Insight Online – July 2023

PDA membership numbers grew by another 7% last year

PDA membership numbers are independently certified before being announced at each annual meeting and then formally reported. Our 2023 AGM was held on Thursday 29 June and attendees heard the latest certified membership numbers had once again reached record levels.

Newly announced membership figures for the year ending 31 March 2023 show that our membership numbers are yet again at the highest-ever figure. At the year-end date, we had 36,806 members, having increased by a further 7% (an additional 2,296 members) since the same time last year.

We provide membership data annually to the Certification Officer, the government body that regulates trade unions, and employer organisations. In addition, with more than 10,000 members, we have an obligation to publish independently certified membership figures, and so these membership numbers are also externally audited before being reported.

Long-awaited NHS England plan sets out programme for development of the pharmacy workforce

This is the first comprehensive workforce plan covering all of NHS England (NHSE) and focuses on retaining existing talent while making the best use of new technology alongside the biggest recruitment drive in health service history.

An open letter from the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Team at NHSE outlines what the plans mean for pharmacists and other pharmacy roles, including Pharmacy Technicians.

Of interest to PDA members will be NHS England’s aims around:

• Increasing the number of training places for pharmacists each year, including the consideration of pharmacy degree apprenticeships
• Expanding the pharmacy technician role to support skill-mix
• The continuation of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS)
• The role of technology, for example, hub and spoke models
• The requirement to increase the number of Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPPs) to support the independent prescribing agenda.

PDA to support members impacted by decision to close 300 more Boots pharmacies

15 months after its New Pharmacy Operating Model (NPOM) reduced opening hours, Walgreens has announced plans to close or dispose of c.300 of their subsidiary Boots’ branches in the UK.

Support for PDA members

We will be doing all we can for members impacted by this decision and we know from experience that there are likely to be wider consequences for other employees beyond those who could be at risk of redundancy.

The company has insisted that the objective of this exercise is not to make existing pharmacist employees redundant, and they hope to be able to redeploy individuals into nearby alternative locations. However, it is unlikely that suitable alternative roles will be available for all and we believe redundancy is a possibility for some.

We will provide advice to members at risk of redundancy and help them understand the options available to them. If their employment ends, we expect them to receive adequate redundancy compensation and fair treatment as they try and seek alternative employment during any notice period.