Pharmacist pay premium rejected

Pharmacists are taking on more responsibility

Unions have reacted furiously to ministers' rejection of a proposal for a national recruitment and retention premium for junior pharmacists.

The independent pay review body recommended the scheme as a way to boost numbers of pharmacists in the profession across the UK.

However, Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the recruitment problem was not severe enough to warrant such action.

The proposal has also been rejected in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Why should the government get away with such cavalier action? Mike Jackson Unison

Recommended pay rises in the NHS are proposed by an independent pay review body, and in most cases its recommendations are implemented wholesale by the government.

In its latest report the review body suggested a premium of between £500 and £5,000 a year to boost pharmacist retention and recruitment.

However, Mr Burnham, while accepting recruitment and retention of pharmacists was a problem in some areas, said it was not an issue across the board.

He said: "This is not a decision I take lightly, but in the current financial climate it is more important than ever that we make the right decisons.

"Where there are problems, I am content that the best way to tackle them is by increasing supply and using local recruitment and retention premia where needed alongside specific local initiatives to support the training and development of junior pharmacists."

The health union Unison criticised ministers' decision, warning it would exacerbate a recruitment problem which currently saw 22% of pharmacists' posts vacant across England and Wales.

Union anger

Mike Jackson, Senior National Officer for Health, said: "It takes five years to train a pharmacist and many are leaving the NHS.

"We should not put the health service in a position where it has to take trained staff from overseas.

"The decision to ignore the recommendation undermines the integrity of the independent review body system.

"The government and public would be outraged if unions took industrial action over a pay review body award.

"Why should the government get away with such cavalier action?"

Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said ministers' rejection of the proposal challenged the independence of the pay review body.

"This must not be allowed to set a precedent. The RCN supports the independent pay review body process and we expect government to ensure that recommendations are paid in full."