Pharmacy technicians find new online payment system easy to use
A new online tool for the payment
of retention fees to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society is proving a success during a trial with the registration of pharmacy technicians.
The Society expects to offer the same payment tool to pharmacists from
the end of November.
The new method has been introduced following the success of the 2006
online fee collection, when more than 60 per cent of pharmacy technicians
and 21,000 pharmacists opted to pay online.
The new payment method allows technician registrants to log into a secure,
password-protected, area of the Society’s website to pay their
2007 retention fees online and download a receipt.
The first 100 pharmacy technicians to use the service were invited to
take part in a survey. On a scale of 1 to 5, 85 per cent of respondents
gave the new online payment system the highest rating of 5, finding the
service “a breeze” to use, with the remainder of respondents
rating the service at no less than 4.
One registered pharmacy technician who paid her 2007 fee online, Joanne
Taylor, said: “It is quick and easy and takes the stress out of
renewing your fees. I would recommend it to others.”
The Society’s head of registration, Andrew Gardner, said: “Although
it is not a representative sample, this snapshot of views is a good indicator
that the new arrangement is seen to be user-friendly. The feedback we
received has already helped to improve the service for other technicians
who have yet to sign up.”
Pharmacy technicians were also asked what they would like to see offered
in the secure pages in the future.
Commenting, Mr Gardner said: “The responses to the survey demonstrate
the growing importance of the internet to all our lives. We can
see from the technicians who replied that they are open to new services
when they become available, such as being able to change their address
online. We will continue to trial the service and continue to welcome
people’s views.”
Registered technicians have until 31 December to pay either the practising
fee of £93 or the non-practising fee of £71. Technicians
who do not make payment by the end of the year will be removed from the
register and must reapply for registration.
The online payment system can be accessed at anytime by visiting the “Registration
and support” section of the Society’s website (www.rpsgb.org).
Once logged into the secure section, they can make their fee payments.
Those who pay online receive instant confirmation of their payment by
e-mail but all registered technicians are able to download or print receipts
from their accounts within 24 hours of making a payment.
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal