Staff shortages mean that 70 per cent of departments cannot deliver
full service
Staff shortages have resulted in 70 per cent of hospital pharmacies being
unable to meet the demands made upon them, according to the national hospital
pharmacy staffing survey 2003. There is a high staff turnover, with over
20 per cent of pharmacists leaving their original employing hospital. However,
overall, the number of pharmacist working in NHS hospitals increased, representing
a net gain of 103 whole time equivalents.
NHS pharmacy staff in post on 31 July 2003
|
|
Posts |
Occupied by permanent
staff |
Occupied by locum |
Vacant |
Pharmacists grade A-C |
1519 |
1069 |
204 |
246 |
Pharmacists grade D-E |
2385 |
2089 |
95 |
201 |
Pharmacists grade F-H |
516 |
492 |
9 |
15 |
All pharmacists |
4420 |
3650 |
308 |
463 |
|
|
|
|
|
MTOs grade 1-2 |
2762 |
2441 |
111 |
210 |
MTOs grade 3+ |
1661 |
1553 |
27 |
82 |
MTOs total |
4423 |
3994 |
138 |
291 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other staff |
3185 |
3127 |
33 |
26 |
|
|
|
|
|
All pharmacy staff |
12028 |
10771 |
478 |
780 |
|
All figures are whole time equivalents,and are rounded to the nearest
whole number
|
The number of pharmacists leaving
their original hospital in the period 2002–03 was 936. Of these,
330 moved to other hospital positions, 165 went on maternity leave and
114 became locums or went travelling. Other
destinations of staff leaving their hospital jobs included posts in primary
care (75) and community pharmacy (58), while some retired (36).
The number of newly recruited hospital pharmacists in 2002–03 was
916. The largest number (321) were newly qualified hospital pre-registration
trainees, with 313 qualified pharmacist transferring from other hospitals.
In addition 115 pharmacists were recruited from community.
The survey also found that a high proportion of staff take maternity
leave. The number of staff going on maternity leave is higher than the
number
returning following birth.
NHS employees take around 10 working days a year off as sick leave,
according to the results of the NHS sickness absence survey 2003. The
sickness absence rate ranges from 4.2 per cent (about 9.5 days) in
the south east, to 5.2 per cent (11.5 days) in the north west.
|
|
Hospital Pharmacist