The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7201 p802-803
8 June 2002

This page
Reprint
Photocopy

PDF* 55K

  Nurse prescribing
  Antidepressants
  CPD
  Dispensing
  ETP
  The Profession
  The Society

Letters to the Editor

The Profession

Pharmacy needs a resource strategy

From Mr H. R. Patel, FRPharmS

The Journal's leading article quite rightly at this time focuses on asking "how much are you worth?" (PJ, 1 June, p750). I have believed for a long time that pharmacy and pharmacists are undervalued. It would be interesting to look at Professor Ian Walker's work in detail and see how pharmacy can use it to get a better deal in the future.

I agree with the sentiment expressed in the article about how low a value is placed upon human capital in pharmacy. I fully support the notion that pharmacists should be better paid than they are at the moment. In the past, we have seen examples where "professional plumbers" have demanded around £1 a minute for their services, so why not pharmacists?

The answer lies in the fact that the Government has deliberately and systematically underpaid pharmacy contractors. Looking at the figures over 10 years, the dispensing fee is now worth only 60 per cent of what it was worth originally. The Department of Health calls it "productivity gains". Ignoring the overheads (which in reality we cannot do), to pay the pharmacist £19 an hour would require dispensing 21 items an hour.

Due to a number of environmental changes many pharmacies are placed in a financially precarious position. So we need to convince the Government that greater investment is needed to support and motivate a professional workforce, and improve standards of premises and services. The pharmacists, as employees and employers, need to unite to press the Government for adequate new resources for a higher standard of service to the public.

Where the article appears lopsided is where it does not mention affordability of what is proposed. I know that many proprietor pharmacists are struggling, particularly at the lower end of volume or those with high overheads. The grass might look greener on the other side but fortunately, we do not have a mercenary workforce. Pharmacists are balanced and reasonable people and genuinely enjoy what they do for the public. I would not be representing pharmacists if it were different.

I am sure that this is a time to put together a united front and direct our energy towards convincing the new health minister with responsibility for pharmacy that what we need is a resource strategy for pharmacy, rather than just a "pharmacy plan" that we can talk about for a decade. I hope the profession will put up a good case for additional resources rather than bicker about difficulties faced as contractors and employees. The Government would like nothing better. We have a golden opportunity to improve health by providing, eg, medicines management and pharmacist prescribing services. Let us together go for the opportunities, mutual respect and a balanced view about income, expenditure and long term sustainability, and a contented workforce.

Hemant Patel
Brentwood, Essex

Previous Topic (ETP)
Next Topic (The Society)
Send your letter to The Editor