OUTSOURCING of pharmacy services in NSW's public hospitals means hospital pharmacists are unlikely to receive the State Government's $3,000 "thank you" bonus for NSW Health workers, Professional Pharmacists Australia CEO, Jill McCabe, believes.
McCabe told Pharmacy Daily that few if any pharmacists across NSW would be eligible for the bonus, or the 3% pay rise for the State's public sector workforce, with private contractors operating the majority of hospital pharmacies.
She added that while the $3,000 bonus was a welcome top-up for frontline workers who are eligible to receive it, pharmacists deserved greater recognition in the form of substantial pay increases, regardless of what setting they work in.
"Overall, a relatively modest one-off bonus payment isn't adequate recognition or reward for the skills and expertise that pharmacists provide each and every day in protecting our public health," McCabe said.
"Australia's pharmacists remain the lowest paid professionals in Australia and the pharmacy sector requires comprehensive reform to deliver the remuneration and employment conditions our pharmacists deserve.
"That's why Professionals Australia will continue to pursue better wages for pharmacy graduates and a classification and wage structure for pharmacists which provides higher levels of remuneration and career progression opportunities for pharmacists throughout their careers.
"Enterprise bargaining agreements would also enable pharmacists to have a real say in their wages and conditions.
"With spiralling inflation and additional pressure on the pharmacists, it's critical that the pharmacy sector deliver a much-needed pay increase to attract and maintain quality pharmacists.
"If our sector is to retain the skilled and experienced pharmacists our community requires, pharmacy employers must provide employee pharmacists with healthy and safe workplaces, reasonable workloads and decent pay and conditions."
Meanwhile the Public Sector Union has noted that the 3% pay increase for the State's employees falls below inflation and will leave many workers out-of-pocket going forward.
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