A joint statement published by the union and the multiple yesterday (February 9) said that they had agreed an “increase to trainee pharmacist pay” across the two countries.
“Boots and the PDA union (PDAU) are pleased to confirm that from April 2023 there will be a pay increase for trainee pharmacists in England and Northern Ireland”, it said.
The new pay rate for trainee pharmacists will be “£10.90 per hour from April 1”, it added.
Although the increase will be “applied centrally in the April pay run”, the new rate will show in employees’ “benefits box” during the annual enrolment window from February 14 so that team members can select benefits on their new hourly rate for April, it said.
Placements funded since September
As of September, pharmacy undergraduate placement providers have been reimbursed for the training they offer students.
A £50 million investment covers clinical placements for pharmacy students in years one to four of their studies, including placements in community pharmacies.
Read more: Extra funding to cover costs of pharmacy undergraduate placements
It covers “all direct costs” incurred by placement providers, such as direct staff teaching time, access to teaching facilities, pastoral and supervisory support and trainee study leave and time for clinical exams.
Prior to this, funding for pharmacy placements depended on local arrangements.
But in October, it was revealed that Lloydspharmacy was “still reviewing” its placement offers for trainee pharmacists just days before the preferencing deadline given to students.
Read more: Plain sailing for November registration exam after ‘considerable changes’
In the same month, Health Education England (HEE) announced that it would fund exam support for trainee pharmacists for the first time - as part of a scheme taking place in the east of England from December.
Meanwhile, Boots last month joined other pharmacy chains in offering roles to staff affected by the news that Lloydspharmacy is to withdraw from its Sainsbury’s in-store operations, saying it has 1,500 jobs open for pharmacists impacted by the news.
More to follow…
