The job market is a lottery and why employment figures are a nonsensical folly

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Graduates like me have entered a volatile
and unsettled job market. And so have
non-graduates.

It's the draw for this week's job lottery! Get your tickets out and see if your applications lead to success. You could be a winner!

Many job seekers and those looking to expand the amount of work they do always have that recurring hope that their desires, hopes and ambitions within their own career can be fulfilled. Yet despite figures out today stating that unemployment has fallen, very few people have questioned the potential devil in the detail as far as the reality of the overall situation in the economy is concerned.

According to the Office of National Statistics, unemployment fell below two million between June and August 2014. The fall between a year earlier and now is 538,000 which is the largest annual fall in unemployment since records began in 1972. Yet the economic inactivity rate is still an eye watering 22.2%. For the sake of clarity, I tried to find an official definition of what "economic inactivity rate" meant on the Office for National Statistics website, but I was not successful.

However, according to the Scottish Government website, "economically inactive" was defined as people who weren't officially unemployed, but who aren't in employment and:

- Want a job but have not been seeking work in the last four weeks; or
- Want a job and are seeking work but not available to start work in the next two weeks; or
- Do not want a job.

So let's assume that being economically inactive is defined as such. How many people fall under this category, but who cannot find actual paid work or earn a living in order to satisfy their social and economic needs? And how many people fall under this category who want to be in a job that suits their own career needs, but are being shut out? And, on another note, how many people find themselves self-employed through no choice, but to stay afloat as much as they possibly can in the stormy sea?

That's the reality and the core of the whole problem that actually exists in our country, economy and society. There are talented graduates and non-graduates of all ages with a strong bank of experience and skills who cannot find a vacancy that helps them move on in life. There is a disturbing complacency amongst nearly everybody when it comes to the overall employment and job market situation.

And it's not just the fact that there is next to no work available in many areas, but when vacancies arise and candidates fulfil pretty much the criteria in an interview which would make them a perfect appointment, they still face the likelihood of being knocked back. That's the reality today. You could have all the experience and skills in the world, but it counts for nothing if you're not "it". I appreciate that the competition for vacancies is fierce, but that doesn't compensate for the frustration and injustice that has arisen more than ever for many talented people.

The release of the latest employment figures today reminded me of an early morning telephone call to London based talk radio station LBC when I spoke to Olly Mann about my own life and career earlier this year. More people might find themselves employed by name, but not in spirit. And as I remember stating to Olly, statistics are one thing, but the reality on the ground is another.

Let's all stop being naïve, give ourselves a good damn reality check and think properly about what's really happening out there.

Last night's Nolan Show and Dr Paisley's interview with Eamonn Mallie

I had the absolute pleasure in attending the opening edition of the new series of BBC Northern Ireland's hit television show, The Nolan Show. Some of you may ask why I travelled all the way to Belfast, but others who know me well enough will surely understand.

The Nolan Show is the television version of Stephen Nolan's much listened to radio programme on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Five Live. The format is specifically tailored to cover the latest current affairs and developments in Northern Ireland and the whole ethos of the programme is to put the viewer and the audience into the heartbeat of the action by e-mailing, telephoning and tweeting in their views. I've commented on the show's format and think it's one of the best across the UK, in my honest opinion.

Many people over the last two Monday nights will have cast their eyes on the recent two part documentary where former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Dr Ian Paisley, was interviewed by Eamonn Mallie. Dr Paisley's comments have sparked a lot of debate and much of last night's programme was dominated by it. I was absolutely gutted to have just missed out on the opportunity to put my view across on the show but, just before I fly across to Wales this morning, I wanted to put my views on the record.

Nobody can deny that Dr Ian Paisley is a major and publicly well known person within Northern Ireland and beyond. In general, as with many well known political and publicly know people I think there is always an inevitability that the person in question will have to speak out or express themselves publicly in reflection of their career and public life. Tony Blair, Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher are just a few examples of people who have expressed themselves in the aftermath of holding public office or a major position in the public eye, whether they have done so through an autobiography or on television, for instance. 

Dr Paisley is well known and, albeit some may deem some of his recent comments as controversial, would it not occur to anybody that at some point he had to express himself publicly, reflecting back on times before? In the aftermath of the last couple of weeks, I would be very intrigued to hear what others like current First Minister, Peter Robinson, say about their time in office and before that also.

The other aspect to this whole discussion is on how history, in fifty years from now if God wills, will view politicians such as Dr Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson. The big ambition for Northern Ireland is to continue to move on from the sad times of the past and to continue to build a prosperous future for the people here. There has been a lot of investment into Belfast, Derry/Londonderry (I was there last September) and all over Northern Ireland and that needs to keep coming in order to sustain it's future. 

Touring Belfast yesterday, I gained an impression and appreciation of the history of the city, significant events that have taken place and where Belfast and Northern Ireland are going for the future. I have no doubt that I will come back again. Walking past many areas of this city, particularly in the city centre, it is almost difficult to imagine the carnage that had taken place here all those years ago during the troubles. I've never felt so safe, secure and welcomed and the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland. It almost felt like I was still back home in Scotland. The people here in Northern Ireland have a lot to be proud of about today and the future.

Are prescription charges in England fair?

listen to ‘Prescription charges in England’ on Audioboo

Should English MP's be only allowed to vote on English
matters?

Patients on the NHS in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not have to pay for their medicines. However, NHS patients in England will still have to pay for their medicines, unless they are officially exempt. And with prescription charges per item rising to £7.85 this month, many people south of the border are still questioning why the levy still exists and whether it should go.

Earlier today, I tried to obtain statistics online to find out how many patients in England are exempt from the levy for prescriptions. But sadly the publications hosted by the Health and Social Care Information Centre with those details were unavailable.

However, to illustrate the overall situation regarding prescriptions in England, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee have a graph titled "12 Month Rolling Items Dispensed" which shows that at around November 2011, the number of prescription items dispensed broke through the 900 million item mark. And that figure is slowly escalating to a billion. And in my experience working in England last year, the majority of patients do not pay for their prescriptions.

If this is generally the case across England, then I suppose one can be forgiven for questioning the justification for a prescription charge. With the prescription item fee rise this month, it is very clear that the coalition at Westminster has no intention to review the levy. But, politically, you cannot blame some people for raising another issue of whether English MP's should only be allowed to vote on issues affecting England.

And I don't blame them for that. I think it is a major pity and, frankly, astonishing that politicians at Westminster have never considered raising the idea of installing a mechanism to ensure that England has the ability to fully decide on what policies they want implemented, without MP's from other parts of the United Kingdom voting also on those issues despite the fact it will have absolutely no relevance to their constituents.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Neal Patel voiced his opposition to the 20p increase in prescription charges on behalf of the society. I can understand his comments and he is certainly not wrong to give the impression that the exemption system needs to be reviewed.

But in an age of austerity and cuts in public spending, rising costs for medicines and lower employment prospects for pharmacists, are free prescriptions across the whole of the UK really affordable?

One amazing day in Northern Ireland

Victory! I make it onto Carrick-a-Rede island after getting
through the challenge Carrick-a-Rede bridge!

I only spent one day in Northern Ireland when I was on the Emerald Isle. Its a fascinating part of the world. And how I wish I could have stayed longer.

Despite all the negative news coming out regarding the protests and what not, don't let it put you off from coming to Northern Ireland and spending your money there. There's a lot to see! 

Going on a tour with Paddywagon Tours we were taken from Dublin, all the way up the M1 to Dundalk before we drove past Newry and all the way up north to Ballintoy in County Antrim near where the famous Carrick-a-Rede island is situated. And you guessed it, I went over the bridge.

It is very tough. You have the gusty winds blowing into each side of your body. Its cold, damp and very turbulent and that's even if the sun is shining. Wrap up warm. One mistake and you are in very serious trouble. People have dropped mobile phones, cameras, their wallets and much more going over that bridge. I was determined not to fall victim to such an unfortunate occurrence. And thankfully, I got through to the island without any major hiccups. 

And you are rewarded with some incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline of County Antrim, Rathlin Island and even...Scotland! Who said you were ever far away from home on the Emerald Isle?

Giant's Causeway

Next, we moved on to the Giant's Causeway, a World Heritage Site. This visit had a personal touch for me as a Scot because there's a lot of history between the Emerald Isle and Scotland. In Irish mythology, Fionn mac Cumhaill was said to have built a causeway to Scotland. This part of the world is blessed with lots of natural beauty. 

And finally we headed for Belfast. What really struck me was how unbelievably friendly the people there were. You would have probably been forgiven for thinking that no trouble had ever existed in Northern Ireland down the years. Its a dynamic city with a great future ahead of it. Belfast City Hall is a must for its architecture and even a walk around it. But the biggest winner about Belfast and the whole of the province of Ulster, and the rest of the island, is its people - ten out of ten to them. You've got to give them massive respect really especially when you put history into context.

So next time you watch the news and, God forbid, its a negative story from Belfast or anywhere else in Northern Ireland, don't be put off. Because my God it is not a dangerous place really. Its a fantastic place!

Belfast City Hall

Why the pharmacy student cap will not really be fully effective until...the end of the decade.

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Conservative Universities and Science Minister, David Willetts, and the Conservative peer, Lord Howe, announced earlier this month that there will be a cap on pharmacy student numbers in England, according to the Pharmacy Life website. The aim of the cap is to bring about a re-balance between the number of pharmacy graduates and NHS-funded pre-registration placements.

As welcome as this cap may be, it frankly is too little, too late. This is a measure that should have been implemented years ago. Pharmacy has, thankfully, finally caught up with dentistry and medicine in ensuring a balance is maintained between supply and demand. If I predict correctly that the cap will be effective from the next academic year, 2013/2014, then next year's graduates have a much better chance of securing a pre-registration placement in approximately a year to eighteen months time. 

But what about when they go on to qualify as newly qualified pharmacists, when they need to find secure work? This is where the main problem really exists. Right now, many pharmacists are, if they are really lucky, only able to secure occasional shifts often finding themselves heavily underemployed.

And many more are having to make serious decisions about their future. Does pharmacy even have a role in their future career and life? Its a tragedy that graduates across these islands are even asking themselves the previous question. How did it really all come to this? 

This is the reality that has shocked many newly qualified pharmacists everywhere. And we are not talking about people who, in footballing terms, would only find any hope playing in the reserves side of a football team. They are not write offs. They are talented people who have been unfortunate enough to find themselves in the middle of a volatile storm. 

I am no advocate of negativity. Nor do I scaremonger. But if we are really putting the worst scenario forward then it may not be until the end of this decade when real stability will resume in terms of ensuring a healthy balance is struck between the number of pharmacists available and pharmacist jobs and work. And that's if the economic crisis begins to finally properly ease for the first time since 2008.

How many people are going to really quit pharmacy as a profession after working for years to secure their degrees? How many people are going to stay in pharmacy no matter what stage they are currently at in their careers? These are not known and nobody knows how many qualified pharmacists exactly will be registered to practice in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the next few years. The job market is simply saturated. And deeply. Unless the amount of work available increases then there will be more unemployed pharmacists who will have to potentially make some life changing decisions.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are yet to implement similar measures. And as far as I am aware a similar measure does not exist in the Republic of Ireland. The other nations mentioned should implement such measures if they are to avoid worsening this employment crisis as what has unfolded in England. No country is immune from what has happened.

Just because we now have a cap on pharmacy student numbers, it doesn't mean that those who secure pre-registration placements from 2014 onwards will be guaranteed a job. Instead, they will simply have to slow down and join the long tailback on the pharmacy employment motorway.

Pharmacy student? Pre-reg? Maybe even newly qualified?

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Pharmacy student? A pre-registration pharmacist? Or maybe even just newly qualified?

I would like to hear from you as I plan to carry out a personal investigation into the growing crisis facing the pharmacy profession with regards to pharmacist unemployment and particularly our young people in the profession who's futures matter for the future evolution of pharmacy.

And this is where your important role comes into play. I want to hear from you with regards to your hopes, aspirations, concerns and even fears about where your future is going.

I would also welcome any input from the General Pharmaceutical Council, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, academics, community, hospital and industrial pharmacists, pharmacy leaders and entrepreneurs, managers, journalists within pharmacy/healthcare or any other person directly or indirectly related to the pharmacy profession.

Your time and input will be hugely valuable to me as I hope to seek solutions and answers with regards to this growing crisis and also instil hope for everybody so that a bright, positive and prosperous future exists for the pharmacy profession.

If you are interested in helping me then please e-mail me: anas@officialanashassan.com

I look forward to hearing from you.