Community pharmacist
A community pharmacist is responsible for controlling, dispensing and distributing medicine. They work to legal and ethical guidelines to ensure the correct and safe supply of medical products to the general public. They are involved in maintaining and improving people's health by providing advice and information as well as supplying prescription medicines.
Community pharmacists also sell over-the-counter medical products and instruct patients on the use of medicines and medical appliances. Some pharmacists will also offer specialist health checks, such as blood pressure monitoring and diabetes screening, run stop smoking clinics, weight reduction programmes and are able to prescribe as well as dispense medicines.
Community pharmacists work in high street pharmacies, supermarkets, local healthcare centres and GP surgeries.
Community pharmacists work in customer-facing roles and provide an increasing range of services. Typical work activities include:
To qualify as a pharmacist you need to:
All practising pharmacists in England, Wales and Scotland must register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Pharmacists in Northern Ireland must register with Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland .
Entry to the profession without a pharmacy degree or with an HND only is not possible. Work as a pharmacy technician (usually trained to NVQ level 3) will give experience of the work environment but will not allow progression to community pharmacist.
Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Try to get work experience that will enhance your knowledge and develop skills in working with the public, particularly in a retail environment.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Community pharmacists can choose to undertake further postgraduate training, such as a clinical diploma, to develop their knowledge and skills. There are a range of continuing education and postgraduate courses available in various aspects of community practice.
Many employers provide well-structured, intensive training programmes of varying length. All aim to provide new entrants with a broad overview of the company and offer the chance to gain experience in various retailing areas. As well as pharmacy-related training, you will receive training in:
Pharmacy is a profession which is constantly changing and evolving and further training forms part of a pharmacist's continuing professional development (CPD). CPD is a mandatory requirement of General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) registration.
It is necessary for pharmacists to keep abreast of developments in drug research including the new drugs that are developed and come on the market and the new ways of treating conditions with drugs and the government policy on drug treatment. This will involve reading professional journals and publications and attending courses and training sessions throughout your career.
Promotion in pharmacy will usually involve management of specific service areas, such as managing staff other than pharmacists, including accuracy checking technicians, pharmacy technicians and sales assistants.
It is possible to move between the different branches of pharmacy, so you may want to consider working in a hospital setting or as an industrial pharmacist.
An increasing number of pharmacists are working in GP surgeries and health centres. This will involve advising on the best use of medicines, working as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, becoming involved in the work of a primary healthcare trust (or the equivalent in Scotland or Wales) and a lot of patient contact. Clinical or practice pharmacy is one of the fastest-growing specialist areas in the profession.
Some pharmacists choose to set up their own business, preferring to make their own decisions and take control of their working life and environment. This requires a degree of business acumen and involves responsibility for:
Community pharmacists can also move into careers in scientific writing, publishing and consultancy including recruitment and training. Complementary medicine and animal medicine are expanding areas in pharmacy.
The majority of community pharmacists in the UK work in large, multiple retail chains or independent pharmacies of various sizes. The remainder are employed by small or medium-sized chain stores, GP surgeries or health centres.
Typical employers include supermarket chains and leading high-street pharmacies.
Some pharmacists set up their own business. The advantages of self-employment include professional independence and personal satisfaction.
Specialist recruitment agencies also handle vacancies. These include:
Locum agencies advertise in The Pharmaceutical Journal.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
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