The PDA announced today (July 4) that “following discussions”, the multiple and the union have agreed a pay increase for Boots trainee pharmacists commencing their role this summer in England and Northern Ireland.

A joint statement said that the new pay rates will be effective from August 1 and “will be applied centrally in the August pay run”.

 

Read more: NHSE announces 29% increase in pharmacist training places by 2028/29

It set out that:

• Trainees working in Boots “pay zone A” will receive an £11.64 hourly rate and £22,759.11 annual salary

• Those working in Boots “pay zone B” will receive a £12.77 hourly rate and £24,968.54 annual salary

• Those working in Boots “pay zone C” will receive a £12.88 hourly rate and £25,183.62 annual salary

Trainee pharmacists working in Boots branches in Wales are employed directly by the NHS and “therefore outside the scope of the pay negotiations between Boots and the PDA Union”, the statement said.

It added that funding for Boots trainee pharmacists in Scotland “is at a higher level” and the multiple “continues to pass on the fully funded amount as salary to those team members”.

 

Read more: Boots trainee pharmacist pay rising to £10.90 from April, PDA confirms

It comes after the union and the multiple announced in February that the hourly pay rate for trainee pharmacists working at Boots in England and Northern Ireland would rise to £10.90 from April.

Meanwhile, more than 900 people have added their support to an online petition calling for a review of the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC’s) recently held June registration assessment, claiming that the level of difficulty was “highly problematic and unjust”.

And NHS England (NHSE) announced on Friday (June 30) that there will be a 29% increase in pharmacist training places by 2028/2029 as part of its new long term workforce plan.