The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA)

Society Regn No. Born. 10 of 1960 GBBSD . Public Trust Regn. No. F- 746 (Born) dt. 4.4.1960

Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai - 400 098. India Tel.: +9122 2667 1072 Telefax : +9122 2667 0744 E-mail : ipacentre@ipapharma.org Website : http://www.ipapharma.org

MISSION The Indian Pharmaceutical Association QPA) is the national professional body of pharmacists engaged in various facets of the profession of pharmacy. The IPA is commited to promote the highest professional and ethical standards of pharmacy, focus the image of pharmacists as competent healthcare

professionals, sensitize the community, government and others on vital professional issues and support pharmaceutical education and sciences in all aspects

Ref No IPA/110/66

20161016 To President Ms. Meena Agarwal, Rao V. S. V. Vadlarnudi Secretary,

Immediate Past President J. A. S. Giri

Vice Presidents Divisional Heads

Seventh Central Pay Commission, P.O. Box No. 4599, Mauz Khas, P.O. New Delhi-110016 e-mail: secy-7cpc@nic.in

Date: 26th May 2014

Subject: Request to 7th CPC to revise Pharmacists pay structure and cadres in Government services

Community Phannacy Manjiri Gharat

Education T. V. Narayana

Hospital Pharmacy Ramesh Adepu Dear Madam, Industrial Pharmacy Subhash Rijhwani

RegulatoryAffairs Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) is the premier professional association of Subhash Mandal

pharmacists in India, with a member base of over 10,000 spread across the length and Hon. Gen. Secretary Kaushik Desai breadth of the nation. IPA operates in India through 17 state branches and more than 33

Hon. Treasurer Surendra Manek

local branches. The members represent various facets of pharmaceutical profession viz.

- Pharma T~~~ industry, regulatory, community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy andpharmacy education.

Alka Mukne

Editor - UPS Divakar Goli

IPA is also actively associated in managing several academic programmes. As a member of

Drug Technical Advisory Board, India, IPA is actively involved in advising the government

Secretary General on matters of professional importance. S. D. Joag

IPA is affiliated with international pharmaceutical associations like FIP, FAPA, CPA, AAPS,

AAiPS, IPSF and WHO, for carrying out various collaborative professional activities, which

include organizing training programmes for professionals from industry, academics,

regulatory and pharmacy practice. IPA also makes representations to the authorities on

matters of professional interest and works constantly towards upgrading the standards of

professional services offered by the pharmacists.

Member o f Federation International Pharmaceutique (FIP), Federation o f Asian Pharmaceutical Association (FAPA), Commonwealth Pharmacists' Association (CPA) & International Pharmacy Students' Federation (IPSF)

Continuation sheet

We, at the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) wish to bring your attention certain facts

about the anomalies in the pay structure and cadres of pharmacists in

dispensaries/hospitaIs in various central public sector departments such as the Railways, the

CGHS, GMS, SAIL,ONGC, CPWD etc.The pay structures and designations of pharmacists vary

from department to department though they are having the same qualification and

performing duties as Pharmacists. It is felt that the present anomaly in designation and pay

structure of the pharmacists are due to recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission for

individual departments. Moreover, the 6th Pay Commission has not rectified the anomalies,

which were prevailing in the individual departments.

Who is a Pharmacist?

A Pharmacist is the most easily accessible healthcare professional, who is a vital member of

the healthcare team and is entrusted with multiple responsibilities ranging from inventory

control to dispensing medicines to patient care. Pharmacists make important decisions in

the selection of drugs, managing inventories, dispensing the right medications, providing

instructions and counseling to patients about their illness and medications, and promote

rational use of medicines. In Railway health posts pharmacists in addition perform all

nursing duties. In many states, allopathic doctor,Pharmacist and group D employee (ward

boy) work in 24-hour emergency team and in VVlP ambulance duty.No nurse or other

paramedical person is a part of it. By playing these versatile roles, pharmacists can not only

minimize unnecessary health care expenditures to the exchequer, but also contribute

significantly to public health.

One of the following qualifications and duration of studies is needed for one to be a

Registered Pharmacist and practice pharmacy in our country:

1

2

3

Qualifications

Diploma in Pharmacy

Bachelor of Pharmacy

Pharm.D.

Duration of study

after 10 + 2

2 years

4 years

5 years

Duration of

training

3 months

1 month

1 year Hospital

Internship

Total No, of years

of study + training

14.25 years

16 years

18 years

Continuation sheet

In spite of playing important and versatile roles in the healthcare system, unfortunately, in

various departments in the government, other lower qualifications and some non-technical

positions have been given higher pay scales than the pharmacists, which has de-motivated

and demoralized the pharmacists. For example:

In order to derive maximum benefits of having pharmacists, it is important to appoint and

retain talented professionals to meet the healthcare objectives. One of the best ways to

have talented pharmacists in any organization is by offering respectable pay scales and good

promotional policies.

Course

Diploma in

Pharmacy

Diploma

Engineering

We therefore recommend that the pay scalesof the pharmacist be made equivalent to

nursesand other technical persons like junior engineers. We would also like to state that

only doctors,nurses and pharmacists are governed by statutory provision (act)in the entire

medical and health team.

Recommendation before 7th CPC:

Entry

10+2

10

Thus we request you to;

1) Abolish any lower grade pay (such as in many departments it is still Rs. 2800) all across

central Government services.

Revise the pay structure of Pharmacists, starting from a Pay Band of Rs.9300 - 34800, and

starting grade pay of Rs. 4200for entry-level pharmacist position.

Duration

2 yrs.

3 yrs.

Pay Scales

Rs. 5200-

20200+

GPRs. 2800

Rs 9300-

34800 + GP

Rs. 4200

Training

3

months

Nil

Total

Duration

14.25 yrs.

13 yrs.

Registration

required

Pharmacy

council

Nil

Continuafion sheef

2) Create supervisory postsand posts of clinical pharmacists and thus create lucrative

promotional avenuesand make uniform cadres for pharmacists across all

departments.Posts such as Senior Pharmacist, ChiefPharmacist,Pharmacy Officer, Deputy

Director (Pharmacy) need to be created and accordingly the Grade Pay needs to be

increased.Certain percentage of these promotional posts may be filled by B.Pharm. qualified

Pharmacists with some experience in Pharmacy Practice.

We would like to propose the following pay structure for Pharmacists:

3) Create Hospital Pharmacy Department: Implement NHRCs recommendation by creating

a Hospital Pharmacy Department in all Hospitals under the supervision of a Postgraduate in

Pharmacy. This Pharmacist will directly report to the Superintendent of the Hospital.

Postgraduate in pharmacy (M.Pharm) undergoes 12 plus 6 years of education (total 18

years)

Designation

Pharmacist(Entry Grade)

- Pharmacist(after 02 years

service)

Chief Pharmacist

Officer-In-Charge (Pharmacy)

Special Executive Officer

(Pharmacy)

Deputy Director (Pharmacy)

Proposed Pay ScaleIGrade pay

Rs. 9300-34800

Grade pay Rs.42001-

Rs. 9300-34800

Grade pay Rs.4600/-

Rs.15600-39100

Grade pay Rs.5400/-

Rs.15600-39100

Grade pay Rs.66001-

Rs.15600-39100

Grade pay Rs.66001-

Rs.15600-39100

Grade pay Rs.76001-

Continuation sheet

4) Create Clinical Pharmacy Services in Hospitals: Clinical Pharmacy services should be

created under Pharm. D. degree holders, to benefit patients through rational medicine use,

reduce adverse reactions and medication errors, and thus reduce cost of therapy, and

improve quality of life of patients. These Pharmacists will directly report to the .

Superintendent of the Hospital. A Pharm.D candidate undergoes 12 plus 6 years of

education (18 years)

5 ) Joint Director Pharmacy Services: Post of the Joint Director(Pharmacy Services& Training)

should be created in the Directorate General of Health Services,Govt. of India, as

recommended by the NHRC, as the post of the Nursing Advisor already exists in above

office & all the files of nursing cadre move through her.

Graduate Pharmacists:

Entry to the B. Pharm and B.Es is 10 + 2 with science, the course duration of B, Pharm and

B.Es is same (4 years) and both are regulated by the All India Council for Technical Education

(AICTE). Moreover B.Pharm course isalso regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India.

Therefore, B.Pharms working in the different depts. of Central Govt. like- CDSCO, Testing

Laboratories etc. should be provided with the same pay scales and promotional avenues

that are available to B.Es.

We urge the Pay Commission to have a complete overview of the pharmacists' situation

under different departments as well as in different states, and revise the pay structure and

bring uniformity in the cadre. Pay scales granted to the Pharmacists by Uttarakhand govt.

may be taken as an example for 7th CPC. Hathi committee 1975 recommendations also need

to be revisited in this context.

We urge you again kindly consider our views and give us an opportunity to present our

views before you in person.

Continuation sheet

As a professional association working at national and international level, we will be happy

and honored to extend any additional help in this regard.

Thanking you,

Secretary General, IPA