The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7205 p15-16
6 July 2002

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  Remuneration
  The Society

Letters to the Editor

Remuneration

An insult to employers

From Mr L. W. Kong, MRPharmS

Your leading article "How much are you worth?" (PJ, 1 June, p750) neglects the problem of how employers are to afford to pay a locum at the rates quoted.

If you analysed the cost to dispense a prescription item compared against our reimbursement by the Government, you would see that a locum would have to dispense about 25 items an hour for the employer to break even. Small pharmacies do not generate such business and therefore cannot afford to pay locum rates of £15+ per hour.

Should there not be a proportional rate of pay? I am certain that locums would expect higher pay to work in busy dispensaries and likewise they should expect lower rates in quieter pharmacies.

It is insulting to employers for you to encourage pharmacists to "refuse to work unless you are paid at least £19 an hour".

Perhaps you should address your views to the Minister of Health in order to obtain a basic rate for pharmacies. There are so many services that we provide without payment and many more we are being asked to do.

Leslie Kong
Edinburgh

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