Demand for pharmacy staff in managed sector is increasing
Numbers of qualified staff employed within pharmacy in the NHS in England have increased 50 per cent over a seven-year period, according to the results of the latest workforce
survey published by the Department of Health this week.
Full-time equivalent numbers of qualified pharmacy staff increased from
7,591 in September 1997 to 11,375 in September 2004. Pharmacy support
staff numbers also grew from 1,111 to 2,802 over the same period. Pharmacy
growth was ahead of that for qualified nurses (23 per cent), doctors
(29 per cent) and all NHS staff (27 per cent). The split between staff
employed by hospital and primary care trusts was not given.
Peter Sharott, pharmaceutical adviser, London Regional Public Health
Group, was not surprised by the figures, commenting that pharmacy staff
numbers in hospital trusts in London have increased by 28 per cent over
the past five years.
He said: “Modernisation requires more staff to offer near patient
services and deliver the recommendations of ‘A spoonful of sugar’ and
other initiatives.
“My view is that not all trusts are growing staff numbers at the
same rate, and those trusts that fall behind will struggle to deliver
services.” |
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