Unite seeks urgent meeting as NHS pharmacy services are threatened
by government decision
3rd July 2009
Health secretary, Andy Burnham MP, is being asked to reconsider
the decision that has denied NHS pharmacists the fair pay deal
which would address the profession's NHS recruitment
crisis.
Unite, the largest union in the country, has expressed disbelief
that the government has said today (Friday) that it will not
implement the recommendation of the independent NHS Pay Review Body
(PRB) to give pharmacists the necessary recruitment and retention
premium (RRP) to retain them in the NHS.
Awarding a RRP would have staunched the recruitment crisis of
pharmacists in the NHS, where pharmacist vacancies are currently
running at 13 per cent. Pharmacists in the private sector can earn
at least £10,000 more a year than in the NHS.
Unite national officer for Health, Karen Reay, said: “We are
seeking an urgent meeting with Andy Burnham to ask him to review
the decision not to implement the independent PRB decision. This
will make the pharmacy recruitment crisis in the NHS much
worse.
“Unite presented evidence to the PRB that 25 per cent of NHS
trainee pharmacists never take up a permanent position with the
NHS, as they are lured by the bigger salaries offered by the
private sector.”
The NHS PRB stated that: “The lack of urgency in agreeing a
solution to the shortage of pharmacists in the NHS carries
substantial risks. We therefore consider that action needs to be
taken in the short term to address the problem of recruitment and
retention of pharmacists in the NHS, and that a national RRP is the
appropriate mechanism.”
Unite research estimated that to award the RRP would cost
approximately £12 million a year, yet in 2008 the NHS spent around
£23.8 million on locums to plug the pharmacist gaps in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland.
Karen Reay added: “Not to implement the recommendations of the
PRB clearly does not make economic or common sense. Continuing with
such high pharmacist vacancy levels will have a negative impact on
services.
“Unite is also very concerned that the independence of the PRB
has, once again, been undermined by government.”
Ends
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
- NHS pharmacists work in hospitals, primary care and mental
health trusts.
- The NHS Pharmacy Establishment and Vacancy Survey in 2008 found
there were 305 qualified pharmacy posts being filled by locums.
Based on an average rate of £40 an hour, this costs the NHS
£457,500 a week (= 305 x 40 x 37.5) and £23.8 million a
year.
- NHS Pharmacy Establishment and Vacancy Survey in 2008, which is
more reliable than the NHS Information Centre vacancy figures,
found there was a 13 per cent vacancy rate for pharmacists
overall.
- The NHSPRB said “We recommend a short-term national RRP for
pharmacists of £5,000 at the lowest point of AfC band 6, decreasing
in stages to £500 at the sixth point of band 7. This should be
implemented from 1 October 2009, and remain in place for a fixed
term of 2½ years until 31 March 2012”.
- The NHSPRB also said that “We do not agree with the view of the
Department of Health and the health departments for the devolved
administrations that there must be clear and robust evidence of a
recruitment and retention difficulty across all four countries in
the UK”.
- Unite is the largest union in the UK. Its health sector
includes seven professional sections, one of which is the Guild of
Healthcare Pharmacists which represents NHS healthcare
pharmacists.
For further information please ring: Karen Reay, national
officer, on 07798 531 004, Barrie Brown, health sector officer, on
07798 531 022 or Shaun Noble, communications officer (health
sector), on 020 7420 8951 or 07768 693 940.
Unite health sector web page: www.unitetheunion.org/health
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