THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has slammed a decision by the Fair Work Commission to "stagnate the minimum safety net pay for community pharmacists," with PSA National President Chris Freeman saying the ruling was a "completely inadequate reflection of the complex work that pharmacists do".
The Commission has decided the current base pharmacy award rate of just over $27 per hour should remain in place, with Freeman saying the figure "does not reflect the profession's significant training, expertise and accountability".
However Freeman has also urged that in the context of the broader pharmacy sector, any increase in the award rate should be met with a corresponding boost to funding into the pharmacy sector to make pay rises affordable.
"We urge all pharmacists to discuss fair remuneration with their employers when accepting employment and at regular intervals," the PSA National President said.
He said the issue of fair pay for pharmacists went far beyond the minimum wage.
"Pharmacists need to be appropriately remunerated for their significant training as healthcare professionals with the most expertise in the quality use of medicines," Freeman added.
He noted that the recent PSA case put to the Fair Work Commission focused on the change in scope of practice for the profession.
"Our health system has seen a significant change in the complexity of health problems faced by patients, and pharmacists are now practising at a deeper and more intense level.
"The current division of base pharmacist wage categories are simply antiquated," Freeman said.
"Pharmacists should be paid a fair day's wage...without which, our profession will never meet its full potential, promulgating the professional dissatisfaction and disenfranchisement experienced by so many," he concluded.
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