P R E S S     R E L E A S E


6th October 2000

For immediate release

NO NEWS IS NOT SO GOOD NEWS - NHS PHARMACISTS PAY

The GHP has expressed its due concern to the Department of Health over the lack of response or any communication regarding the claim submitted in April for improvements in pay and other terms and conditions of employment.

The GHP is anxious to address matters around not only the areas identified within the claim but in the interpretation and application of the previous years pay settlement.

The GHP is also interested in establishing the effect last year’s uplifts had on recruitment of pharmacists in the NHS.

Section General Secretary Gerry Looker said

"the GHP believes that the recruitment and retention problems faced in the NHS in relation to Pharmacists is as acute now as when management finally acknowledged in 1999 that there was an issue here. Staff side believes progress on the pay claim will need to address some of the issues connected to recruitment and retention difficulties and given the extended delay in Agenda for Change negotiations on modernisation of NHS pay, it is crucial that progress is made soon on this pay claim."

For further information contact

Gerry Looker, Section General Secretary GHP Tel 0115 9609100

Ron Pate, Staff Side Chair, GHP, Tel 01384 244430

STOP PRESS ..........STOP PRESS .......... STOP PRESS .......... STOP PRESS

The Department of Health has finally agreed to meet with representatives of staff side on Wednesday 1st November 2000.

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