Chronic shortage of government pharmacists

The chronic shortage of government medicine dispensers will, unfortunately, not be resolved overnight. It has been accumulating for some years now. For example, when there were orders from Castille to limit recruitment of public officers, they put everyone in the same basket. But there was never any surplus of medicine dispensers.

The pharmacy technicians course has been dormant for about 10 years. It is true that a course is running at MCAST but we will have to wait for quite some time before they graduate.

Even by employing "as many pharmacists as possible" (February 24) and if we assume that they all accept to work with the government, we will still not resolve all the problems. There are 37 vacancies within the Health Division and only 25 pharmacists are due to complete their course in July.

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin always abided by the complement number of vacancies, but past experience has always taught me that, in the case of pharmacists, always ask for at least a dozen more people because in a matter of a few months and years most of them would have already vanished from the public service.

For pharmacy techs, however, the problem is not of brain drain. Their problem lies deep in the roots of their past courses as I explained in my previous letter (March 12).

But once they are employed with the Health Division they normally all remain with the government until retirement. The reason for this is that there are much fewer opportunities of work in the private sector for pharmacy techs than for pharmacists.

The most immediate measure the UHM needs to take is to make sure its members are happy! They say happy employees produce better work...

Unfortunately, the UHM had to revert to industrial action (March 13). However, I was surprised to read that the work-to-rule directive was only issued to St Luke's Hospital pharmacy. Primary health care dispensers, on the other hand, are so understaffed they could not even work on alternate Saturdays.

The idea of early retirement sounds good but should be further discussed. I think that, at this stage, the UHM should call for an extraordinary meeting for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

The union has to reassure its members that the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme would not put unnecessary pressures on these dispensers. The union should also assure pharmacists on probation they will have its full protection.

However, I quote what the late Maurice Agius (UHM secretary-general) one told me: "Trade unionism is the art of the possible and not the impossible". If government dispensers accept to be treated like dogs that are calmed from barking by throwing them meagre bones onto the floor, with all due respect one cannot expect miracles.

Dispensers who accept to work overtime, in my humble opinion cannot really protest that their work exhausts them.

There is no gain without pain...

On the other hand, the UHM should insist on higher salaries if dispensers are so desperately in need of that something extra.

Finally, I wish to reword what I said before. I still insist there are hardly any pharmacists who are over 40 years old and still working at government pharmacies since graduation.