This example of a large pharmacy chain choosing to close rather than pay one of their own employees to be the Responsible Pharmacist is important, because too often debate around the issue of avoidable full or part-day community pharmacy closures is diverted into discussion of locum rates. In this instance there was no locum, no rate negotiation, no question of unaffordable rates, just an employer choosing to close rather than open even though they had a pharmacist available.
“My store was closed on a weekday recently. The pharmacist on duty was off sick and that caused a short notice change. However, I offered to work as long as the company would do the short notice pay for me. It was less than 24 hours to the next shift.
The planner told me that they don’t have the authorisation to approve short notice pay. I mentioned to my line manager about the short notice pay. They said the terms and conditions for me to work had been passed on to the planner on duty. Unfortunately, my store still ended up closing although I offered to work.
We are short staffed already and now need to play catch up due to the closure. Temporary closures do not only affect patient safety but also put more pressure on the already worn-out staff. The amount of stress they are getting from the frustrated and annoyed patients during and after the closure is immeasurable. This further increases the risk around patient safety. “
In this example, like others seen by the PDA the community pharmacy business was aware of a specific individual available to cover the shift and therefore enable them to be open for patients. In no way could this situation be described as a “shortage of pharmacists”.
The PDA is calling on those responsible for patient safety in community pharmacy to act meaningfully on this issue.
Learn More
- PDA refer NHSE to Information Commissioner over failure to provide closure data
- Data in Scotland shows CCA members more likely to close
- The PDA call on Humza Yousaf to take action on closures.
- Experience of Locum pharmacists
- PDA open letter to Humza Yousaf, and others, about patient safety
- Locums told accept lower rates or be cancelled
- Closures damage pharmacy
- Comment on evidence provided to the Health Select Committee
- Safer Pharmacies Survey 2021
- Systemic closure of pharmacies
- Some business not reporting closures to the NHS
- Closures: Pharmacist concerns about patient harm and impact on the NHS
- PDA launches online reporting tool to gather data on pharmacy closures
- Pharmacists highlight more unscheduled pharmacy closures
- Member Voice: The myth of pharmacist shortages
- The workforce impact of pharmacists working in Primary Care – what does the data tell us?
- Pharmacists are being asked to switch pharmacies during the day
- Community Pharmacy NHS Contractual Breach Concerns
- Employers’ report into pharmacy workforce challenges does not address their basic responsibilities
- Inclusion on shortage occupation list demonstrates how there is something broken in regards to pharmacist pay rates
- Evidence of some employers crying wolf over shortages during the pandemic
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