Join the frontline in healthcare

How to go about becoming a community pharmacist

Community pharmacists have a huge amount of responsibility, given they are on the frontline of healthcare. They work to legal and ethical guidelines to ensure the correct and safe supply of medical products to the public, and are highlyrespected members of the healthcare team.

Working in high street pharmacies, supermarkets, local healthcare centres and GP surgeries (some set up their own businesses), they are involved in maintaining and improving people’s health by providing advice and information, as well as dispensing and distributing medicine.

Community pharmacists needexcellentcommunication skills in order to explain complex medical information, dosages and potential side effects.

“As a community pharmacist your job would be all about helping the public, assessing their conditions and making decisions about which medicines they should take,” says a spokesperson for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). “You’ll be involved in dispensing medicines and offering your patients advice and practical help on keeping healthy.

“Community pharmacists are also taking on more of the clinical roles that have traditionally been undertaken by doctors, such as the management of asthma and diabetes and blood pressure testing. They can help people give up smoking, make diet changes and give advice on sexual health matters.

“Some community pharmacists own their businesses and enjoy the challenges of financial management and responsibility for staff, stock and premises that this brings. Others work for large high street pharmacy chains and have the opportunity to move around within an established company structure.”

Temporary or stand-in pharmacists are usually paid £20-£25 per hour, with higher rates for working on weekends and during holiday periods.

Starting salaries across other facilities range between £21,000 and £45,000 for pharmacists with under 10 years of experience, while those with more than 10 years of experience can earn up to £70,000.

Self-employed community pharmacists earn significantly higher incomes once the business is established — especially if they offer ancillary and supplemental services such as health screenings and checks.

To become a community pharmacistyoumustcomplete the fully-accredited four-year MasterofPharmacy(MPharm) degree. There are currently 26 universities throughout the United Kingdom that offer the course.

This will be followed by one yearofpre-registrationlearning under the supervision of an accredited pharmacist, completingseverallevelsofcompetency tests before sitting for the final exam conducted by the RPS.

For more information about becoming a community pharmacist visit the Royal Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s website — www.rpharms.com