To: CEOs of Tesco, Morrisons, Phoenix Healthcare, NHS
Increase base pay for Pharmacy Support Staff
I want to call upon all UK community Pharmacy companies (Boots, Tesco, Rowlands, Morrisons, for example) to increase base pay for experienced and qualified pharmacy support staff (Dispensers, Pharmacy Technicians), to a minimum of £15 per hour.
Why is this important?
Pharmacy support staff are essential frontline healthcare workers who have increasingly complex responsibilities, including giving health advice, (sometimes in acute situations), managing medication shortages, handling Pharmacy First consultations, and supporting safe and legal patient care under intense, high-pressure conditions.
Despite this, many pharmacy staff are struggling financially, with minimum wage pay that is the same level or even lower than cleaners or shelf replenishers (£12-13/hour)
These wages do not reflect the level of accuracy and responsibility we have to bear, or take account of the physical stamina, use of complex software systems, and the cognitive intensity of our work. In addition, the level of pay does not acknowledge the mandatory training in medicines and health that must be taken and completed over 1-2 years minimum, often completed unpaid in our own time.
Pay is not keeping pace with the cost of living, and the high risks we take, leading to low morale, exhaustion, and high burnout. It does not reflect how hard we have to work to a very high standard of accuracy and safety despite short staffing now being the norm.
These wages do not reflect the level of accuracy and responsibility we have to bear, or take account of the physical stamina, use of complex software systems, and the cognitive intensity of our work. In addition, the level of pay does not acknowledge the mandatory training in medicines and health that must be taken and completed over 1-2 years minimum, often completed unpaid in our own time.
Pay is not keeping pace with the cost of living, and the high risks we take, leading to low morale, exhaustion, and high burnout. It does not reflect how hard we have to work to a very high standard of accuracy and safety despite short staffing now being the norm.
We require:
- An immediate raise in base hourly pay to recognise the skilled nature of our work and rising responsibilities.
- A career structure that provides competitive pay rates to attract and retain trained staff, ensuring safe dispensing and counselling.
It is time to value the people behind the counter. Our work is essential and very complex, and our pay must reflect that.
I am a highly qualified life scientist working in community Pharmacy in the UK, and we are now expected to be an alternative drop in centre for people who can’t access their GP.
People like me are struggling on minimum wage pay, and the complexity and intensity of our work does not reflect what we do on a daily basis whilst being on our feet continuously all day.
This situation warrants a complete overhaul.
As Pharmacists have to handle more work to provide services, we as support staff have to be even more effective at providing a base level of health advice, signposting, medicine sourcing, and prescription management.
In short, we deserve a better rate of pay than a supermarket till worker, for example.
People like me are struggling on minimum wage pay, and the complexity and intensity of our work does not reflect what we do on a daily basis whilst being on our feet continuously all day.
This situation warrants a complete overhaul.
As Pharmacists have to handle more work to provide services, we as support staff have to be even more effective at providing a base level of health advice, signposting, medicine sourcing, and prescription management.
In short, we deserve a better rate of pay than a supermarket till worker, for example.
