§ Mr. AustinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current situation in respect of recruiting and retaining pharmacists in the NHS. [112446]
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§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 1 March 2000]: We are taking a number of steps which will help to address the issue of recruitment and retention of pharmacists. The potential impact on the pharmacy work force of the move to a four-year pharmacy degree, against a background of growing demand for pharmacists, was recognised early on. The in-take of pharmacy students has increased each year in the last six years, with 20 per cent. more new students in 1998 as compared with 1993. In addition there was special recognition for hospital pharmacists in the 1999 pay round.
The Government are also modernising services and modernising employment practice in the National Health Service: developing more supportive, flexible and family friendly working practices; extending and improving investment in lifelong learning and professional development; tackling violence and racism in the workplace; involving staff in the way services are delivered and in the changes and developments that affect their working lives.
In addition, we are developing the interactive service "NHS Careers" which will cover pharmacists in due course.