Working as a Pharmacist in the UK

To work in the UK as a Pharmacist you need to be registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

Overseas pharmacists interested in registration with the Society should send, either by letter, fax, or e-mail, their name, address and details of where and when they obtained their pharmacy degree to:

Professional Standards Directorate
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
1 Lambeth High Street
London
SE1 7JN

Tel: 020 7735 9141
Fax: 020 7582 4279
Email: swisdom@rpsgb.org.uk

Alternatively you can visit their website at www.rpsgb.org.uk

Work Permits

Unless you are a EU resident, or have a British passport you will need a work permit to work as a pharmacist in the UK. It is also important to have a good grasp of the English language in order to find a pharmacy job in the UK if you are an overseas-trained pharmacist.

• Hospital Pharmacy - Hospital pharmacists are part of the member of the hospital team, providing, preparing and dispensing medicines, special feeding solutions and diagnostic agents.
  
  This involves in stock control, ordering, labelling and financial management all using a great deal of computer technology to assist with the administration. In many hospitals, the pharmacist also meets patients during ward rounds to discuss the supply and form of appropriate medicines, as well as consulting with other healthcare professionals. As an expert in medicine within the healthcare team, the pharmacist gives advice on dosage, appropriate form and time of administration, they also need to be aware of the symptoms and reactions to the administered drugs.



• Community Pharmacy - Community pharmacy is the most common of the professions and involves qualified pharmacists working in a retail environment.
  
  This involves preparation and dispensing medicines on prescription to the general public. (although more and more medicines are pre-packaged and prepared products.)
  
  A pharmacist gives advice to customers on how to use prescribed medicines and makes sure that they realise when prescriptions should not be taken in conjunction with alcohol or with other medication or how other prescribed medicines will interact. . Prescriptions, dosages and labels are checked to ensure they are legal and accurate and they also provide information on the sale of over-the-counter medicines and other general health care issues.
  
  A community pharmacist is also likely to be a business manager and must run a pharmacy efficiently and profitably. They are in frequent contact with the public, and most sell a wide range of products, including toiletries, cosmetics and photographic materials. The work therefore includes financial management, merchandising and responsibility for staff and premises, stock control, stock rotation and ordering.
  
  It is unlawful for a Community Pharmacy to operate without the presence of a qualified pharmacist.

Pay And Benefits For Pharmacists

Hospital Pharmacists Pay Rates as of April 2003

Promotion in pharmacy will usually involve management of specific service areas of the service, which may involve managing staff other than pharmacists e.g. technical and support staff. Although management training is often part of further training for Healthcare (hospital) pharmacists, it is not a vital part of progression/promotion.

London Allowance From April 2003

London allowance payable April 2003 to staff in the London Weighting zones is shown below.

Inner London: All grades receive £2,676 pa.

Outer London: All grades receive £1,592 pa.

Extra-territorially managed and contiguous units: All grades receive £894 pa.

Fringe Zone: All grades receive £251

Hours of Work:

Community pharmacists usually work shop hours - 9am to 5.30pm or 6pm for five or six days a week. Rota systems are common in pharmacies. Some stores are open for late evening dispensing until 10pm, and in major cities, a few are open all night. A few hospital pharmacists work on a shift system, but most usually work from 9am to 5pm. Industrial pharmacists normally work regular hours from Monday to Friday.

Further information about working as a pharmacist in the UK can be found on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain website.

UK Physiotherapy Jobs | UK Occupational Therapy Jobs | UK Radiography Jobs | UK Pharmacy Jobs

UK Nursing Jobs | Nursing Jobs London