To think most people have no idea how much a pharmacy dispenser earns?

Really? They have to have qualifications & being in recovery from cancer I use mine for medication, they secure the make that makes me feel less unwell. I also use them for advice & guidance instead for clogging up my GP. No disrespect to shop workers who do a fantastic job I do expect a deeper level of knowledge and qualification. They are then in my views grossly underpaid.

I'm in Nottingham, work for a supermarket, on £11 a hour.

I suppose a job requiring a GCSE-equivalent course is not going to earn much more than minimum wage.

You need three good science A levels (AAA/AAB etc.) and be able to commit to a demanding 4 year degree, plus a pre-reg. year. Pharmacy isn’t the sort of course you can do at night classes in the local college. It’s a big and expensive commitment that not everyone is able to make, even if they wanted to.

Most of the people on here clearly have no idea what your role involves and are showing their disdain. As a pharmacist I know that the dispensers I work with are the backbone of a successfully run store. Working with a good dispenser makes my life easier, it's just a shame that so many stores employ too few. People really have no idea around the rules, regulations and law we operate under so if they don't get their meds when they want them it is us that are always at fault.

My mum considered it but I told her she'd be better off working in a supermarket, having to do less training (in terms of tests, appreciate she'd still have training of a different kind) and no worry of causing anyone harm.

@VoiceOfCommonSense a pharmacy degree is not a degree where you could do many part time hours, never mind a side hustle. The course a lot of the time can be 9-5 Monday to Friday, with plenty of self study and is very difficult if you’ve not done science or maths since school…

You try.. You do it part time , you get a side hustle for extra cash. It’s not going to work out for everyone but you at least give it a go. I am truly sorry though for your situation and really hope things get better for you and you are able to do your training or find something else that will help you along.

Amazingly during covid all these key workers we were praising....

Apart from Dr's, Nurses most keyworkers are on NMW. Nothing has been done about this.

It's a vital service, just like carers who are paid poorly, without them the whole system of the NHS will collapse.

I had no idea as I hadn’t really thought about it. I would love to
have a world where everyone could earn a decent wage for a good standard of living.

I keep seeing this sort of comment... how exactly do you afford to do the training when there are bills to be paid??
When I started working as a dental nurse my intention was to then train as a hygienist but then my relationship broke down so I now live alone. I simply would not be able to afford to cover even basic outgoings on student income let alone the luxury of eating. I feel absolutely trapped now.

I think it’s a job with a lot of responsibility even if it is checked over after

and dealing with people who are often anxious about their medication it’s not the same as working in a supermarket it’s more responsibility

Have you ever thought about becoming a pharmacist to make more money?

Yeah in a lot of cases the minimum wage has created a maximum wage.

Not quite everybody. The MP Nadia Whittome and Dave Nellist before her, for example, both donate/donated their earnings above the equivalent grade.

It doesn't surprise me. I worked in a small residential care home whilst at uni. We would have give the residents medication including controlled drugs, attend meeting with social services and other professionals, help write care plans and risk assessments... All for NMW.

Just found some job adverts for supermarkets and pharmacy dispensers. The supermarkets offer more pay.

Thats for a pharmacy technician which is not the same as a dispenser

I'm really surprised it's minimum wage and definitely think it should be higher!

Government pay guidelines

I've never met a locum who was struggling. Most of them work 3 months then take 6 months off, they are good at their jobs but they don't out their all into it as usually only there a few days and away again. Although do agree that conditions and pay for base pharmacists is shocking, and it's no wonder so many go into locum

🙄

You could spend a few years training for something else that only pays a couple of quid an hour more.

It's not just this particular job.

There is a whole range of jobs in the UK that are low paid, despite the responsibility and training needed.
Dental assistants and phlebotomists are just two.

The whole tide has to rise.

We have 6 dispensers and a pharmacist and are a very busy pharmacy and have to do all the 'dogs body' work ourselves as well as man the queue and all the other jobs. It's mad. Often on our own for long periods with just a locum pharmacist who couldn't give a f**K.

Yes not much above min wage about 11.50 an hour maybe £12

Same as most Dental Nurses then.

In fact, this country routinely has qualified healthcare jobs that pay the same as cleaners.

It's shameful.

It wouldn't be that way in many other European countries, US, Canada or Australia, etc.

I'm in a community pharmacy as a counter assistant. We have training on the OTC stuff. Paid a bit above min wage after training( so £11 or so).

Dispensers out back are paid a bit more (they do counter training and dispenser training). Checkers are paid a bit more than that (they do all the above and can check the prescriptions )

We have 3 counter assistants, 6 dispensers, 2 checkers, a pharmacist and an ermmm "dogsbody" (as they describe themselves,) who mans the phone, deals with orders, hospital discharge medication changes, ringing surgeries, does use by date checking etc...
Ours is a so called small community pharmacy. (Used to be small, but so many local pharmacies have closed)