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Original poster

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

229 replies

Froggy99 · 27/01/2024 20:22

Following on from another thread I’ve seen today about TA’s I was wondering if people had any idea how much a pharmacy dispenser earns? And if you think they should be paid more/less than they currently get.

OP posts:
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6
MyopicBunny · 27/01/2024 21:06

My ex dh is an advanced pharmacy technician and he earns a good wage - he's progressed his job over the years but when he qualified he was definitely earning more than minimum wage. He's never worked in a shop pharmacy though.

prescribingmum · 27/01/2024 21:05

SoDoffYourHat · 27/01/2024 20:59

It's the pharmacist's responsibility, but don't tell me that if you were a dispenser and you made up a prescription incorrectly which killed someone, you'd just think 'not my responsibility' and shrug it off.

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Legally, they are liable for nothing. They would be subject to any investigation the employer would do into the error should such a serious one occur however the buck stops with the pharmacist who checks it and it is their neck on the line.

So yes, from the legal perspective, they can just shrug it off. Naturally an employer will not retain someone who keeps making errors - as in almost any job

chaosmaker · 27/01/2024 21:05

Yes, we're all supposed to have qualifications although nobody can teach you to be a good carer that is something that is innate. Recently our company has had to put out an email telling staff not to take calls on speaker phone when they're working in someone's house or listen to music with headphones in....

The Welsh government makes us register with social care wales. This just makes us spend £30/3 hours of our life registering for no good reason. I think it's a money making scam personally.

JaffavsCookie · 27/01/2024 21:03

Dispensers literally hand over labelled bags, can advise on OTC medication but nothing that Dr Google won’t tell you.
Chief NHS pharmacists can earn £114 000, ( regions not London) please no body tell me that is underpaid. Ex-colleague went back to pharmacy as they couldn’t stand the pay drop, is on way more than £65k ( if they are to be believed , do have a bit of a rep for truth stretching)

Whatisaflatwhite · 27/01/2024 21:03

How much do supermarket workers get paid?

fiftiesmum · 27/01/2024 21:01

In the NHS (hospitals) dispensers are band 2 (maybe 3) pharmacy technicians are band 4 to 6 (can go higher in certain trusts) pharmacists are 6 to 8 (can go to 9 in a large trust)
In shops and GPS they are paid as little as the owner can get away with

Original poster
Froggy99 · 27/01/2024 21:00

EmpressSoleil · 27/01/2024 20:53

My sister has just started doing this. She previously worked in a gift shop. She has had minimal training afaik. Would she say it was any harder than the gift shop? No I wouldn't think so.

There are plenty of roles I think should be paid more but sorry I don't think yours is one of them.

There are jobs that are much physically or mentally harder who aren't earning much more than you, or even just the same. Are any of us paid us much as we're worth? Probably not with the COL being what it is. I don't think I'm paid enough either for what I do.

I’m not saying my job is the most physically or mentally demanding but I have been verbally abused more times than I can remember and physically assaulted in my work place (she got a caution) so it’s not a walk in the park.
Would I like to be paid the same as a supermarket worker, yes. Do I think it will happen? No.

And your sister shouldn’t be dispensing medicines without the correct training or knowledge of the standard operating procedures.

OP posts:
SoDoffYourHat · 27/01/2024 20:59

prescribingmum · 27/01/2024 20:56

A dispenser cannot kill anyone with a mistake. Everything they do is overseen and checked by a pharmacist who is ultimately responsible. The pharmacist’s mistake could kill

I wholeheartedly agree dispensers are underpaid but teachers deservedly should be paid far more - they are trained to a higher level and have infinitely more responsibility

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It's the pharmacist's responsibility, but don't tell me that if you were a dispenser and you made up a prescription incorrectly which killed someone, you'd just think 'not my responsibility' and shrug it off.

OhcantthInkofaname · 27/01/2024 20:58

In the US, only pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can work the drug dispensing counter. The salary for pharmacists (PharmD/RPh) starts at 125,000 USD/98,355 £ Pharmacy techs make much more than minimum wage in the US, double whatever the minimum wage is - average $40,000 overall.

heysally · 27/01/2024 20:56

heysally · 27/01/2024 20:54

Someone lose to me
Does this job and they should definitely be paid more!! So stressful and a lot of pressure, it's terrible.

Close to me 🙄

prescribingmum · 27/01/2024 20:56

saltnvini · 27/01/2024 20:46

They can't kill a child easily with a mistake though. Unless they are a science teacher I guess.

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A dispenser cannot kill anyone with a mistake. Everything they do is overseen and checked by a pharmacist who is ultimately responsible. The pharmacist’s mistake could kill

I wholeheartedly agree dispensers are underpaid but teachers deservedly should be paid far more - they are trained to a higher level and have infinitely more responsibility

Mum2jenny · 27/01/2024 20:55

Often they don’t even count tablets, just over label a sealed box.

Original poster
Froggy99 · 27/01/2024 20:54

Rainsew · 27/01/2024 20:48

I'm sure pharmacy techs would support you being paid more. Its a particularly unsavoury aspect of this country that people are quick to claim others shouldn't be paid more rather than attempting to lift everyone up.

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I am the OP but I haven’t actually said what my opinion is regarding my pay. I was just curious as to other peoples perspective from the TA post I saw today.
Personally I would be happy to be paid the same as someone working in a supermarket. But seeing as PPs seem to think a trained monkey could do the job maybe I am asking too much 🤣
And as for people like carers they should be paid a heck of alot more.

OP posts:
heysally · 27/01/2024 20:54

Someone lose to me
Does this job and they should definitely be paid more!! So stressful and a lot of pressure, it's terrible.

EmpressSoleil · 27/01/2024 20:53

My sister has just started doing this. She previously worked in a gift shop. She has had minimal training afaik. Would she say it was any harder than the gift shop? No I wouldn't think so.

There are plenty of roles I think should be paid more but sorry I don't think yours is one of them.

There are jobs that are much physically or mentally harder who aren't earning much more than you, or even just the same. Are any of us paid us much as we're worth? Probably not with the COL being what it is. I don't think I'm paid enough either for what I do.

SoDoffYourHat · 27/01/2024 20:52

Passingthethyme · 27/01/2024 20:49

Do they actually make up prescriptions or just dispense? If they just dispense I'm not surprised it's so low as that doesn't require too much brain power. But I'm also assuming they need to be qualified so from that perspective and obviously that it's an important job not to mess up, it seems low

They make up prescriptions, but they have to be checked by the pharmacist before they're given out.

KezzabellaB · 27/01/2024 20:51

Froggy99 · 27/01/2024 20:50

Pharmacies like Boots etc. are privately run.

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Ahh I see what you mean, apologies.

Rainsew · 27/01/2024 20:51

KezzabellaB · 27/01/2024 20:48

I thought dispensers were NHS band 4? That's not a minimum wage 🤔

The NHS isn't the only employer, most are lower bands anyway. A band 4 would be a lead tech or someone in a role such as ordering as well as dispensing.

Goinoutalone · 27/01/2024 20:50

@Rainsew I agree they should be paid more, I think a lot of jobs should be paid more!

Original poster
Froggy99 · 27/01/2024 20:50

KezzabellaB · 27/01/2024 20:48

I thought dispensers were NHS band 4? That's not a minimum wage 🤔

Pharmacies like Boots etc. are privately run.

OP posts:
Passingthethyme · 27/01/2024 20:49

Do they actually make up prescriptions or just dispense? If they just dispense I'm not surprised it's so low as that doesn't require too much brain power. But I'm also assuming they need to be qualified so from that perspective and obviously that it's an important job not to mess up, it seems low

Rainsew · 27/01/2024 20:48

Goinoutalone · 27/01/2024 20:47

I think as a pp said everyone reckons they should be paid more…I’m a fairly newly qualified microbiologist and I test medicines to ensure they are safe to release to market…I’m paid the equivalent to 35k uk pounds, I think I should be paid more!!

I'm sure pharmacy techs would support you being paid more. Its a particularly unsavoury aspect of this country that people are quick to claim others shouldn't be paid more rather than attempting to lift everyone up.

Original poster
Froggy99 · 27/01/2024 20:48

Rainsew · 27/01/2024 20:46

Well accuracy techs who are dispensers with further quals who can check prescriptions without a pharmacist having to second sign start on £25k- hardly big bucks.

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ACTs are getting harder to come by as no one wants to put employees through more than basic qualifications.

OP posts:
KezzabellaB · 27/01/2024 20:48

I thought dispensers were NHS band 4? That's not a minimum wage 🤔

TheHateIsNotGood · 27/01/2024 20:47

I do think many average wage and above earners don't realize how little many other people do earn throughout the UK. Even to land on an average wage means many more earn less.

The main factor IMO is where you live; and that includes many socio-economic variables; eg: SE - easy to get a job, SW - not so easy. I've got decades of experience in both areas and elsewhere to back up that opinion.