DHSS Advance Letter (PH)1/89
as amended by (PH)1/91

Grading Guidance
2. It is therefore for each employing health authority to determine according to its management arrangements in consultation* with local staff interests the number and grade of posts within the range A to H. In determining the grade applicable in each case, the overriding consideration is that the responsibilities of a post must be commensurate with the grade assigned to it. Grading indication factors are given at paragraph 12 for posts at Grades C to H level. The indication factors must be seen as guidelines to authorities in appropriate grading of pharmaceutical posts and an assessment will need to be made of the individual factors. They are not intended to be in any way prescriptive.

*Staff Side and Management Side accept that mere passage of information is not consultation. Consultation should involve an opportunity to influence decisions and their application. It is best conducted when some attention has been given to alternatives, but they have not taken their final form.

Grade D Pharmacist
7.1 A post which has responsibility for managing an area of pharmaceutical activity, including forward planning and development.
7.2 This grade is also suitable for posts providing a specialist service carrying a comparable weight of responsibility.
(Refer to paragraph 2)

Grade E Pharmacist
8.1 A post which has responsibility for managing a pharmaceutical department, or its equivalent, including a greater level of responsibility for forward planning and development.
8.2 This grade can also be applied to a post providing a higher level of specialist service carrying a comparable weight of responsibility.
(Refer to paragraph 2)

Grade F Pharmacist
9.1 A post which has overall responsibility for the provision of a comprehensive pharmaceutical service to a health authority/health board; or managing a very large pharmaceutical department, or its equivalent carrying a comparable weight of responsibility.
9.2 This grade can be applied to a post which requires the provision of a high level of professional expertise carrying a comparable weight of responsibility.
(Refer to paragraph 2)
Grade G Pharmacist
10.1 A post usually equivalent to one with overall responsibility for the provision of a large comprehensive pharmaceutical service to one or more health authorities/health boards.
10.2 This grade can be applied to a post which requires the provision of an exceptional level of professional expertise. Employing health authorities or employing health boards wishing to use grade G for such a post should consult the Joint Secretaries before making the appointment. (removed by (PH)1/91)
(Refer to paragraph 2)

Grade H Pharmacist
11.1 A post of exceptional responsibility usually equivalent to that of planning and/or providing pharmaceutical services to an English Region; or a post elsewhere which carries a similar weight of responsibility.
11.2 This grade can also be applied to a post which requires a very exceptional level of professional expertise. Employing health authorities or employing health boards wishing to use grade H for such a post should consult the Joint Secretaries before making the appointment. (removed by (PH)1/91)
(Refer to paragraph 2)

Factors to be Considered When Grading a Post
12. The attention of employing health authorities is drawn to the following factors, which are not necessarily of equal importance. These should be used as a starting point for drawing up job descriptions. Job descriptions must be used as a basis for determining the grade appropriate for each post and should be acceptable to the post holder.
a. the size, complexity, range and level of service provided;
b. the extent of responsibility for resources;
c. the extent to which the post carries responsibility for research and development;
d. the extent to which the post carries responsibility for teaching;
e. in the case of a specialist post, the extent of expertise to be provided;
f. the number of authorities or boards to whom pharmaceutical advice is provided;
g. provision of advice or other duties outside the pharmaceutical discipline;
h. extent of involvement in short term and/or strategic planning.

Each post should be considered individually. This list is not exhaustive and is not intended to be prescriptive.

back to top