Hospital pharmacist salary!

[hanah]

I was shocked today to know that nurses start on band 5 while pharmacists start on band 6 based on Agenda for change. With all respect to nurses, pharmacists need to get very good A levels including chemistry...etc to get to university, and then do a master degree (4 years) then one year pre-reg, whereas, nurses can start their study after obtaining GCSE, they study while training in hospital for 2-3 years.
If nurses start on grade 5, it will only be fair for pharmacists to start on band 7.
I know the nursing association is strong whereas ours was weak. I hope the new professional body will help hospital pharmacists getting a better pay. Pharmacists should not be on the "Agenda for change", they should be included with doctors and dentists who do not follow this agenda!!!

[crit care]

Pharmacists can have a fairly quick progression up to band 8a/b whereas not so easier for nurses to achieve.....for a nurse to reach 8a you're looking at matron level.....

although nurses may not be as "qulified" in your opinion, they do have the rough end of the deal giving the drugs....anything goes wrong or patient harm, then they are the ones to blame for administering the drug!

[Pharmanaut]

Pharmacists can have a fairly quick progression up to band 8a/b whereas not so easier for nurses to achieve.....for a nurse to reach 8a you're looking at matron level.....

although nurses may not be as "qulified" in your opinion, they do have the rough end of the deal giving the drugs....anything goes wrong or patient harm, then they are the ones to blame for administering the drug!

Can't work out how you can begin to compare the two professions.
There is some commonality but it is not enough to base a case.

[DavidS]

I hope the new professional body will help hospital pharmacists getting a better pay.

The NPB has already stated that it will not concern itself with remuneration.

[hanah]

Pharmacists can have a fairly quick progression up to band 8a/b whereas not so easier for nurses to achieve.....for a nurse to reach 8a you're looking at matron level.....

although nurses may not be as "qulified" in your opinion, they do have the rough end of the deal giving the drugs....anything goes wrong or patient harm, then they are the ones to blame for administering the drug!

Pharmacists need to complete the "post graduate clinical diploma" which is very very hard and takes 2-3 years to finish before they can get higher bands. If a pharmacist does'nt wish to relocate or commute because of other commitments, he/she will stay band 6 for, God knows, how long!

If pharmacists make a dispensing error that harms a patient, not only get struck off (and they are the ones to blame) but also go to prison!!

[Nik]

Pharmacists need to complete the "post graduate clinical diploma" which is very very hard and takes 2-3 years to finish before they can get higher bands.

Not necessarily true as I have recently found out - I know a pharmacist who was band 6 for one year then became a band 7. He didn't do a clinical diploma but works as an aseptics pharmacist.

[hanah]

Not necessarily true as I have recently found out - I know a pharmacist who was band 6 for one year then became a band 7. He didn't do a clinical diploma but works as an aseptics pharmacist.

This does not happen often and it depends on the hospital's need at that time. The pharmacist who gets a higher grade than 6 will be required to start and complete the post graduate diploma afterward.

[crit care]

So looks like i've opened a tin of worms.....I'm not trying to compare pharmacists and nurses within hospital, although i think there is some overlap between the professions....there ahs to be..we are both paid according to the agenda for change scale...hence the banding system....so if we use the same banding system then there has to be some commonality between the 2 professions..similar standards.

If they are unwilling to locate for whatever reason and there are no band 7 jobs are coming up in the hospital, then you are only limiting yourself and can't complain at the system! you're not being forced to remain as a band 6 for god knows how long!

[hanah]

Almost everyone works for NHS hospitals (except doctors, dentists and senior managers) is under the Agenda for change. This includes receptionists, secretaries, IT staff...etc (I can't see any commonality with them). I don't know why doctors and dentists were excluded and us pharmacists were included under this agenda!!! I don't know what criteria were followed. Doctors have the right for protected study time (CME) each week regardless of being junior or senior Drs, whereas pharmacists may have study time while doing the post grad diploma (if the department is not short of staff or busy) but not after completing it! The agenda of change doesn't seem to have any mentioning of our right for study time to do our CPDs.

[crit care]

i see your point, i guess its a way of limiting pay scales and "trying" to conserve money...although saying that, there are many NHS managers out there who earn more than the PM and don't really understand/follow what happens at grass roots level!

If you're not happy with the pay, or the diploma studying and lack of time, jump ship, move into community or industry! although doing the diploma with minimal study time and CPDs with no time allowance given during working hours, is not impossible....i'm sure there are people out there who have done it and got the t shirt..myself included...its a living nightmare at the time, but looking back on it all i can do is laugh!