Full-time equivalent (FTE) male branch managers took home an average of £3,558.81 more than their female counterparts last year, according to C+D’s analysis. 

While 85 male respondents in this role earned an average of £54,205.39 in 2022, the same number of female respondents reported an average salary of £50,646.58.

The gender pay gap has closed slightly since 2021, when data from the Salary Survey showed that male branch managers earned an average of £4,000 more than their female colleagues.

Read more: Revealed: The average UK pharmacist branch manager salary in 2022

The average salary for all branch managers in 2022 stood at £50,589.52, C+D reported last month

Meanwhile, the 28 FTE male second or non-manager pharmacists who completed the survey reported an average salary of £51,695.95 in 2022.

They out-earned their female counterparts by £4,482.16, with 35 respondents reporting an average salary of £47,213.79 in the same period.

Last week (March 2), Salary Survey data revealed that the average salary of all second or non-manager community pharmacists stood at £38,886.49 in 2022.

 

Pay dissatisfaction

 

Despite these gaps, it was male branch managers who were the most dissatisfied with their pay.

More than two fifths (41%) of 81 male respondents reported being dissatisfied with their pay, compared to 27% of 85 female branch managers who reported the same.

A further 42% of male branch managers were fairly satisfied with their pay compared to 53% of female branch managers.

Read more: Is community pharmacy going to wait until 2070 to close the gender pay gap?

Male branch managers were also more likely to have received a bonus in 2022 than female managers.

While 65% of 81 male respondents said they had managed to secure a bonus in 2022, just 51% of 84 female respondents were given a bonus.

 

“Frustrating”

 

Female pharmacy leaders questioned why the gender pay gap was still an issue for women in the sector.

National Association of Women Pharmacists (NAWP) president Ayah Abbass said that this is a “huge issue” that her organisation is “trying to tackle” as part of its "mission to empower women in pharmacy".

She told C+D: “Women pharmacists have the same qualifications as male pharmacists and do the same work so why is there still a gap in payment?”

“We believe this matter needs urgent attention and action. It’s a basic right for women and we need to act now,” she continued.

Read more: Research shows male pharmacists still earning more than female colleagues

Shilpa Shah, CEO of North East London Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), told C+D it was “frustrating that we are still talking about a gender pay gap in 2023”.

“People work in healthcare to look after the health needs of the public – that is the same whether you are male, female or identify as non-binary so the pay should be the same,” she said.

“It should not have to be a conversation that we are still having and knowing that it will take years before we stop having the conversation is disheartening.”

Ms Shah told C+D it “still upsets and frustrates me to this day” that her male equivalents were paid more than her in previous roles.

It is up to employers to “look at their organisation and do something as soon as possible” to close the pay gap “until it is truly non-existent”, she commented.

She added: “Everybody has a part to play and it’s no longer acceptable to keep coming up with reasons and excuses to pay women less than men when they are doing the same job.”

In November, research published by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) revealed that pay gaps ranged from 1.8% to 13.2% in favour of men.

Earlier that month, government statistics showed a 9% median pay gap in favour of male FTE pharmacists.

The C+D Salary Survey 2022 ran between October 25 2022 and January 20 2023 and was completed by a total of 1,480 pharmacists and pharmacy staff.

 

See all the coverage so far on the C+D Salary Survey hub