The PDA is supporting members facing potential redundancy at the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE), which is provided by the University of Manchester. The CPPE contract is due for renewal next year, and NHS funding is reducing even if the contract is renewed. As a result, some pharmacists are currently facing potential redundancy.
The PDA has extensive experience in supporting members facing job losses through redundancy and will be doing all it can for those members impacted. If, as in this case, the number of roles required is reducing, the employer will need to have a fair selection process for those employees who will remain in their role and thereby identify those others for whom their role will cease.
In general, the end of a role does not automatically mean the end of someone’s employment, and an employer must look at other options before deciding on redundancies, such as changing working hours, offering voluntary redundancy or moving employees into suitable alternative vacancies. Any proposed alternative needs to be suitable for the individual and their circumstances. However, if there are no suitable alternatives available with the employer, then a pharmacist’s role may become redundant.
In this situation at CPPE, with a significant number of roles being removed, it is expected that there will be job losses. The PDA will be expecting those pharmacists whose employment ends through redundancy to first receive fair treatment through a selection process, appropriate support from the employer as they then try and seek alternative employment and then to receive appropriate compensation.
The PDA is already working with those members who have sought support, communicating with the employer and will be engaging with all members at CPPE over the coming weeks.
What to do now
- Organisations may review their structures at any time for a variety of reasons, and it is therefore good advice for every employed pharmacist to always ensure that they have an up-to-date copy of their employment contract at home, and their employer’s staff handbook.
- Those who are concerned about possible redundancies can also access the PDA’s free redundancy factsheet.
- PDA members impacted by this change who wish to discuss any specific concerns are encouraged to contact the PDA Member Support Centre.
- Pharmacists at CPPE who are not yet members of the PDA should consider joining as soon as possible.
All pharmacists employed at CPPE, have fixed term employment contracts aligned to expire with the renewal of the contract, and it is recognised that if the NHS do not renew the contract at University of Manchester, those CPPE pharmacists remaining after this change may face a further redundancy process or potential of transfer to a new employer. In either scenario, the PDA will support those members impacted.
Where employees are being treated consistently and in line with an agreed fair process, there may be no need for individual trade union representation. The PDA will prioritise representation for meetings when matters are contentious because of some circumstances that are affecting the individual member. For example, if they have a disability, have caring or childcare commitments, etc., that will mean the proposed changes will adversely affect them and could potentially be unlawful.
Learn more
This change at CPPE is a further example of pharmacists facing the consequences of events impacting their employment which are not caused, or related, to their individual role or performance. Other current situations include potential redundancies at ICB, CSU and NHS England, potential branch sales or closures at Morrisons and the situation at Jhoots. Such situations can happen anywhere, in any sector, at anytime. Individual pharmacists generally need to already be a member before the situation arises in order to be able to seek individual support from the PDA.
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.