Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSUnion fury over Burnham's decision on pharmacists' pay
Unions have expressed anger following health secretary Andy Burnham’s decision to ignore a pay review body recommendation on pharmacists’ pay.
Mr Burham said that pharmacists will not receive a recruitment and retention pay premium recommended by the independent pay review body.
NHS pharmacist vacancy rates are running at 13% and unions estimate they can earn up to £10,000 more a year in the private sector than in the health service.
Unite national officer for health, Karen Reay, said: ‘We are seeking an urgent meeting with Andy Burnham to ask him to review the decision.’
Mike Jackson, UNISON senior national officer for health, said: ‘The premium recommended by the pay review body, of between £5,000 and £500 a year is a sensible way to plug the gap.
‘It takes 5 years to train a pharmacist and many are leaving the NHS. We should not put the health service in a position where it has to take trained staff from overseas.’
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Readers' comments (1)
Anonymous | 6-Jul-2009 10:10 pm
Have they never heard the expression 'You pay peanuts, you get monkeys'?
The NHS insists on paying everyone the minimum they can get away with. Then crack the whip trying to get 'more blood from the stone'.
In between cutting back on staff right to the bone.
Then work until 65 - 70. My God we won't even live long enough to claim our pensions.
Still that will save them a bit more money won't it? Maybe that's the idea. . .
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