NutritionCommunity Pharmacists Are No Longer On Shortage Occupation List
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is concerned that from today, only
pharmacists working in the NHS or hospitals will be on the shortage occupation list, which
permits non-EU pharmacists and pre-registration trainees to get work visas.
In September last year the UK Borders Agency Migration Advisory Committee recommended
that community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians were on the list of shortage
occupations, but in May it agreed to remove them.
The Society believes that it, along with community pharmacy employers, should have been
consulted about this decision.
It is now unclear how the change to the list will affect the Society"s existing international
members or international members in future.
Wendy Harris, Deputy Registrar and Director of Regulation, said; "A decision was made rather
quickly to take community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians off the shortage occupation
list without any consultation with the Society.
"We are now trying to ascertain exactly what this will mean. But there is a worry that this will
affect overseas assessment programmes for qualified pharmacists from abroad who wish to
work here, along with the 15 per cent of UK pharmacy students who are from overseas and
choose to get their degree in Great Britain."
The UK Borders Agency Migration Advisory Committee is reviewing medical occupations again
in the autumn of 2009 and there is an opportunity to submit evidence in relation to pharmacists
by July 15 for that review.
This will be a chance to argue for the reinstatement of other pharmacists, including community
pharmacists and pre-registration trainees, before the list is reviewed again in September.
The Society is now considering what evidence to present and is working with other pharmacy
bodies to ensure all relevant information is presented to the Migration Advisory Committee, in
the hope it reverses its recent decision.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain