The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7170 p545-548
20 October 2001

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Letters to the Editor

Locums

Act decisively

From Mr M. Samson, MRPharmS

Further to my letter (PJ, 22 September, p383), might I add that the salaries paid to employee and locum pharmacists is entirely in their own hands. I can only add my own opinions on how salaries might be improved.

I feel that pharmacists, as university graduates, with so much responsibility on their hands deserve the kind of salaries earned by dentists, accountants and solicitors, say in the region of £50,000 pa or £30 an hour.

I suggest that all pharmacists can easily realise this aim if they act decisively. Locums ought to tell their agencies that their services, from now onwards, are £30 an hour. The giant multinational companies can easily afford it and would have no other option.

As for those colleagues who want a permanent position, might I suggest that they ignore all advertisements unless a salary is actually published. If a multinational seriously wants to employ a pharmacist, then by the laws of supply and demand they ought to compete openly in the marketplace for staff.

Prospective employee pharmacists would therefore be able to select which firm to apply to. Advertisements which offer “realistic salaries” or “competitive rates” should be avoided, what are they trying to hide? Openness is honesty. Those companies who publish their rates will no doubt obtain the response they deserve by offering competitive rates. Those who pay most will get the staff.

Michael Samson
Worthing, West Sussex

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