Does anyone work in a pharmacy? Help!

[wouldloveajob]

I'd have thought there was a strong demand for pharmacy trainees since there are hundreds/thousands of pharmacies in every county. I'm desperate to start a career in pharmacy, and work my way up to NVQ 2, then 3.

I've been trying for 9 months now. Have only seen a handful of trainee roles in my area and haven't even received a response from my applications. I have a very good standard of education, lots of retail & customer service experience and genuinely believe I'd do very well at the role.

What does it take to get a foot through the door? If you work in one please could you share how you got started? Do they only want youngsters, as its minimum wage? I'm mid thirties.

[RitaEllen]

Whereabouts are you based? Get alerts on NHS Jobs. Have you thought about training to become a pharmacy technician? Band 5 Pharmacy technicians are like gold dust.

[RitaEllen]

While the student Tech roles might be low paid for two years you are then looking at being NHS band 4/5 which is a decent salary - up to £30k. So it’s worth the sacrifice I think if you can manage it.

[swiftt]

I’m an accuracy checking pharmacy technician. Started 4 years ago as a trainee and recently qualified. I got the job as I knew the owner of the pharmacy, I had just come home from living abroad and needed a job. He sold the pharmacy shortly after I started, and we were taken over by a small multiple who put me through my training. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend community pharmacy to anyone. Wages as a tech/ACT are okay, but as a dispenser you’re usually paid minimum wage and it’s an enormous amount of stress for a very little amount of money. But probably worthwhile persevering if you’re sure you want a career in pharmacy as there is opportunity for progression to technician usually, and then opportunity to progress outwith community pharmacy at least. There are lots of jobs within the NHS for pharmacotherapy now, so once you have your NVQ2 under your belt that is always an option.

[swiftt]

Also, pharmacy is a very small world. I think it can be one of those industries where knowing the right people can get you places. You just need to get your foot in the door somehow.

[wouldloveajob]

@choosername1234

Most pharmacy jobs are within hospitals, have you looked at NHS jobs website?

Yes I'm registered on nhs jobs. I haven't spotted anything entry level/trainee yet.

[wouldloveajob]

@RitaEllen

Whereabouts are you based? Get alerts on NHS Jobs. Have you thought about training to become a pharmacy technician? Band 5 Pharmacy technicians are like gold dust.

I would love to. The reason I have chosen pharmacy is that there seems to be quite a clear career path and the chance to change jobs/roles every 1-2 years in order to reach Pharmacy Tech in the end. I can't see any way to do that other than starting as a dispenser and moving up. For example, any Pharmacy Tech roles clearly state you must have NVQ and be working as a dispenser in order to train up higher. So I think that is where I need to start.

[wouldloveajob]

@RitaEllen I was also hoping to avoid full time hours for the next few years whilst the kids are still small. 24-30 p/week would be fine. This might be limiting me - the better opportunities will likely be full time.

[RitaEllen]

Ah ok, I didn’t realise you had to be a dispenser to move to Pharm Tech role. But yes, I agree it’s a good career path. You definitely would be best aiming for hospital, I think the job is more varied.

[swiftt]

@wouldloveajob agree with PP re: aiming for hospital. The company I work for are no longer putting dispensers through their tech/NVQ3 training. Hospital has a much clearer progression, and opportunity to specialise in certain areas like oncology or aseptics further down the line. Once you’re a tech/ACT in community, that’s it.

[pharmacoco]

I started as a student pharmacy technician, then technician,ACT, then went to uni as a 'mature student' and now a pharmacist. Happy to chat !

[CatsMother66]

I’d recommend starting with the independents. The chains are well known for being understaffed. I think you’d get better working conditions in the independents, usually more staff and the boss being more flexible in regards to any requests.
Nothing wrong with approaching the smaller ones with your CV, that way you would meet with the owner if they work in that shop or they’re a short step away if they own a few shops and manage them at a distance. DH has 5 pharmacies and is happy to accept CVs, and he has been known to keep them in mind until a vacancy comes up if there is nothing at that moment.
Smaller chains want someone that they know will fit in nicely with the rest of the staff and often ask the staff if they know anyone who can fit the bill. Do you know anyone already working in one as a recommendation from them goes a very long way.
Also check out Indeed.Co.uk if you haven’t already. A lot of employers are using it to place their vacancies.
Good luck, but bare in mind that due to present circumstances a lot of people are looking for jobs at the moment. DH’s last vacancy (quite rural location) had 200 applicants.

[wouldloveajob]

@swiftt

I’m an accuracy checking pharmacy technician. Started 4 years ago as a trainee and recently qualified. I got the job as I knew the owner of the pharmacy, I had just come home from living abroad and needed a job. He sold the pharmacy shortly after I started, and we were taken over by a small multiple who put me through my training. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend community pharmacy to anyone. Wages as a tech/ACT are okay, but as a dispenser you’re usually paid minimum wage and it’s an enormous amount of stress for a very little amount of money. But probably worthwhile persevering if you’re sure you want a career in pharmacy as there is opportunity for progression to technician usually, and then opportunity to progress outwith community pharmacy at least. There are lots of jobs within the NHS for pharmacotherapy now, so once you have your NVQ2 under your belt that is always an option.

Wow, you've done amazingly well to be an ACT from only starting 4 years ago! This would be the ideal journey for me :) Just seems impossible at the moment. Are you happy in the job? I naturally have very strong attention to detail, so thought the role would suit me.

Thank you for such an interesting insight. I appreciate the dispenser roles are essentially minimum wage, but I was hoping it would be a stepping stone.

I'll have a closer look at hospital positions. Like I said to a previous poster, I haven't noticed any entry level/trainee positions into nhs pharmacy. Perhaps it's because I've been ruling out full time work. Will look with fresh eyes now I know more!

[Thevelveteenrabbit]

In hospital pharmacy assistants are band 2/3 - they may not all be dispensing jobs - we have a lot of pharmacy assistants working in stores - but once you have your foot in the door it is easier to move between areas within the department. Whereabouts in the country are you we have just had a massive recruitment drive for band 2 to support the COVID vaccine roll out - I can imagine that is happening around the country - they will be temporary contracts but turnover at that band is usually such that a permanent post will come up within the department whilst you are there.
A lot of our assistants go on to do the pharmacy technician course - we have band 5 techs that started as assistants and worked their way up.

[wouldloveajob]

@Thevelveteenrabbit Thanks so much for the info! I'm Greater Manchester. I'll keep my eye out for this.

[wouldloveajob]

@CatsMother66 All so useful, thank you! I do feel like I'm fighting a losing battle due to the number of applicants. I'm hearing from lots of business owners we know that 150-200 applicants is now the norm. It's tricky to get yourself across in just a CV submitted online.

[RitaEllen]

Yes I was going to say you want to look out ATO (assistant technical officer) roles. In our Trust we’ve had people start as bank staff in stores then move to dispensary.

[wouldloveajob]

@RitaEllen

Yes I was going to say you want to look out ATO (assistant technical officer) roles. In our Trust we’ve had people start as bank staff in stores then move to dispensary.

Thank you for mentioning that job title. I've never come across that before but quickly entered into Indeed and a few have popped up (not my area). Role sounds great for first position in hospital. One still asking for NVQ 3, even though lowest pay band. The other suggested NVQ 2 desirable, so it's unlikely I'd be considered. Good to know for the future though.

[wouldloveajob]

@Thevelveteenrabbit Do you know what the job title is for this role to do with the vaccine roll out? Might help me find job postings. I feel like Covid is resulting in less trainee roles - everybody is short on time and resources and need new staff to hit the ground running!

[wouldloveajob]

@pharmacoco

I started as a student pharmacy technician, then technician,ACT, then went to uni as a 'mature student' and now a pharmacist. Happy to chat !

Wow, great journey! Can I ask how you landed the student tech job? Was this nhs? Did you have any prior pharmacy experience?

[wouldloveajob]

@Chlobo89

What area are you in? There’s trainee jobs going in my store but in general in the company they are cutting back on staff even in the pharmacy just by moving staff around to different stores instead of hiring new staff.

I started off by working as a customer assistant and now have my nvq 3 but it’s not a nice job to be honest you get constant abuse from the public, it’s busy and stressfull, everyone wants everything instantly as they have no understanding of the dispensing process and the pay is not much more than minimum wage.

It does worry me that I'll go through all the training, stress, rude customers and so on, then still be left barely above minimum wage! Do you think you'll stick with it? Is the pay bad even with NVQ 3? I could cope with it if I thought I could make a bit of a jump pay wise, but by the sounds of this thread I would need to work in hospital pharmacy to progress well.

[wouldloveajob]

@CharlieWeasley

I would second looking at hospital jobs. I used to be in community but I'm hospital now. You want dispensary support worker roles. I've been involved in recruitment for these roles in the last 6 months and they are attracting a lot of applicants at the moment, presumably lots of people out of work. Read the person spec and job description carefully and make sure that your application makes clear how you meet the essential/desirable criteria, and you are likely to get short listed. Then before interview contact them and ask if it's possible to visit beforehand and hafe a quick tour of the department (we aren't doing this pre-application at the moment due to covid, but are doing it for people who have been short-listed for a role). This is when you introduce yourself/make your impression. If you come across well then they will remember this at the interview.

Thank you for the info!!

[Chlobo89]

I’m only on about £10 an hour as an accuracy checking pharmacy technician, if i were you i would focus on trying to get a job in hospital pharmacy as community pharmacy is just stress and low pay and not very rewarding.
I know i sound all doom and gloom, there are good bits to the job like when you really help someone and they appreciate it but they are few and far between even before covid but then it might just be my store 🤷🏼‍♀️ Best of luck anyway.

[wouldloveajob]

@Chlobo89

I’m only on about £10 an hour as an accuracy checking pharmacy technician, if i were you i would focus on trying to get a job in hospital pharmacy as community pharmacy is just stress and low pay and not very rewarding.
I know i sound all doom and gloom, there are good bits to the job like when you really help someone and they appreciate it but they are few and far between even before covid but then it might just be my store 🤷🏼‍♀️ Best of luck anyway.

Wow, that's pretty appalling pay for your skills and knowledge :( I'll take that on board. Hospital does seem to be the way to go.

[Elouera]

I worked as a pharmacy tech/dispenser many moons ago, for about 7yrs.It was an independant pharmacy. I did work experience there age 14 and that was my foot in the door! Initially I was just a junior doing a few hours after school and weekends- mainly dusting shelves! Then serving, then running the photographics machine. It was the 1990's and back when you could get a roll of film processed in a pharmacy! Next, I started helping out in the dispensary then dispensing assistant. I love it, and stayed while I was at uni studying, and only left when I had my degree.

I've seen at many pharmacies now, people have a badge saying 'Health Care Assistant'. I only know this term from hospitals/nursing homes and it referring to a carer role. Is this the same NVQ 2 you are referring to, OR, it is a specific pharmacy NVQ and different from the carers one?

What was your degree in? Was it in a scientific/lab/medical/nursing area? You said you have retail experience, but I wonder if having experience as a carer might be beneficial? Are you currently working? I too was also going to suggest signing up with the covid vaccination teams.
www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/join-the-nhs-covid-19-vaccine-team/

Another option might be private, independant hospitals- which often have their own pharamcies. These wouldn't be advertised on the NHS job sites, so look on the hospital websites or call their pharmacies direct.

[WiseUpJanetWeiss]

How about being a Covid vaccinator?
www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/join-the-nhs-covid-19-vaccine-team/