Locums across the UK have seen their rates of pay fall in the past 12 months, according to the C+D Salary Survey 2012.

More than half said they had seen their rates fall, as over a fifth of 400 locums who responded faced a decrease of between 6 and 10 per cent.

The survey found that locums earned on average £22.79 per hour, down from the Salary Survey 2011 figure of £23.30, which was down on 2010's figure of £23.40.

"I suspect we will see more locums who find it difficult to find work as the number of pharmacy openings reduces and fewer pharmacists retire early" Mimi Lau, Numark

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Average hourly locum rates have fallen across the UK, with those in north-west and south-west England seeing their rates fall to £22.77 an hour from £23.63 and £23.86 in 2011 respectively. Locum rates would always be a question of supply and demand, said Numark's director of professional services Mimi Lau. And she warned that the outlook was likely to get worse. "The recent increase in graduates from schools of pharmacies has been taken up in part by exempted pharmacy openings (ie 100 hours).

"I suspect we will see more locums who find it difficult to find work as the number of pharmacy openings reduces and fewer pharmacists retire early," Ms Lau said.

Director of the PDA John Murphy said increased workloads for pharmacists generally were partly a result of employers cutting locum placements and "devaluing their service".

For more results, comment and news from the Salary Survey 2012 as well as tools including a salary calculator, wheel of blame, interactive map and employed/locum comparison calculator and much more click here