COVID-19 VACCINATIONS: If, in addition to indemnity for your main employment, you would like cover for delivering COVID-19 Vaccinations please apply for our standalone extension Apply Today

Home  »   Insight • Latest News • Publications   »   Insight Online – May 2023

Insight Online – May 2023

Welcome to this month's issue of Insight Online. Read about the pay agreement with the NHS and our response to the government's promise to support primary care. Also, we highlight some key resources that will help support you in your career.

Tue 30th May 2023 The PDA

In this issue:

  • NHS pay agreement reached
  • PDA responds to announcement around delivering improved access to primary care
  • Supporting the fight against antimicrobial resistance in Ukraine
  • PDA Union Annual General Meeting
  • LloydsPharmacy divestment programme update
  • PDA launches FREE revision resources to support trainee pharmacists
  • Latest news
  • Useful resources
  • Enjoy a range of PDA Plus benefits!

NHS pay agreement reached

Following a meeting of the NHS Staff Council on 2 May, the pay offer made by the government to increase NHS Agenda for Change pay rates by 5%, plus a one-off lump sum worth about 6%, for PDA Union members has now been agreed.

This agreement applies to members directly employed in the NHS in England and Northern Ireland, with discussions taking place in Wales to align this with the interim offer made by the Welsh government earlier in the year. Members in Scotland have already received an increase agreed with the Scottish government earlier in the year.
LEARN MORE

PDA responds to announcement around delivering improved access to primary care

As part of the plan to support primary care, the government and NHS have pledged an investment of £645m over the next two years.

This investment will support a community pharmacy common conditions service, enabling community pharmacists to use medicines only previously available to GPs, such as antibiotics and antivirals to treat patients with conditions such as sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women. This new service will also encourage community pharmacists to support more NHS Hypertension case finding and contraception services.
LEARN MORE

Supporting the fight against antimicrobial resistance in Ukraine

After hearing about the challenges with anti-microbial resistance in Ukraine first-hand, Mark Koziol and the PDA, working in partnership with the British Society for Anti-microbial Chemotherapy (BSAC) hosted a fact-finding event in Lublin, Poland to explore the issue in more detail.

Following the successful launch of the Medicines to Ukraine campaign by EPhEU in the spring of 2022, the first consignment of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment was accompanied across the border later that year, providing an opportunity for the EPhEU Secretary General and PDA Chairman, Mark Koziol to see at first-hand how important the initiative was to the health care professionals and patients in several Ukrainian hospitals.
LEARN MORE

PDA Union Annual General Meeting

The PDA Union Annual General Meeting will be held face-to-face at 2 pm on Thursday 29 June 2023 at the Jewellery Quarter Conference Centre, Birmingham.

PDA members wishing to attend the meeting should email agm@pda-union.org before close of business on Thursday 22 June, confirming their full name and membership number.

Any resolution received for the National Executive Committee or a group of members in accordance with rule 15b) iv) will be circulated prior to the meeting. There will be a short open forum at the end of the formal business.

Learn more

LloydsPharmacy Divestment Programme Update

The company’s programme of branch divestment is a developing situation, and we have produced some interim FAQs about transfers by share sale to assist members employed in Hallo Healthcare.

Members are telling us that this is an uncertain time for many staff employed at LloydsPharmacy. Some pharmacists already know that they will be leaving the employer in the coming months and others expect that they too will be transitioned in some way soon.

Learn more

PDA launches FREE revision resources to support trainee pharmacists

We support members in every stage of their career. In order to help trainee pharmacists with their assessment in June, we have developed three programmes that are completely free to trainee members, including:

  • Revision programme
  • Live calculations sessions
  • Get mentally prepared for the assessment (online workshop).

Learn more
Below is a summary of some of the other key news stories that have been published on our website recently:

27/5/23 – PDA supports calls for complete transparency in Covid-19 Public Inquiry

26/5/23 – Student Newsletter – May 2023

25/5/23 – Liam Volk elected as the second President of the PDA LGBT+ Network

24/5/23 – Intersection Update – May 2023

24/5/23 – PDA recognition transfers with former LloydsPharmacy employees

23/5/23 – PSNI deliver option to pay retention fees in instalments

23/5/23 – Withdrawal and nullification for the June 2023 assessment

22/5/23 – PDA launches general practice pharmacist work satisfaction survey

21/5/23 – Trainee pharmacists: sign up to the ACTNow wellbeing campaign

19/5/23 – PDA participates in ‘wellbeing’ roundtable

18/5/23 – Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2023

15/5/23 – My experience of working in community pharmacy

12/5/23 – PDA presents anti-racist motion at STUC Congress

10/5/23 – PDA Ability Network produces factsheet supporting those accessing reasonable adjustments

4/5/23 – Northern Ireland Healthcare Award Winners 2023 revealed

3/5/23 – PDA members participate in the Annual Congress of the STUC

2/5/23 – New National Executive Committee holds first meeting
LEARN MORE
We are committed to supporting PDA members and often create resources that will help support you in all aspects of your career. Below are some relevant key resources that we’ve produced to help you stay well-informed on important topics.

How lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic can help to support better integration in NHS Primary Care

In this report, we propose a more integrated healthcare system that could enable pharmacists to provide effective and more efficient care to patients. This integrated system aligns with our Wider Than Medicines initiative to better utilise the skills of pharmacists.

With the current challenges across the entire system, the status quo can’t continue and the post-Covid period provides an opportunity to reconfigure parts of health and social care.

Learn more

Reasonable adjustments – Let’s get the conversation started

The PDA Ability Network has developed a factsheet that highlights key information and sources of support around reasonable adjustments at work.

Under the Equality Act 2010 employers must make reasonable adjustments for employees and workers.

This factsheet discusses disability in pharmacy and what sort of adjustments a pharmacist may need. The factsheet also covers the support available.

Learn more
From factsheets and guides to publications and webinars, visit the resources section of our website for further information.
LEARN MORE

Enjoy a range of PDA Plus benefits!

Did you know that as a PDA member, you can take advantage of exclusive PDA Plus offers and discounts? Whether it’s getting a special gift for a family member or friend or treating yourself to a new car, PDA Plus has exclusive offers for you.

If you have a holiday booked this summer, you can reduce some of the planning stresses with Holiday Extras. This month, you can enjoy up to 13% off selected travel extras, including airport parking, airport hotels, airport lounges, and airport transfers.
LOG IN TO YOUR PDA PLUS ACCOUNT TODAY

The Pharmacists' Defence Association is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England; Company No 4746656.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association is an appointed representative in respect of insurance mediation activities only of
The Pharmacy Insurance Agency Limited which is registered in England and Wales under company number 2591975
and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Register No 307063)

The PDA Union is recognised by the Certification Officer as an independent trade union.

Cookie Use

This website uses cookies to help us provide the best user experience. If you continue browsing you are giving your consent to our use of cookies.

General Guidance Resources Surveys PDA Campaigns Regulations Locums Indemnity Arrangements Pre-Regs & Students FAQs Coronavirus (COVID-19)