Introduction
The demographic profile of the pharmacy workforce has altered significantly in the last 60 years. In 1941 it is estimated that 10% of the workforce were female. Currently, 54% of the pharmacy workforce is female. After the age of 30, part-time working is common. Data from the 2002 National Pharmacy Workforce Census indicates that part-time working increases with age, (44% of female pharmacists aged 30-39 years work part-time, whereas 53% of female pharmacists aged 40-59 years work part-time) [1]. Previous studies have suggested that child bearing is linked with decreased working hours and that women are attracted to pharmacy by the prospect of future part-time working [2.3]. Published studies have reported that pharmacy working suits women because it is flexible and family friendly [4,5].

Aim

This study aimed to explore which factors influence working practices in female pharmacists over the age of 30.

Method
Multi-centre research council approval was obtained for this study. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain permitted the researcher to use registration and census data to identify the sample. Twelve Primary Care Trusts in the North West of England were selected as a sampling frame to provide as diverse a range of respondents as possible. Recruitment letters (n=242) describing the study were sent with consent forms and free-post envelopes to all female community pharmacists over the age of 30 resident in the selected PCTs. A reminder letter was sent to none responders two weeks later, and a further reminder was published in the Pharmaceutical Journal two weeks later. Face to face interviews were conducted with consenting respondents at their convenience. The interview schedule was designed to explore interviewees' motivation for choosing pharmacy, employment history, and influences for choosing particular patterns of working.

Results
Ninety-six respondents returned completed consent forms, (response rate = 40%). Interviews (n=30) were conducted between February and June 2005. Mean interviews length was 61 minutes (range: 37 to 88 minutes). This study confirmed the finding from previous work that female community pharmacists adopt heterogenous work patterns to fit in with personal circumstances [6,7]. A number of facets of community pharmacy working were identified which acted as barriers for certain female pharmacists. They included: inflexible working conditions, incompatibility of pharmacy working with formal childcare provision, limited availability of family friendly contracts, antisocial working hours, long hours, allocation of annual leave, supervisory requirements, and remuneration levels. A range of contradictory views were held by the interviewees in relation to whether community pharmacy could be called 'family friendly' or flexible, and generally personal circumstances helped explain interviewees' diverse perceptions of the flexibility of pharmacy working. Marriage, children and caring responsibilities were commonly cited as reasons for changes in employment patterns and status.

Conclusion
In contrast to other studies this study indicates that for some women personal circumstances mean that community pharmacy is neither flexible nor family friendly.