Announcement

**Racer** · 15, March 2006, 06:35 PM

I've been qualified for 30 years this August and the stress of the job has steadily increased year by year. As I have my own business I limit the stress by making sure that I employ good staff and that I close for an hour at lunch to get a proper break (the locums love this as they tell me its rare for them to get any sort of break).

Its in our own hands- demand proper breaks and decent staffing levels. if you act like doormats then expect to be walked on.

R

**Zoggite** · 15, March 2006, 06:59 PM

sorry guys, I still love my job!

Come to North Wales: I still get told that I'm "better than a doctor"; our customers noticed that we were having a refit last week, and we have had countless worried phone calls asking us whether we were closing down: when we replied that we weren't time and time again, the voice on the other end would say "Thank God for that, I don't know what I'd do without you!". I'm not hamming this up, this really does happen! Hanging around until 10 past one on saturday lunchtime for Mrs Jackson who had run out of her insulin has netted me a box of Maltesers;I've got 6 months' worth of cooking apples in the cellar from mr Green's garden for sorting out his wife's dressings,and the latest arrival in the Jones's family has even been named after me (no, not Zoggite!), which really touched me.
I too have had a yucky day today- new PMR installed, old one disappeared, had words with the regional sales manager, had to chase up orders, scripts, loans, cups of tea etc..., dog poo all over the doormat, vandals raiding the wheelie bins, cold callers asking whether I was happy with my gas supplier or whether I wanted Sky TV; BUT I STILL GO BACK EVERY MORNING WITH A GENUINE BOUNCE IN MY STEP! must be something in the water!

**Linnear** · 15, March 2006, 07:14 PM

Re: sorry guys, I still love my job!

Originally posted by Zoggite

must be something in the water!

The only thing I ever want to see in the water after a day at work is a very large whisky!

**Zoggite** · 15, March 2006, 07:42 PM

water additives

Sorry Linnear- can't help you on that one! Although I did get a rather nice bottle of Baileys off Mr & Mrs Griffiths at Christmas, went down a treat!

**admin** · 15, March 2006, 09:36 PM

Linnear says: -

The companies force us to work unbelievable hours under unbelievable stress and we seem to have no recourse except not working. (Not an option as far as my mortgage company is concerned)

and Racer says: -

Its in our own hands- demand proper breaks and decent staffing levels. if you act like doormats then expect to be walked on.

I have to say that I never act like a doormat, and recently had words with a store manager. She cheerfully informed I would be on my own from 12.30 to 6pm. This is a store that has about 30 methadone clients, and does around 450 scripts per day. The dispenser in the morning said she'd happily stay to help out for the afternoon. The manager said she couldn't because all overtime was banned, even for sick leave.

I said "you honestly expect me to see to methadone, type, label, dispense, check over 250 scripts this afternoon, answer the phone and queries all by myself?"

"Yes" she replied. So I said "I feel this situation is a danger to the public, I don't think I can guarantee no errors doing all this. So I tell you what I will do. I will work until 1pm, bill you for that time, and go home".

She soon let the dispenser stay! Linnear is right though, if you refuse to work at every pharmacy that does not have enough staff, a decent computer, a chance to eat a bit of lunch, the chance to even go to the loo (yes It does happen!) etc etc etc there would be nowhere to work! All the big chains have a profit to staff ratio and it's a small ratio.

Last week I worked at a pharmacy that was bought by a chain about six months ago. At 4pm (it closes at six) virtually all the staff started putting their coats on. I said "where are you all going" and was told "we have to leave early two nights a week now, all our hours have been cut". It seems to me the chains take over a well run, good to work in pharmacy (like Zoggite works in) and when the staff either leave, retire etc they just don't replace them. If the staff stay, they just cut their hours. The area manager of the said company has been heard to say "f**k locums, they are overpaid anyway. Let them earn their money". I always earn my money, but the job is definitely getting worse.

Linnear wrote: -

Anyone out there think something needs to be done? Anyone out there think anything can be done? Anyone out there want to do anything?

Oh yes I'd like to do something but what can you do? In this area they seem to be replacing really good pharmacists with kids from Poland etc. They never stay, as the stress gets to them too, but the companies don't seem to care, they just get another one.

I think what we need is a union or something of that kind. We need somebody to represent our interests. We need national pay deals and all that kind of thing. And we need proper breaks, lunches etc, and occasionally (and I still don't care that this upsets people) I need to go to the loo !

**Zoggite** · 15, March 2006, 10:06 PM

valueing pharmacists

Lloyds are offering a £1000 tax-free "bounty" payment to any of their employees who successfully recommends a new pharmacist to them- surely this can be seen as a sign that we are starting to be perceived as something worth looking after? (or am I just too naive for words?)

**admin** · 16, March 2006, 05:23 PM

Zoggite

They have done that for ages. Boots pay £2000 or they did a couple of years ago, it may have changed.

How are you finding your new PMR ?

**Zoggite** · 16, March 2006, 07:20 PM

my new PMR

Slowly- frustratingly slowly!!

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