Pharmacist jobs, pharmacist technician jobs and more

Where are most pharmacist jobs located?

Pharmacists work across a wide range of environments – in hospitals, health centres and general practice surgeries, as well as in retail pharmacies on the high street or in supermarkets.

What other pharmacy roles are there?

Pharmacy assistant jobs are support roles, working under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. The work can include dispensing prescriptions, ordering drugs, dealing with customer enquiries, and preparing and labelling medicines. Pharmacy assistant vacancies are also found in hospitals, community pharmacies and retail pharmacies. There are no formal entry requirements for pharmacy assistant jobs, but employers will expect good literacy, numeracy, communication and IT skills. Applicants will also need to be responsible, methodical and have good attention to detail, while some employers may also require them to have customer service experience.

Pharmacy technicians, meanwhile, are more senior pharmacy team members who help to manage the supply of medicines and provide advice to patients and customers. They can also play a key role in delivering public health programmes provided by the pharmacy, such as stop-smoking initiatives. In the UK, pharmacy technician applicants will need to hold an accredited qualification and be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Where can pharmacy jobs lead?

Pharmacists can expand their skills base and improve their employability through training and continuous professional development, and can progress to more senior roles that allow them to prescribe medicines directly to patients rather than the prescription having to come from a doctor. They can choose to specialise in certain areas, such as oncology, paediatrics or mental health, or move into more management-orientated roles. Others may move into industry, research, teaching or regulatory work.

Pharmacy technicians can also choose to specialise in a particular area, such as medicines management, quality control or clinical trials, while some go on to work more closely with patients in helping them manage their medicines. Pharmacy assistants can become supervisors or team leaders, or undertake training to become a pharmacy technician.

Are there other ways of working?

Some pharmacists will choose to work in a locum capacity, which can offer more freedom and control over working hours, as well as high rates of pay and the ability to build up skills and experience. Locum pharmacists will usually be self-employed and work on a contract basis.

What is the pharmacist job market like?

Qualified pharmacists are in high demand, meaning excellent job prospects, while the market for pharmacy technicians continues to expand rapidly.