Whilst clarity on the company position is to be welcomed, the briefing does raise serious questions about whether the company will be able to comply with the Working Time Regulations (WTR) through the use of this policy. The guidance also seems to suggest that 1 hour contractual lunch breaks are being phased out in favour of 20 minute statutory breaks.
As well as general observations and advice on the policy, the PDA legal and professional team have provided a response to each of the Company FAQs that managers have been provided with. The company states that each pharmacist will have a documented “great conversation” with their line manager before 31st May 2012. We strongly recommend our members study the following advice (which can be found here) in preparation for their meeting and contact the PDA for further advice if required (enquiries@the-pda.org).