The Pharmacists’ Defence Association has aired concerns about the way that plans by the National Pharmacy Association to ‘ballot’ members in a protest about pharmacy funding are being covered by the main broadcast channels.

Using the term ‘ballot’ does not correctly representing the action being taken by the NPA, says the PDA.

The PDA points out it is the only independent trade union of pharmacists in the UK, and that only trade unions can ballot members in relation to taking industrial action. The NPA’s action should therefore not be described as a strike or industrial/collective action.

“The action which the NPA is asking members to vote on would be a contractual dispute between business that operate community pharmacies and the commissioner, in this case, the NHS in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland,” says the PDA (it understands that the NPA is not balloting its members in Scotland).

“Reports have stated that ‘pharmacists’ are being balloted for the first time to take collective action. Although some members of the NPA are pharmacists, many are not and are, in fact, business owners and investors.”

The PDA is asking that future coverage reflects that it is those pharmacy owners who are NPA members, and who between them operate around 50 per cent of all community pharmacies in Britain who are involved in this campaign.

 NPA director of corporate affairs, Gareth Jones responded, saying: "Most of our members are pharmacists and we are asking members whether they will take collective action to try to get a better deal for community pharmacies and their teams, now and for the future.

"We are happy to work with our colleagues at the PDA to send a powerful message to government that pharmacies need support for the brilliant work they do. We have never done this before, but we think this sort of collective action is important, to get the message across to government that pharmacies are in crisis and need their support.”