PDA recovers ‘record’ levels of unpaid locum fees

A collective £200,000 is owed in unpaid locum fees by just one pharmacy business, according to the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA).

The union said the amount of debts owed to locum staff recovered by the PDA has ‘increased dramatically’ over the last few years.

The PDA says it recovers more than £100,000, every year, but latest data shows that 2024 was a record year, with £126,654.37 recovered – an average of almost £2,500 each week.

Related Article: Anticoagulant Inhixia recalled due to typo

In the first four and a half months of 2025, the amount recovered by the PDA for members has already reached £54,000.

It said it was currently supporting a small group of members who are collectively owed more than £200,000 in unpaid locum fees by just one pharmacy business.

And it warned that the total amount recovered by the PDA could reach £1m by the year’s end.

Mark Pitt, PDA union general secretary and director of defence services said: ‘Businesses must pay locums for the services they have provided in accordance with the contractual terms agreed.

‘It should not be necessary for the PDA to intervene to make it happen.

Related Article: Interview: Pharmacy First saves time, prevents escalation, and frees up capacity

‘Yet every year we are assisting members who cannot get paid by certain employers without our help. Our simple message to these businesses is “pay your debts”.’

He added: ‘We believe this is a further example of how the treatment of businesses by the regulator contrasts to that of individual registrants.

‘Where businesses repeatedly refuse to pay their debts, there seems to be no consequences for the pharmacy owners, other than individuals taking legal action to recover what is owed to them.’

Separately, the government has this month named two community pharmacy multiples among the top 20 employers for failing to pay staff minimum wage.

Related Article: New GPhC chief standards officer appointed

The PDA said that the beaches highlighted by government were ‘unlikely to have involved pharmacists, as their rates of pay should be significantly above minimum wage levels’.

However, it said it remained concerned about the risks around some foundation trainees potentially being paid less than the minimum wage if they worked beyond their contracted hours.