The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7461 p71
21 July 2007

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• White Paper
• Pfizer
• Recruitment
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• Labelling
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Letters to the Editor

Recruitment

Need to address salaries of junior staff

From Mr R. A. Cattell, MRPharmS, and Mr D. Miller, MRPharmS

The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists welcomes the increase in both the number and, in our view, quality of pharmacy staff, which is a recognition, in these times of financial deficit, of the excellent contribution these staff play in the safe, effective and, equally importantly, economic delivery of patient care.

However, we think the recent article on the current recruitment situation (PJ, 30 June, pp766–72) although recognising the positive contribution of Agenda for Change (AfC), due in no small measure to effective job profiles negotiated by the guild, paints a particular rosy picture of that situation.

We agree the fact that the Department of Health’s three-month rate for pharmacist posts actively being recruited has not significantly improved but remains unchanged at around 2 per cent (among the highest for NHS staff), which, in part, is due to the rebanding of posts as managers attempt to overcome the continuing junior vacancies that at any one time are around 17 per cent. We also accept that most senior staff are reasonably content with their grading and consequent salary.

However, the article failed to note that, at junior levels, the assimilation from the old Whitley grade has masked the potential problem of the entry salary of junior staff. Under Whitley, a grade B or C pharmacist would start on £23–26,000 compared with £22,800 on band 6 and a grade D was £32,400 compared with £27,600 if the post holder started at band 7.

In addition, the need for a fair and equitable job evaluation has rightly reduced artificial grade drift, which was used to provide competitive salaries. This entry-level differential is even more profound when compared with the salary available to newly or recently qualified pharmacists in community pharmacy, receiving in excess of £35–40,000.

In our view AfC is a job half complete as we still need to address salaries, particularly of junior staff, across the whole of the UK. This has, in part, been recognised by the Pay Review Body which has supported an evidence-based investigation. We look forward to working with our DoH and NHS employer colleagues to ensure this work is done.

Anecdotal articles add to the process. However, they are no replacement for a proper and effective investigation of the facts by an independent organisation.

Richard Cattell
Vice-President
David Miller
Lead on Terms and Conditions
The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists

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