On St Andrews day, 2020 the Scottish government announced a “Coronavirus (COVID-19): £500 payment for health and social care staff” with the recipients to include Community Pharmacists and others. The PDA welcomed this recognition from the Scottish government.
At the time of the announcement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“Back in the spring, at the height of the first wave of COVID, many of us publicly – and often loudly – showed our appreciation for the work our NHS and social care staff were doing…The applause was important, but it was never enough. Our appreciation must be shown in a more tangible way.”
However, this week some pharmacists working at Morrisons in Scotland have reported to the PDA that they have been told that the company will be blocking the £500 payment to individual pharmacists. The PDA have also been told that some managers in the supermarkets have refused to provide written copies of the company communication about this decision.
The PDA have therefore called upon Peter Fulford, the Superintendent Pharmacist and board member of the Company Chemists Association, to seek clarification as to the company’s position. The PDA has also called upon Community Pharmacy Scotland, the trade body that represents pharmacy employers, to confirm if any other CPS members also intend to block payments to their pharmacists.
