Community pharmacists have been unfairly omitted out in the government’s latest pay hike list, giving the sector a ‘kick in the teeth’, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said.
Public sector workers, including doctors and dentists, are to get an above-inflation pay rise in recognition of their contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic, the government announced on Tuesday (July 21).
Community pharmacists have been left out from the pay hike list despite their remarkable contribution during the current pandemic, the RPS pointed out.
Commenting on the government’s move, Sandra Gidley, president of RPS, said: “Once again hard-working frontline pharmacists have been side-stepped when it comes to public sector pay increases. Pharmacists have worked tirelessly in the face of huge challenges during Covid-19 to ensure patients receive high quality care.
“We want fairer pay for pharmacists who are working for the NHS and delivering NHS services and they shouldn’t have to wait. “
The RPS added that it wants to see pay rises for pharmacists in line with other healthcare colleagues. “To have the immense dedication and commitment pharmacists have shown ignored in this pay rise review is a real kick in the teeth,” Gidley said.
“We are asking the Government for immediate and urgent clarification about this unacceptable and unfair omission. It is critical that they value our key NHS workers.”
Earlier, the government accepted in full the pay recommendations in the latest Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) report, which considers a range of evidence from the NHS and trade unions.
A 2.8 per cent pay rise for NHS doctors and dentists in England, backdated to April. For salaried GPs, the minimum and maximum pay range will be uplifted by 2.8 per cent in line with DDRB’s recommendations.
