A5 - It’s not enough to just be ethical, we also need to be socially responsible and equitable
Organised in collaboration with FIP Ethics Expert Group
Chair(s)
Introduction
Despite improvements in health care and healthcare disparities in recent times, inequity between patient groups in both health status and access to health care on a global scale continues. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exposed inequities in healthcare cover around the world, particularly in terms of access to medicines and vaccines. Health inequalities have been associated with poorer healthcare, professional-patient relationships, reluctance to access healthcare, and poorer health outcomes and can occur at systems level and at an individual level. It is important to be able to identify groups that may be marginalised at both levels and develop strategies to improve outcomes for these groups. Pharmacists are trained to be ethical, professional, and law-abiding healthcare professionals, with a focus on pharmaceutical patient-centred care. The question is: are these qualities sufficient? Do we have a moral imperative to enhance our social responsibility? This workshop will reflect on these questions and explore strengthening social responsibility in pharmacy.
Programme
| 16:00 – 16:10 | Introduction by the chair | |
| 16:10 – 16:35 |
|
Drivers of health disparities and health inequity |
| 16:35 – 17:10 |
|
Workshop on implicit bias |
| 17:10 – 17:25 |
So, where to from here? |
|
| 17:25 – 17:30 |
|
Conclusion by the chair |
Learning Objectives
- To explore/describe how the COVID pandemic has highlighted increased health inequities, whether by a systems approach or an individual approach
- To create awareness about implicit bias and its impact on pharmacy practice
- To describe the role of the pharmacist in advocating for social justice in health care to address health inequities
- To explore ways in which to challenge the status quo of education, training and policy
