Pharmacists work in one of 3 main areas: community or retail pharmacy, hospital or clinical pharmacy or industrial pharmacy.

The Work

Community or Retail Pharmacist

You could be:

• supplying over the counter and prescribed medicines to the general public
• making sure that medicines are stored securely and correctly labelled
• checking that dosages and instructions on prescriptions are accurate and clear
• referring back to a doctor if there is a problem, for example a conflict with other medication the person is taking
• preparing prescriptions and advising people how to use medicines properly
• managing and training other pharmacy support staff
• advising customers on a range of health matters and referring them to their doctor or dentist if needed
• carrying out cholesterol and blood pressure checks and diabetes screening
• keeping records and business accounts up to date and handling cash.

Hospital or Clinical Pharmacist

You could be:

• making sure that drugs and medicines are stored securely and correctly labelled
• checking the quality of medical products
• preparing drugs and medical products and arranging for them to be delivered to various hospital departments
• maintaining and ordering supplies
• advising and informing staff and patients on the best drugs to use
• making rounds of the wards with other medical staff to see patients and discuss medication
• training and supervising pharmacy support staff
• keeping records and completing forms.

Industrial Pharmacist

You could be:

• researching, developing and promoting new drugs and medicines
• conducting trials to test how safe and effective drugs are
• helping with and advising on how drugs should be manufactured and packaged
• checking the quality of products.

Pay

Pay rates can vary depending on whether the pharmacist works with the National Health Service (NHS), with a private practice, or is self-employed.

• Pharmacists working within the NHS are on Agenda for Change scales. The current pay scales are from April 2018. Entry is usually on Band 5, £23,113 to £29,905 a year. After registration pharmacists are on Band 6, £27,635 to £37,000 a year. Clinical and specialist pharmacists are on Band 7, £32,974 to £43,471 a year.
• Starting salaries for community pharmacists range from £22,000 to £40,000 a year. With experience this can rise to around £50,000.

Conditions

• Community or retail pharmacists work in shops including chain stores and supermarkets – they may visit people at home.
• Hospital or clinical pharmacists work in laboratories or dispensaries and may visit patients in the wards or in residential homes – they may sometimes work in health centres.
• Industrial pharmacists work in laboratories and sometimes offices and may visit customers.
• All types of pharmacists usually work regular hours although retail pharmacists may have to work at weekends or in the evening, and hospital pharmacists sometimes have to work shifts.
• Flexible or part time hours are possible.
• Pharmacists usually have to wear a white lab coat or other protective clothing.

Getting In

• You need a degree in pharmacy. In Scotland, the University of Strathclyde and Robert Gordon University offer a Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree course. Entry to Robert Gordon is 4 Highers at AAAB including Chemistry and English, plus two further science subjects or Maths. Entry to Strathclyde is 4 Highers at AAAB (English, Maths, Biology and Chemistry), plus Advanced Higher Biology and Chemistry at BB. Check with institutions for full details.
• After your degree, one year's supervised training and a registration assessment, you can register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) – you must be registered to work in the community or in a hospital pharmacy.
• Contact with some chemicals may affect those with allergies.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2018

3557

3.1 %

RISE

2023

3666

  United Kingdom

2018

43353

2.6 %

RISE

2023

44494

LMI data powered by EMSI UK

What Does it Take?

You need to be:

• methodical and pay close attention to detail
• accurate and precise – mistakes could be fatal
• a good organiser
• willing to take responsibility
• able to get on well with people, both colleagues and customers
• able to explain detailed and sensitive information to the public
• patient and understanding when dealing with the public.

You should have:

• IT skills
• a professional manner
• a good memory
• business skills if working as a retail or community pharmacist.

Training

• If you wish to practise as a pharmacist you must do a supervised pre-registration year in a pharmacy and pass the GPhC pre-registration assessment.
• Most hospital pharmacists go on to take a postgraduate certificate or diploma in clinical pharmacy.
• You need to keep up to date with research and development of new drugs.
• The GPhC requires all pharmacists to do continuing professional development (CPD).

Getting On

• If you work for a large company you could move on to management.
• You could be self-employed, either as a locum or running a high street pharmacy.
• You can train as a supplementary prescriber, to work in a Primary Health Care Trust.
• Hospital and industrial pharmacists can specialise, and there are opportunities to teach or do research, particularly in hospital work.
• There are also opportunities in general management and advisory or consultancy work.
• You can take specialist postgraduate courses.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.