Communication is key in lots of relationships including the one between locum agency and their locum pharmacists. It’s important that locums know about all potential bookings and that the agency is aware of when the locum is available to work.
So at PL-UK we use lots of means of communication so locums can contact in whatever way they prefer.
Phone Free from landline 0800 881 8844 From mobile 0333 123 3344
Fax 01677 424250
Email All – support@pluk.co.uk
Via website http://www.pluk.co.uk/contact-us/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/facepluk
Twitter http://twitter.com/shaunhockey
LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/in/shaunhockey
Txt 07786 209500 – starting with your name
By foot! 6 Market Place, Bedale DL8 1EQ
So get it touch!
I regularly work as a locum pharmacist, usually in one of five secure establishments in the North East. On a number of occasions over recent years, the contract to supply healthcare services to these establishments has gone “out to tender” with a local PCT usually winning the contract.
This time, the contract has been awarded to a provider from outside the NHS and there is a lot of uncertainty for the staff with many looking for new positions elsewhere in the NHS. As a private provider of services to the NHS, I’m all in favour of private companies supporting the NHS but I can understand the pharmacy team’s concern. As they say better the devil you know
I have worked with the company concerned (not mentioning names at present as I believe an appeal is in progress) and I’m sure the staff will be fine – we recruited both locum pharmacists and a new permanent pharmacy manager for them in a different location, and all spoke highly of the company.
So, if you are in this position, don’t worry too much. Find out about the company and their plans for you establishment and just think, if you are like most NHS employees you will moan about your bosses most of the time, the new guys and gals might be better to work for!!!
Shaun
- only because Boots are paying this years subscription. I will review my membership as and when Boots no longer pay the fee for me based on what the Society do for me
- I don´t think is value for money.
- I have to be a member of General Council and NPA and that is quite enough subscriptions.
- I will join this year and during the year I will make a judgement on the RPS being the voice of Pharmacists rather than the voice of cooperate Pharmacy.The RPS must promote the role of the Pharmacist and therefore the safety of the patient so the concept of the responsible Pharmacist must be examined as per conditions at the “coal face” of daily practice.The movement towards remote supervision must be resisted the strength of the Pharmacist/Patient relationship depends on face to face contact
- I shall be retiring from Pharmacy by the end of the year and see no advantage in being a part of this organisation which has hounded pharmacists and done nothing to support them in the 30 years I have been on the register.
- There are 2 of us registered at the one address so one of us will register and then see if it is worth renewing after that.
- I value the idea of belonging to a professional body which distinguishes me from another person who is not trained as a pharmacist.I find the Pharmaceutical Journal very informative and a way of networking with other colleagues in my profession.
- Sounds like an organisation for employers and employees whose subscriptions are paid for them. Will miss the PJ, though. Discussed this with 6 other locums to date – only 1 is renewing subscription.
- The Society need to be given the opportunity to represent us effectively.
- Might as well carry on with PJ and access to Law Dept which I am used to.
As a locum, I do not receive the mailings etc about what is going on, so more important to be kept in touch via PJ.
- mainly because not sure why not to, keeping to what i know is main reason and will assess position next year when get an idea of the numbers and opinions.
- They’ve been so utterly crap in the past, the new incarnation hopefully can’t (!) be any worse, so I’ll give them a year and review it after that.
- probably however if they don’t organise some local branch meetings before then i might not.
- Renewing for silly reason really…During this year I will be celebrating 50 years as a member..Can’t finish on just 49!!
- Not sure why really, like a comfort blanket I guess.
- I have already terminated it…
It looks like the RPS have an uphill battle on their hands as even the more positive comments above are not exactly a ringing endorsement of the would-be professional leadership body!
I think the PDA‘s Annual Conference being held in Birmingham in February could be one of the most important events in pharmacy for many years. Please find a summary of their message below:
“In its most ambitious piece of strategic work to date, this conference will focus on the radical proposals that PDA will put forward to government for a ‘New Pharmacy Road Map’.
The financial pressures occurring on the British economy mean that the time is right for a major rethink in how health services can be delivered more efficiently and effectively. Fiddling around the edges and papering over the cracks of the current systems and processes will not meet these objectives; the PDA proposes that only a redistribution of responsibility for patient care will.
This conference explores the obstacles and forces for change as we put the case for re-engineering pharmacy practice through.
When I first became a pharmacist 17 years ago, a wise old pharmacist told me that the most important person in the shop is the pharmacy technician. When I became a manager for Boots sometime later, a wise old area manager that the most important person in the shop was not the shop supervisor but the pharmacy technician and this went on and on throughout my career in community pharmacy.
Why is it then that pharmacy technicians in the community get paid so poorly, especially when you compare them to NHS colleagues with similar qualifications? My personal belief is that pharmacy technicians are exploited in community pharmacy and the fact that a very high percentage of technicians are women is the main reason. We have found in cases where a particularly high percentage of employees are women that the reward associated with the job is much lower than where there is a mix of men and women performing a role. A very good example of this can be found in local government where councils are having to pay over £500 million in back pay to women on low pay http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=4339139
In the NHS, most pharmacy technicians are part of a union and the union negotiate with the NHS on their members behalf. In addition the NHS went through the Agenda for Change programme which looked at each role are banded in with comparable jobs in other professions. To illustrate a normal band for a pharmacy technician in the NHS would be 5 or 6 and the salary range for these bands would be £20,202 to £32,662 with some pharmacy technician earning considerably more than that as they take on management roles.
So are pharmacy technicians the most undervalued resource? No, they are not undervalued but they are definitely the most under-rewarded.
Agency Workers Regulations – how does it effect me?
The simple answer is it doesn’t. …. in most cases. For more expert guidance than I can supply as a pharmacist rather than a legal bod please click on the link below. http://www.pcg.org.uk/cms/documents/01109%20PCG%20A4%2020PP%20BROCHURE%20SINGLE%20PAGES.pdf
One in a lifetime opportunity – pharmacist required in Tonga
We have been approached by a not for profit pharmacy in the Kingdom of Tonga asking us to recruit a pharmacist to work at one of the health centres in the Kingdom. This opportunity will definately not come up again for if you fancy a complete change of scene and an opportunity to live on [...]
Just a quick post to remind all pharmacist that they need to renew their GPhC registration by the 31st October. So you still have a month to pay but if you are anything like me, if you don’t do it now, there’s a chance you’ll forget!
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