The PDA exists to represent our members and their collective interests. We appreciate that because each is an individual, there will be a range of scenarios in which the soon to be “prov-regs” may shortly find themselves in as a result of the announcement. Many of you will have significant concerns about your employment arrangements, others will have concerns about eligibility, as well as questions relating to the period of provisional registration and passing the assessment.
The GPhC has told us that its decision seeks to balance a number of significant challenges, including patient safety, supporting the health service and the impact on the profession’s intake for future years. This announcement is a step towards the much-needed clarity on what will happen as a result of the pandemic. However, while some questions are now answered, others remain outstanding and new ones have now been generated.
The majority of the UK’s pre-regs are PDA members and since the pandemic began, when it became clear that it would significantly impact on your immediate future, we have been listening and engaging with you and providing support, such as our webinar, surveys, focus groups and helplines, providing many opportunities for you to tell us about your hopes, fears and concerns.
As you should expect from the only independent trade union exclusively for pharmacists in the UK, specialising in employment issues and the largest pharmacists’ membership organisation, we take action on your concerns, including routinely pressing the GPhC to address the many matters that you tell us about and representing your interests with employers.
The pre-reg section of our website includes our webinar of 29 April, FAQs and other resources. We encourage you to review our information, to engage with us and to share that information with your peers. There is strength in numbers and we expect to be busy supporting prov-regs in employment and other matters in the next few months. However, as we are only able to provide detailed individual case support for those who are our members, we invite those who are still not yet in PDA membership to join now, for FREE: https://www.the-pda.org/join/pre-reg/
Our team are now reviewing in detail the policy that was published on Thursday by the GPhC. We will continue to work constructively with the regulator to secure more comprehensive information for members. We will also challenge issues that appear to be unfair or impractical offering alternative ways forward were possible and we will continue to provide advice and guidance to members.
In addition to ongoing concerns about the provisional registration, we also understand that there are many employment issues that need to be clarified. Pay, contracts and conditions are critical as you progress towards full registration and the PDA will support you and engage with employers as necessary.
Further communication will follow, in the meantime pre-reg/prov-reg pharmacists can contact us via: prereg@the-pda.org
Finally, we are mindful of the challenges many of you face during this period and are concerned for your wellbeing. This week we announced our sponsorship of the Pharmacist Support campaign, #ACT Now, and the associated wellbeing hub. We encourage you to make use of those resources.