Concern mounts over job security in PCTs
Pharmacists and other head office staff in primary care trusts across England are facing uncertainty over their futures in the run up to the reorganisation of PCTs. Last week, PCT staff classed as managers
or administrators in Devon and Cornwall received a letter formally
informing them that their jobs are potentially at risk.
Shailen Rao, head of medicines management at Hillingdon PCT and chairman
of the Primary Care Pharmacists Association, told The Journal that there
is a debate at the moment about where prescribing teams will sit after
the reconfigurations.
“PCTs may wish to share strategic functions but may underestimate
the need for strategic input in individual PCTs.”
He added that the arrival of practice-based commissioning and transfer
of services from secondary to primary care will require greater input
from primary care pharmacists to ensure that medicines management initiatives
are supported. Mr Rao is also concerned that laying off pharmacy staff
could be a false economy and that a wealth of knowledge and experience
may be lost in the process.
Brain Curwain: danger of isolation |
Brian Curwain, chief pharmacist at New Forest
PCT and a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council,
told The Journal that
in Hampshire seven PCTs are merging to form one organisation. “There
are five senior grade pharmacists within the seven PCTs. My guess is
that there won’t be five jobs at that level within the new organisation.” He
and his colleagues have already started working on a proposal for pharmaceutical
support to the reconfigured PCT.
Dr Curwain predicts that the reconfiguration will not lead to job losses
overall but that significant numbers of people might have their employment
changed in one way or another. “For example, budgets currently
funding PCT medicines management teams might be devolved to practice-based
commissioning groups to buy local pharmaceutical support,” he says.
He believes that if existing teams fragment, there is a danger of professional
isolation and variable quality. “If this happens, those providing
support to PCT pharmacists, such as the National Prescribing Centre,
will have to ensure that they nurture their networks,” he added.
Reconfigured PCTs come into being on 1 October. The Journal understands
that staff redundancies in Devon and Cornwall will be kept to an absolute
minimum and, if suitable posts cannot be found for individuals, employment
will be guaranteed until 30 June 2007. Staff providing front-line services
will not be affected. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader