The PDA had provided evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body in February, the submission ensured that information that specifically related to pharmacists working in the NHS was considered. The recommendations in the PDA’s evidence called on the PRB to focus its analysis on those AfC pay bands where pharmacists are employed and, consider particularly how the loss of purchasing power pay at the top of these bands has suffered.
Below is a summary of the PDA’s submission to the NHS PRB;
- The PRB should note the PDA’s evidence regarding the pharmacy profession and should focus on the pay rates at top of bands 5-8.
- The PRB should support an across the board increase for all NHS workers but, the PDA believes that the evidence that determines the bodies recommendations this year should be drawn from an analysis of the position of those on the AfC bands 5- 8.
- The PDA believes it would be wrong to focus on other pay points this year as these have been the focus of previous awards and of the AfC restructuring.
The PDA’s evidence sets out a clear case highlighting that the circumstances are such this year to enable an award above inflation, and that to do so would be fair, affordable, justifiable, and essential in the case of pharmacists.
The full submission can be found below
Paul Day, PDA Union Director said, “The increase announced by the Chancellor meets the PDA’s call and is significantly above inflation. This increase is for all NHS workers and is therefore a real terms increase for all pharmacists employed on AfC terms and conditions. It is an encouraging sign in the first few months of the new administration that, considering the economic circumstances they have inherited, this announcement suggests that they have listened to the evidence presented by the PDA and others and value public sector workers.
Nevertheless, the PDA recognises this is only a small step towards redressing previous years of low increases, particularly for experienced and long serving pharmacists.”
The PDA also negotiates pay with several other employers who replicate NHS AfC pay rates and, though not covered by this announcement, do seek to apply pay increases equivalent to the NHS award. The PDA will look to those employers to continue to match the national settlements as has been agreed in previous years, and to apply this increase quickly.
Those who are unsure whether they are covered by this announcement, please refer to annex 1 of the NHS Staff Handbook which can be found here.
Improved standards of living through above inflation increases are of course critically important to pharmacists and their families, however the PDA recognises that adequate staffing levels, time for training, manageable workloads, and other key factors are also required in the workplace and acts on all these issues.
The PDA looks forward to working constructively with the new government and with NHS employers and hopes that the need for industrial action in the NHS can be avoided by the new government continuing to respectfully engage with trades union that represent health workers, such as the PDA for pharmacists.
Learn more
- PDA submits evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body
- NHS Pay Review Body 2024/25, written evidence from The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA)
- NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook
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