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

[Froggy99]

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.

No, it would be great if you don't mind posting roughly what it is?

How much then, enlighten us?

Minimum wage.

I thought it was pretty close to NMW

Close to minimum wage I would have thought.
And they should be paid more.

Definitely should be more

It used to be minimum wage when I worked in a high street pharmacy, I imagine it's still sadly similar.

No idea. I don’t actually know what a pharmacy dispenser is. I’m guessing not the licensed pharmacist but the others who work behind the counter? I’d guess more than normal retail but probably not that much really. I’d also guess that degree qualified pharmacists are paid too little.

I don’t. But I do know that my local ones always seem rushed off their feet, so I'm going to guess: not enough.

A dispenser is the person who prepares the medication according to the prescription before the final checks are made by a pharmacist. They also give advice about OTC medications, do things like blood pressure/diabetes/cholesterol checks and any other related tasks.

Well it's effectively just working in a shop so whatever people earn for working in a shop is about right.

I assume a ‘pharmacy dispenser’ is a fancy title for an unqualified shop worker who happens to work in a retail pharmacy? In which case, I would expect them to be paid the same as other shop workers ; minimum wage or a little more.

I think most people don’t actually know the difference between a pharmacist and a dispenser, though.

It doesn't require any exams or certificates although I imagine you would need ok literacy and numeracy skills. I would have expected it to be similar to other shop workers or maybe a little more if you were experienced.

Aren't they mostly just counting out the medicine and making sure the prescription is filled in properly on the back? How much should they be paid? Perhaps not minimum wage, but is a s "skilled" job??
I'm sorry maybe I'm confused, isn't the pharmacist is the one who does all the legal compliance, had the medical training, gives medical advice, has the expert knowledge etc??

Doesn’t everybody think they should be paid more though? 🙄

Dispensers are qualified, they are put through a course when they start working in a pharmacy. And continually update their knowledge via training in store. They have to know what they are taking about when a customer comes in requesting OTC meds etc.

Not heaps if you are in community. But unless you work in a compounding pharmacy, you are counting out pills and pouring liquids with a pharmacist checking it matches the prescription and reading out the instructions to patients when they collect so it’s not a highly skilled job anyway. The pharmacist should be the on giving out medical advice.

Ahh OK.
In that case I change my answer to a pound or two above a shop assistant.
I actually have no idea what minimum wage is now £11 or so? So may this role should be £13 an hour, I know a teachers starting salary is £19 an hour (32.5 hrs a week for the number of weeks in school + 6 weeks holiday) so it should be less than that but more than a shop assistant.

So they do some basic product training in the same way that shop workers in, for example, Currys or B&Q would do?

Just thought I’d add this so people can see what work goes in to dispensing a prescription.

The tories are in power - it's hardly a shock that someone who helps others / does something important is paid little / not enough. It's the way it is!

Do they give advice on OTC medication? I used to work at boots on the pharmacy counte, and yeah we knew a bit, but it was made very clear we couldn't give out advice, we had to refer to the pharmacist.

But if someone wanted something like a stronger cough medicine, then we could show them the ones we had

But let's face facts, if it can be sold it by an unqualified shop worker who has had potentially no training ... it's hardly hardcore medication...

Not read the thread, just taking a guess before I do:
Average UK salary is £30k
I reckon a Pharmacist is earning more than Average, say £45k - £55k or so.

Are dispensers the same as a pharmacist?
Or are they like helpers to a pharmacist?
I don't know.
If they don't have the same qualifications and training as a pharmacist then maybe £25k-£35k

How long is the course? What level is it?