§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the role and conditions of service of pharmacists within the National Health Service.
§ Dr. VaughanI have taken this question to apply specifically to hospital pharmacists, and I would agree with the definition of the pharmacist's role, given in the Noel Hall report on the hospital pharmaceutical service. This suggests that in addition to his role as a dispenser of medicines, the pharmacist is also a technical expert functioning within the hospital who is able to use his scientific training to handle non-routine demands and provide advice within fields for which he is fitted by training and experience.
The conditions of service relating to hospital pharmacists are contained in the agreements of the Pharmaceutical Whitley council, committee A and the General Whitley council.
§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services for how long hospital pharmacists have provided emergency services within the National Health Service without payment.
§ Dr. VaughanOut-of-hours services by hospital pharmacists have been covered by a variety of ad hoc schemes throughout Great Britain for many years. There is no Whitley council agreement on payments, but pharmacists receive time-off-in-lieu of hours actually worked above the conditioned working week, and reimbursement of telephone rentals.
§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make special financial provision to permit a pay settlement to hospital pharmacists of more than 4 per cent., in view of the emergency cover which they provide.
§ Dr. VaughanI am aware that the Pharmaceutical Whitley council, which negotiates pay and conditions of service for hospital pharmacists, has been unable so far to reach agreement on payments for emergency duties. I 197W understand, however, that the management side has now prepared a draft agreement specifying the circumstances in which such payments should be made. Discussion of such a draft must take place before the question of funding can be considered further, since only then will it be possible to estimate costs accurately.