Members in Northern Ireland traditionally have paid a fee which is an amalgamation of the cost of their professional representation via Pharmacy Forum NI, and the professional registration retention fee, annually as one lump sump. The PDA quickly took action on the comments received and issued a survey to members who are PSNI registrants, seeking their views as a collective.
The survey outcomes were:
- 97% of members surveyed felt the fees were too high.
- 80% of members surveyed would opt to pay in instalments if this option were available to them.
- On average, the fees accounted for 23% of a pharmacist’s take-home pay for one month.
- Members had reservations over the value gained from this cost.
The PDA presented these findings to the newly appointed chief executive and president of PSNI, who collaborated to find ways to alleviate this burden on pharmacists.
The PDA is pleased to note that as an action of that meeting, the PSNI has listened to what pharmacists have said. The PSNI have now announced plans to facilitate the payment of fees by quarterly instalments, beginning June 2024. This option to spread the cost brings the profession into line with peers, and the PDA is proud to have played a part in making this change on pharmacists behalf.
The PDA encourages all members to bring issues like this forward to representatives, networks and national officers, to inform future campaigning on pharmacists behalf.
Please contact Una O’Farrell, PDA National Officer for Northern Ireland by emailing Una.O’Farrell@pda-union.org.
Learn more
- No increase in Pharmacist Registration or Retention Fees in 2023/24 (PSNI website)
- PDA Survey on Professional Retention Fees for members in Northern Ireland (Feb 2023)
- PDA members concerned about regulator fees and the cost of living crisis (Dec 2022)
- PDA members’ views discussed at the latest Regional Committee meetings (Mar 2023)
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