Pharmacists challenge nurses on SSSS grading system

The Government Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) on Tuesday expressed disappointment about issues raised by the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) regarding their (GHOSPA) grading system on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

A statement signed by its President, Stephen Corquaye and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said there was no country in the world that hospital pharmacists and nurses were remunerated at par at entry level grades or corresponding grades.

It said the decision of the National Labour Commission (NLC) on Pharmacists Grade Placements was taken nearly 15 months from (November 2011- January 2013) of a full Compulsory Arbitration, plus additional hearing, meetings and sittings with several proofs including the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission’s (FWSC) own job evaluation scores.

It explained that the FWSC own job re-evaluation scores computed before the panel of the NLC in November 2011, the Principal Nursing Officers (PNO) scored 597 (15L) in the same range as the fresh entry pharmacist, who scored 569 (14H).

“The pharmacist is on 18H while the PNO is on the 20H. Similarly, and curiously, the pharmacy technician with HND is placed less (15L), the staff nurse with a certificate (15H)”, the statement added.

The GHOSPA is therefore challenging the nurses to produce any objective, balanced job evaluation in the past or in recent memory in which they scored anywhere close to pharmacists of comparative levels.

“We find it very strange that the same GRNA leadership, which had told all Ghanaians that they would not resort to strike last week though they had issues, is today suddenly threatening the whole nation with strike because of an NLC ruling for pharmacists. It smacks of bad faith and mischief”, the statement added.

The GRNA on Monday raised concerns about recent adjustments in salary by the NLC in favour of pharmacists in the placement of graduates at the entry point of pharmacists, who were earlier placed at par with graduate nurses and midwives.

The Association argued that the action of the NLC was not only unconstitutional but also unfair to nurses and midwives whose role in the health care delivery system was as crucial as that of any of their counterparts in the health service delivery chain.

Source: GNA

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