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Locum pharmacists

Why do locums not stand up for themselves?

From Ms S. Coyle, MRPharmS

I am astonished to read so many complaints from locums about the long shifts they are asked to work in supermarket pharmacies. I work in a hospital, but I understand that there is a dire shortage of pharmacists in many areas of Britain.

What I would really like to ask is who is forcing the locums to work such long hours? Are the employers in any position to insist on it?

I would have thought that the locums should be able to dictate exactly how many hours they are prepared to work and whether or not they will take a break for lunch. Why do they not stand up for themselves?

Incidentally, pressure of work often forces my colleagues and I to miss breaks, but we are not paid extra, nor do we earn anything like as much as the usual locum rate.

Susan Coyle
Dumfries

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