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Pharmacy
If you enjoy helping others, have an interest in Biology and Chemistry and are seeking a career in healthcare, then a career in pharmacy services might be the right fit for you!
Make a difference with a career in pharmacy
Pharmacy teams play a crucial role in NHS hospitals by ensuring the safe and effective use of medications throughout the healthcare system.
In addition to clinical and dispensing services, less familiar roles within the pharmacy team include procurement, medicines management services, contributing to the clinical governance agenda, and overseeing medicines safety within the organisation.
Overall, pharmacy teams in NHS hospitals play an integral role in optimising medication use, ensuring patient safety, and supporting the delivery of high-quality healthcare services.
Pharmacy Assistants
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Pharmacy assistants work as part of the pharmacy team to support the ordering, preparation and dispensing of medicines.
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Pharmacy assistants may also be employed to work in pharmacy stores where they support the receipt and management of stock and the distribution and replenishment of medical supplies to the various wards and departments within the hospital.
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Pharmacy technicians are key members of the pharmacy and wider multidisciplinary team who plan an integral part in helping patients make the most of their medicines. The diverse roles include the provision of patient services, managing clinical trials, manufacturing and education, training the wider team.
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To work as a pharmacy technician, registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council is mandatory. To become registered, completion of a GPhC-approved Level 3 apprenticeship that includes competency and knowledge-based training over a two-year period, while working in pharmacy is required.
Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technicians (ACPTs
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An ACPT pharmacy technician is a specialised role within the field of pharmacy that involves conducting accuracy checks on dispensed medications.
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ACPTs have the authority to perform final accuracy checks on dispensed prescriptions and help to enhance patient safety by providing an additional layer of verification before medications are given to patients.
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To become an ACPT you may need to undergo additional training and certification, however, more recently, the ACPT accreditation has been incorporated into the student technician course.
Pharmacists
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When starting a career in hospital pharmacy, to gain a range of experiences, you may start in a rotational post covering various clinical specialities as well as other areas within the department e.g. manufacturing or medicines information.
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You may then decide to specialise within a chosen therapeutic area or progress into management or teaching roles within the hospital.
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To become a pharmacist, you will need study for a 4 -year master’s degree in pharmacy (MPharm). This is followed by a placement called a foundation training year. After completing the foundation year, you can register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and legally practice as a pharmacist
Administrative roles
These are essential to keeping busy pharmacy departments operating smoothly. Work can include, being a receptionist within the dispensary, supporting the ordering and invoicing of medicines and supporting the submission of funding applications for very specialised medicines which involves liaising with pharmacists and consultants – all important roles to help patients get the treatment they need
Think a career in pharmacy could be for you?
Hear from the pharmacists themselves!
Careers in Pharmacy – Tracy Lancaster, Chief Pharmacy Technician, Kingston
Claudette Allerdyce, Associate Chief Pharmacist - Development, Croydon
Bhavesh Patel, Associate Chief Pharmacist – Clinical Services, Croydon
Kiran Bhogal, Associate Chief Pharmacist – Operations, Dispensing, Products, Croydon
Jasmine Jose, Clinical Pharmacist, Croydon
Jignesh Patel, Pharmacy Technician, Croydon
Jignesh joined the NHS in 2019, having previously worked in a community pharmacy. He works closely with hospital doctors and nurses in an innovative ‘satellite pharmacy’ service. This small, dedicated team provides rapid support and prescriptions, based close to the wards themselves, for various services including general medicine, surgery, cardiology and oncology.
After joining Croydon, Jignesh has enjoyed ongoing training and development including a Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship, enabling him to grow his NHS career. In the essential frontline role of Pharmacy Technician you can work with both clinicians and patients directly, constantly developing your knowledge and skills.
Have a question?
There are hundreds of different job roles available within the NHS. It is an incredibly engaging, stimulating, and gratifying work environment, as your contributions are crucial to facilitating the NHS's provision of care and support to those in need.
If you'd like to have an informal conversation about any of the available roles, please get in touch.