From Mrs R. Rodgers, MRPharmS
SIR,-I have heard recently of unsolicited letters being sent by locum agencies apparently seeking to increase the number of pharmacists available on their books. One agency has offered gift vouchers to encourage registering with it.
Now, I am no lawyer, let alone an expert on recruitment law, but I understand that the practice of offering incentives to workers in order to seek to induce them to use an employment agency is contrary to regulations made under the Employment Agencies Act 1973.
Another approach was made to the pharmacist in charge of registered premises, not offering to supply locums, but clearly aiming to induce pharmacists to leave regular employment by promising to increase earnings by over £2,000 per year through tax saving.
I trust that this correspondence is not a sign of things to come and sincerely hope that any pharmacists considering becoming a locum will not be swayed by such approaches. Agencies do not guarantee full-time employment and should only be chosen on the basis of the contract and services offered. The small print really must be obtained and read before signing up to avoid later disagreement and upset.
The locum business is, at present, unregulated. Some older established agencies are members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, although this by no means suggests that non-members are disreputable. It is hoped that voluntary membership of the proposed Association of Locum Pharmacy Agencies (ALPHA) will go some way to providing guarantees, both to individual locum pharmacists and to pharmacy owners. In the meantime it is up to individual pharmacists to ensure that they behave in a professional and responsible manner.
As the secretary designate to the embryo ALPHA, I am interested to receive comments from any pharmacists who have experienced locum problems in order that I can fully understand the requirements of all parties, that is, the locum, the employer and the agency. It is hoped in due course that a report on the locum industry will be prepared for publication that will no doubt be of interest to many of your readers, particularly as we approach the fallow year. Any comments can be addressed to me.
Ruth Rodgers
ALPHA, PO Box 804, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7TS