Agenda for change
Support for the implementation of AfC
From Mr D. M. Thornton, MRPharmS, and others
Pharmacists who work in the managed sector of the NHS, who are members
of Unison or Amicus have been asked to vote on whether the existing “Agenda
for Change” agreement should be implemented in the NHS. Members of
Amicus, in which the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists is an autonomous professional
section, will receive background information but no recommendation.
As individual pharmacists in early implementer sites, we believe the published
profiles for pharmacists, once reworded to clarify the applicability to
all pharmacist posts irrespective of sector or specialty, are acceptable
and fairly reflect the knowledge and responsibilities of pharmacist roles.
They provide a clear
career path and address the grade drift that has occurred under Whitley.
Terms and conditions were the major area of concern and the decision to
suspend and review the on-call and unsocial working elements clearly recognises
the concerns raised by early implementer sites. As an interim it is, therefore,
helpful that existing national and local agreements are maintained pending
that review and the promise of an additional ballot further emphasises
the need for an acceptable solution.
The Knowledge and Skills Framework is the most exciting and potentially
powerful part of the agreement, ensuring professional development and supporting
the career pathway.
We accept that no agreement across a wide diversity of staff groups will
be perfect and each of the elements while still having some issues of concern
are an improvement on the existing Whitley Council system. Therefore, we
feel that implementation throughout the NHS will support service modernisation,
the delivery of pharmaceutical care and the overall employment situation
of pharmacists.
Dave Thornton
Aintree NHS Trust
David Miller
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Karen Shield
City Hospitals, Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Duncan McRobbie
Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Tony West
Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Saran Braybrook
Herefordshire PCT
Andy Fuller
South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal