§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the current shortfall of hospital pharmacists in hospitals in the United Kingdom; what impact he assesses this as having on patient care; and what measures he proposes in order to alleviate the shortfall;
(2) whether he intends to take steps to bring National Health Service hospital pharmacy service salary levels into line with those applicable in the industrial and retail branches of pharmacy in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonIt is for health authorities to decide the levels of staffing within the various staff groups, and details of any shortfalls are therefore not available centrally.
Within the Department the manpower planning advisory group and for Wales the Welsh manpower steering group are undertaking the following projects, looking into a variety of aspects of the role of hospital pharmacists:
- 1. An attitudinal study among female pharmacists, which has the backing of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (PSGB).
- 2. A workshop is to be held in the autumn with pharmacy managers based on the results of this attitudinal study and on the work undertaken by the WMSG. The results of the WMSG are to be made available to the Department.
- 3. Building on the findings of these two initiatives an in-depth study of hospital pharmacy skill mix is to be undertaken which is likely to commence early 1989.
Pay is a matter for negotiation in the pharmaceutical Whitley council. I understand that the council has agreed a timetable for implementing a more flexible grading structure for hospital pharmacists in the current pay round.