Who's On First?

"Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third..." The famous words from Abbott and Costello's signature sketch, guaranteed to send anyone into stitches. Although they were referring to baseball positions, somewhat embarrassingly, I thought of a medical parallel: "Doctor's on first, Nurse's on second, Pharmacist's on third".

I've been hearing that pharmacists have been under-represented in society a lot in recent years. Most recently, I read an article in Pharmacy Magazine about the subject. Following the mass flooding in Cumbria last year, the article states, a Channel 4 documentary followed two nurses as they helped victims in flood-hit Cockermouth. Of course, health workers involved with Cumbria's revival should be congratulated; and they were, as healthcare professionals at the heart of the cleanup were honoured in a ceremony at 10 Downing Street, the Nursing Times reports.

However, the Daily Mail (24/11/09) reported "Allison's Pharmacy was the first flooded shop to get back in business, thanks to a determined owner who knew pensioners were relying on her for their prescription drugs". The Pharmacy Magazine article corroborated this by stating the "sterling work" of two Cockermouth pharmacies, Allison's and a local Boots, went relatively unnoticed.

I realised both articles had a point. In the week of flood-dominated headlines, when did we hear of the plight of pharmacies and when did we not hear of the rescue and health services' work? As I said, that's not to say the latter ought not to be commended; I think people just underestimate the burden of pharmacies nowadays, especially now that they are taking on increased loads, the obligatory health promotion and medicines use reviews being just a couple.

On a similar note, there is a significant lack of pharmacists in the media. Doctors, nurses, the police, forensic scientists...all such scientific professionals are represented on the box with shows such as House, 24 and Nurse Jackie rife. Even an optician took the main role in the short film 'The Optician', released in 2008. On the contrary, when was the last time a pharmacist was allowed centre stage, or even appeared on the television? And I mean in a serious role or as part of a documentary (so no, Mort Goldman in Family Guy does not count!).

All in all, it's sad that pharmacists don't get the recognition they deserve. With people like the owner of Allison's Pharmacy around, the world will continue to tick along, with healthcare professionals at the forefront of maintaining peoples' health. I live in the hope that as pharmacists' duties increase, their exposure and value to society will too and that a time will come when they will be "on first".