A new organisation for locum pharmacists, the Independent Locum Pharmacists' Association (ILPA), is expected to be launched in late October or early November.
Mr Graham Southall-Edwards, who proposed the association (PJ, June 24, p938), told The Journal on July 10 that there had been an exceptional response to his suggestion. Everybody who had contacted him had thought that the proposal was long overdue.
An aim of the association would be to provide support for locums who had problems with their employers. It would keep the sort of records on employers that they kept on their workers and would offer support and, possibly, legal representation. There would probably be an annual membership fee of £50.
"For an organisation to have teeth, it needs to have funds," Mr Southall-Edwards said.
Locums had already reported problems with excessive hours and with superintendent pharmacists who they believed were not fit for the job. Bad employers would be blacklisted.
"People are complaining that they are asked to work from 8am to 9pm. If they decline, they do not get the job and never hear from that employer again." he said. "Employers have the ability to mark their locums, but locums do not currently have the ability to mark down employers who are unprofessional."
Mr Southall-Edwards added that the aim of the ILPA would not be restricted to looking to the interests of locums. It would also be concerned for the professional image of pharmacy.
The fledgling ILPA can be contacted by e-mail at ilpa@netway.at. A website is under development at www.europeanlegal.com.