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Newly qualified pharmacists at Boots have secured a 7.6 per cent annual salary increase.

The pay rise, which will see pharmacists earn £36,600 based on a 40-hour week, will kick in from next month, with another increase to come in the autumn for the company’s lowest paid pharmacists.

The salary increase follows a series of discussions between Boots and the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) who last year won the right to represent pharmacists at the healthcare giant on issues such as pay, hours and holiday.

“The NQP rate at Boots has remained static for many years and as part of our recognition campaign we pledged to tackle this unfairness,” said Pharmacists’ Defence Association Union assistant general secretary Mark Pitt.

“We are delighted to announce that after just seven months of commencing pay negotiations at Boots, we’ve been able to agree with the company a significant pay increase of 7.6 per cent for newly qualified pharmacists.

“This will be a welcome boost for this group as they start their career journey with Boots.”

The PDA said it had also struck an agreement with Boots to give the current crop of newly qualified pharmacists an additional 3.8 per cent increase in August, taking their salary to £38,000.

“Any other pharmacists at Boots currently earning less than this figure will also have their pay increased in August,” the PDA said.