Planned breaches of NHS contract damage pharmacy

Community pharmacies are not hiring locum pharmacists, leading to understaffing and potential pharmacy closures, despite there being no nationwide pharmacist shortage, according to PDA surveys. These employers are allegedly unwilling to pay above a maximum hourly rate and are breaching their NHS contracts by letting pharmacies close. The PDA suggests this problem is driving away potential pharmacy employees, damaging the sector’s reputation, and may even be participating in anti-competitive practices by setting identical maximum rates.