Pharmacist

Pharmacist - overview

As a pharmacist, also known as a dispensing chemist, you’ll be giving expert advice on the proper use of medicine and dispensing drugs in hospitals and pharmacies. Learn more about working as a pharmacist, what you’ll be doing day-to-day and what qualifications are needed to work in this role.

Learn what the role involves below.

What does a pharmacist do?

As a pharmacist you’ll play a critical role in maintaining and improving people’s health. You’ll work to legal and ethical guidelines, dispensing prescriptions and giving advice to make sure medicines are supplied safely to the public. This might be in an NHS or private hospital, GP practice or high street pharmacy.

Your training will have made you an expert in the usage and effects of different medicines. Using your excellent communication skills, sensitivity and understanding, you’ll advise the public, patients, GPs and nurses. You’ll have a key part to play in helping the public live healthier lives and preventing people from becoming unwell.

What will your days involve?

Daily tasks will depend on which area of pharmacy you work in. You might be:

Dispensing medications to the general public
Giving advice on the proper use of medicines to the public, patients or other medical professionals and making sure information is understood
Advising the public on treatment of minor ailments and over-the-counter medications
Visiting local care homes, hospitals or housebound patients
Arranging the delivery of prescription medication to patients
Running screening programmes and specialist health checks, for example for diabetes or blood pressure
Running a needle and syringe exchange
Ensuring the proper labelling and safe storage of medications
Ordering and controlling stock
Supervising and training pharmacy support staff

FAQs

How much can you earn as a pharmacist?

The average salary for a pharmacist in the UK is £31,720.

Does a pharmacist role involve travel in the UK or overseas?

Depending on the area of pharmacy you work in, you might need to travel locally. For example, you might visit care homes to advise on the storage of medicines, or into the community to visit patients who are housebound. Travelling overseas is rare.

Can you work from home as a pharmacist?

Because you’ll need direct contact with the public and colleagues you aren’t able to work from home. Pharmacists are usually based in one location, often at the heart of a local community.