Locums accuse Day Lewis of starting rates war
Business Locum pharmacists have accused independent chain Day Lewis of driving a rates war with an online booking system that asks them for their “potential price”.
Day Lewis has defended an online booking system that asks locums to quote their "potential price", after pharmacists accused the independent chain of driving a rates war.
Locums posting on the Locum Voice forum branded Day Lewis's booking system "shameful" and "tantamount to devaluing the profession". Day Lewis rejected the criticism and said that, although locums were asked to submit the potential price they were willing to work for, they were rated on quality not price. Those with the lowest rate were not automatically given the job, it told C+D.
The booking system, which replaced the chain's paper system this month, sends emails and SMS alerts to registered locums to inform them of regional vacancies. Each locum's entry is based on quality, Day Lewis said, and includes a score rating and feedback from a pharmacy team.
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Day Lewis claimed that locums quoting the lowest rate were not automatically given the job |
 More on locum pay
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Day Lewis director and superintendent pharmacist Peter Glover said the system was an automated way to book "high quality locums" at more than 200 pharmacies. |
GPhC must tackle contractors withholding locum pay"Contrary to the views of a minority of locums, this system is not a bidding system based on price alone," he told C+D. "The locum with the lowest rate is not automatically given the job. On the contrary, this system rewards locums that are accredited to provide a range of pharmacy services."
The company pays an average of £23 an hour to locums and £30 per hour on occasion, Mr Glover said. "Quality is far more important to us than price."
However, Locum Voice founder Lindsey Gilpin said the system was "driving down prices" rather than driving up standards.
The PDA Union labelled the system a "cynical attempt to capitalise on the locum situation".
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"It does not value the role of pharmacy," PDA Union membership services manager Mark Pitt said. "It pits pharmacists against each other and it's quite divisive." Locums should be able to see what the feedback is and challenge it, he added. However, Croydon LPC secretary Andrew McCoig said Day Lewis was just reflecting the competitive market. "If you are a good locum you have nothing to fear," he said. |
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How much do locums get paid?The average locum rate was £23.40 an hour in 2010, dropping to £23.30 in 2011 and falling again to £22.79 per hour in 2012, the C+D Salary Survey revealed. In December, Lloydspharmacy cut its hourly locum rates to £19 in some areas because of "ongoing pressures on the pharmacy funding model". Day Lewis offers £23 an hour on average and £30 "on occasion". |
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What has been your experience of locum pay in the past year? Comment below or email us at [email protected] You can also find C+D on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook |
