In March 2023, NHS England announced that ICBs were to be required to make efficiency savings to their running cost allowances of 30% by 2025/26 and at least 20% by 2024/25. This has meant that all ICBs are facing the challenge of making cuts.
The meeting gave PDA members an opportunity to talk about what was happening in their organisation and find out how they could support each other during a period of change.
PDA Organiser, Liz Larkin outlined that ‘one size does not fit all’, and that all ICBs are approaching the challenge in different ways, with some managing to achieve the savings by recruitment freezes and other means, whilst others are using the opportunity to restructure the ICB. She outlined that the PDA can provide advice and support, but members can also get together to support each other.
PDA Legal Adviser, Barinder Kataria gave advice to those who were at risk of redundancy and answered questions about what might be considered as suitable alternative employment and other legal issues around restructures.
Liz Larkin said, “It’s important that pharmacists get a voice round the table when change is happening in their organisation. We need members to step up to become PDA Workplace Representatives and get involved in negotiations. The PDA can provide lots of support and training to enable this to happen.”
Hannah Dirania, Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist at Derby and Derbyshire ICB said, “I found it reassuring to hear that, with the PDA Union’s help, there were ways to get our voice heard.”
Erica Elsden, Lead Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist at Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB said, “I found the event insightful and somewhat reassuring to hear about how restructures are going on in other ICBs. It was also really useful to have highlighted to us how the PDA is there to support us in this time of uncertainty.”
Get involved
Learn more
- Long-awaited NHS England plan sets out programme for development of the pharmacy workforce
- PDA is supporting members impacted by the Integrated Care Systems
- PDA Reps Network in the NHS meet for the first time
- NHS Pharmacists’ Newsletter – October 2023
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