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Insight Online – February 2023

Welcome to this month's issue of Insight Online. This month, read about how we are supporting pharmacists through the changes at LloydsPharmacy and how we have taken the Medicines to Ukraine campaign to British parliaments. Also, learn about an exclusive PDA Plus benefit for PDA members.

Tue 21st February 2023 The PDA

In this issue:

  • PDA supporting pharmacists with various other changes at LloydsPharmacy
  • PDA takes Medicines to Ukraine campaign to British parliaments
  • PDA Union and Boots agree increase to trainee pharmacist pay in England and Northern Ireland
  • PDA celebrates #HeartUnions Week 2023
  • PDA to seek members’ views before responding to CPhO view of pharmacy leadership
  • PDA representing interests of employed and locum pharmacists in supervision working group
  • Latest news
  • Enjoy a range of PDA Plus benefits!
  • Spotlight On: MORPh

PDA supporting pharmacists with various other changes at LloydsPharmacy

Different groups of pharmacists employed at LloydsPharmacy have been notified of changes to their future employment and we will be supporting members during and after each change occurs.

More changes at LloydsPharmacy continue to be notified to impacted staff and also to us as their recognised trade union. Changes to date have included:

  • Branch closures, including the closure of all LloydsPharmacy branches located within Sainsbury’s stores.
  • Sales of branches, leading to TUPE transfers of staff to the new owners of each branch.
  • And more.
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PDA takes Medicines to Ukraine campaign to British parliaments

We have taken the Medicines to Ukraine campaign to the capitals of all three British nations and secured support from parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.

The Medicines to Ukraine campaign is part of a pan-European effort established by an organisation called EPhEU (Employed pharmacists in Europe) of which we are a member. The campaign procures and sends specialist hospital medicines that are running low or that are no longer available in Ukraine directly to Ukrainian hospitals that are treating the casualties of the war.

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PDA Union and Boots agree increase to trainee pharmacist pay in England and Northern Ireland

The following joint statement from PDA Union and Boots was issued at 10 am on Wednesday 8 February 2023:

Boots and the PDA Union are pleased to confirm that from April 2023 there will be a pay increase for trainee pharmacists in England and Northern Ireland. The new pay rate for trainee pharmacists will increase to £10.90 per hour from 1 April 2023.

This increase will be applied centrally in the April pay run.

To allow team members to select benefits on their new hourly rate for 1 April, the new rate of pay will show in the Benefits Box during the annual enrolment window from 14 February 2023.

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PDA celebrates #HeartUnions Week 2023

#HeartUnions Week ran on 13 – 19 February 2023. The annual campaign aims to raise awareness of why unions are so vital for all workers by celebrating the achievements of unions and to motivate non-members to join their union.

With over 35,000 members, we are the largest pharmacists’ membership organisation and only independent trade union exclusively for pharmacists in the UK. As a not-for-profit organisation, we support the needs of all pharmacists, including students and trainees.

Learn more

PDA to seek members’ views before responding to CPhO view of pharmacy leadership

The four government Chief Pharmacists have published their commission’s proposal for how pharmacy leadership may develop in the UK.

The commission has concluded that the leadership of the current professional body for pharmacists in Great Britain has failed. It believes that the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), a body whose first iteration was initially established in 1841, is no longer fit for purpose.

Learn more

PDA representing interests of employed and locum pharmacists in supervision working group

We are making sure the interests and views of employed and locum pharmacists are effectively represented in conversations about supervision.

The Pharmacy Supervision Practice Group has been formed to try and find a way forward for supervision. Organisations with different perspectives from across the community pharmacy sector have joined together to form a working group to look into future modelling of pharmacy practice.

Learn more

Below is a summary of some of the other key news stories that have been published on our website recently:

21/2/23 – PDA donations to Pharmacist Support pass £200,000

20/2/23 – Professional Retention Fees for members in Northern Ireland

20/2/23 – PDA raises £10,000 for Syria and Turkey Earthquake relief campaign

19/2/23 – Welcome to the February 2023 PDA Update in LloydsPharmacy

18/2/23 – Update from supervision working group’s second meeting

17/2/23 – Ex-Sainsbury’s pharmacists at LloydsPharmacy dispute company position on redundancy entitlement

17/2/23 – Protect the Right to Strike!

16/2/23 – PDA continues to celebrate #HeartUnions Week 2023

15/2/23 – PDA supporting pharmacists at John Bell & Croydon subject to intra-group transfer at Hallo Healthcare

14/2/23 – Boots Newsletter – February 2023

11/2/23 – PDA supporting OPD pharmacists subject to intra-group transfer at Hallo Healthcare

7/2/23 – PDA supporting pharmacists impacted by LloydsPharmacy decision not to retender for Scottish prison contract

6/2/23 – Update on International Pharmaceutical Federation engagement with World Health Organisation

1/2/23 – All Party Pharmacy Group publishes manifesto following an inquiry into the future of pharmacy

LEARN MORE

Enjoy a range of PDA Plus benefits!

Did you know that as a PDA member, you can take advantage of exclusive PDA Plus offers and discounts? Whether it’s getting a special gift for a family member or friend or treating yourself to a new car, PDA Plus has exclusive offers for you.

With spring just around the corner, there’s no better time to pick up a National Trust gift card for fun days out. The gift cards are valid at over 500 places across the UK, and as a PDA member, you can enjoy a 10% saving! The cards can be used for a range of services the National Trust provides, including admission, cafes, shops, and membership.

LOG IN TO YOUR PDA PLUS ACCOUNT TODAY

MORPh‘s free face-to-face training is back! 

The upcoming training days include practical demonstrations for CGM devices,
ECG, AF, BP monitoring, injection techniques, inhaler placebo packs, and Dermoscopy with dermatology and wound samples.

All MORPh training events cover all the topics in the BNF and Leadership skills. Join their network for free and join over 8,300 PCN, practice, ICB, and health board pharmacists and pharmacy technicians attending face-to-face and webinar events, with access to the MORPh eHub for a wealth of resources and support.

MORPh have created a set of face-to-face events with a difference! All their face-to-face events now feature training and education based around practical demonstrations as well as the treatment options.

  • Respiratory Study Days feature a MORPh Placebo Pack, spirometry and FeNO demonstrations, and inhaler technique workshops.
  • CVD Study Days feature ECG training, AF detection, perfect BP monitoring workshops, injection techniques, as well as clinical training.
  • Dermatology and Wound Care Study Days feature live dermoscopy and interpretation, samples for creams, ointments, and wound care.
  • Diabetes Study Days feature setting you up with your very own CGM device, injection technique, and devices.

Places are limited, so to book today please click here.

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The Pharmacists' Defence Association is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England; Company No 4746656.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association is an appointed representative in respect of insurance mediation activities only of
The Pharmacy Insurance Agency Limited which is registered in England and Wales under company number 2591975
and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Register No 307063)

The PDA Union is recognised by the Certification Officer as an independent trade union.

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