From Mr A. Low, MRPharmS
SIR,—Locum payments for travel expenses by car do seem unfair on the
locum: 25p a mile is nothing compared to what it should be, when items like
vehicle maintenance, tax and insurance are taken into account, and even when
one does not take into account the fact that driving and navigating to a community
pharmacy are skills. The amount is less than the 35p a mile which nurses, according
to one of the national newspapers, are paid when they use their cars. This particular
newspaper was recently in a state of disgust with the Government that the nurses
were being paid so little for their travel expenses.
Would it not be fair if pharmacies paid locums a rate more in line with what
nurses are paid, and would it not be sensible for the pharmacies to reimburse
locums properly rather than make a saving at the expenses of the locum?
Andrew Low
Harrow, Middlesex