Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacists in vax row

IRISH pharmacists are being warned against signing up to take part in the Emerald Isle's COVID-19 vaccination rollout over a pay dispute.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) had agreed a rate of 70 per hour for pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines, with the Government - equating this to an annual salary of 142,000 - which was legislated under a statutory instrument.

However, a recruitment company being used by the country's Health Service Executive (HSE) has advertised the positions at salary rates ranging from 35,000 to 50,000, the Irish Examiner reports.

IPU General Secretary, Darragh O'Loughlin, said the organisation had raised the issue with the HSE, but had yet to receive a response.

"Until we get firm assurances that, regardless of who is the employer, HSE or agency, the hourly amount payable to a pharmacist for vaccination against COVID-19 services provided in a HSE-run mass vaccination clinic will be at an agreed statutory rate, we are advising that pharmacists should not apply for these positions," he said.

The Irish Examiner noted that if the HSE is bound by the statutory instrument and pharmacists are paid at the agreed rate they will work alongside other vaccinators doing the same work for a multiple of the equivalent salary paid to those retrained through the national recruitment campaign.