedback can possibly help organisations understand workforce well-being and develop better support strategies.

The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory*

Rows	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I always find new and interesting aspects in my work
There are days when I feel tired before I arrive at work
It happens more and more often that I talk about my work in a negative way
After work, I tend to need more time than in the past in order to relax and feel better
I can tolerate the pressure of my work very well
Lately, I tend to think less at work and do my job almost mechanically
I find my work to be a positive challenge
During my work, I often feel emotionally drained
Over time, one can become disconnected from this type of work
After working, I have enough energy for my leisure activities
Sometimes I feel sickened by my work tasks
After my work, I usually feel worn out and weary
This is the only type of work that I can imagine myself doing
Usually, I can manage the amount of my work well
I feel more and more engaged in my work
When I work, I usually feel energized

Finishing questions
Describe one change you feel would be most effective at resolving workforce shortages:
In your opinion, will the workforce shortage be mitigated in the next 5 years?
Is there anything you would like to add?
Should be Empty:

The European Hospital Pharmacy Workforce Investigation

The note on pharmaceutical technicians/assistants and other professions:

Saving the survey draft

Introductory part

General questions/perception

Impacts of the Shortage

Questions specific to chief pharmacists/chief pharmacy technicians (and deputies)

Hiring process & salaries

Strategies & mitigation

Job satisfaction/well-being

Finishing questions