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Pharmacy technician
Hours
37.5-40 per week
Starting salary
£18,200 + per year
If you're interested in science and medicine, and you can work in a methodical way, this job might suit you.
As a pharmacy technician, you would work under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist, preparing and supplying items of medicine that make up a prescription. You could be based in a community or hospital pharmacy.
In this job you will need good maths skills. You'll need to work accurately and have good attention to detail. You'll also need to have a friendly and sympathetic manner.
To start as a trainee pharmacy technician you need a good standard of general education. Some employers, particularly in a hospital pharmacy, may expect you to have around four GCSEs (A-C) including science, maths and English. You could also get into this job by getting experience as a pharmacy assistant first, or through an Apprenticeship scheme.
WorkDesc
The work
Whichever setting you worked in, your duties would usually include:
- selecting the correct items to make up a prescription
- weighing out ingredients, measuring liquids and counting tablets
- creating labels which describe the medicine inside and instructions on its use
- making sure prescriptions are legal and accurate
- putting together ointment mixtures, simple dilutions, and medicines
- ordering new stock, often using computerised systems.
In a hospital pharmacy, you would also be responsible for making sure all departments had sufficient stocks of medicines. With experience, you could specialise in a particular area such as quality control, clinical trials or medicines information services.
As a community pharmacy technician in a retail setting, you would give advice to customers on a wide range of over the counter products as well as prescription medicines, and refer them on to a pharmacist when necessary.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would usually work between 37 and 40 hours a week, including weekends and possibly evenings. You may be expected to work within a rota based system. Part-time hours are also often available.
Your employer will usually provide you with a uniform and protective clothing for working under sterile conditions.
IncomeDesc
Income
Pharmacy technicians can earn between around £18,400 and £27,600 a year. Specialists and team managers may earn up to around £34,000 and £40,150.
Additional payments may be made for shift work and overtime, and for staff working in areas such as London.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
To start as a trainee pharmacy technician you need a good standard of general education. Some employers, particularly in a hospital pharmacy, may expect you to have around four GCSEs (A-C) including science, maths and English.
Employers may relax their entry criteria if you have previously worked alongside a pharmacy technician. For example, with experience as a pharmacy assistant (or dispensing assistant) and an NVQ Level 2 Certificate in Pharmacy Services, you may be able to progress to senior assistant and then pharmacy technician.
An alternative route into this work could be through an Apprenticeship, such as the Apprenticeship in Health (Pharmacy Services). The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. To find out more, visit the Apprenticeships website.
For more information about a career in science, see the Future Morph website.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once you are working as a trainee pharmacy technician, you will receive on-the-job training from your employer, which is usually combined with working towards relevant qualifications covering competence and knowledge such as:
- NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Pharmacy Services Skills (QCF) - a competence-based qualification; and
- BTEC or City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science – a knowledge-based qualification.
You should check with the GPhC for a list of accredited courses which are acceptable for registration as a pharmacy technician.
Courses are often available on a day release or part-time basis with local colleges or training providers. You can also study the knowledge-based NVQ Level 3 by distance learning through the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), who also have a wider range of courses which may cover some Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. Some larger pharmacy retailers run their own in-house training courses.
All pharmacy technicians must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). To meet the registration requirements, you must complete both a competency -based qualification and a knowledge-based qualification. You must also complete a qualifying amount of time in work experience, which must be at least two years of consecutive service with a minimum of 14 hours a week. This experience must be under the supervision or guidance of a qualified pharmacist. Once qualified, you will be expected to undertake CPD to maintain your registration.
Check the GPhC website for more details.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a pharmacy technician, you should have:
- good maths and IT skills
- an interest in science and medicine
- a methodical approach to routine tasks
- good accuracy and attention to detail
- an ability to maintain a high level of concentration
- the ability to remain calm under pressure
- administrative skills for record keeping
- a friendly, patient and sympathetic manner
- tact and discretion when dealing with confidential or potentially embarrassing information
- the ability to explain instructions clearly to customers
- good team working skills.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
General Pharmaceutical Council 
129 Lambeth Rd
London
SE1 7BT
Tel: 020 3365 3400
www.pharmacyregulation.org
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
1 Lambeth High Street
London
SE1 7JN
Tel: 020 7735 9141
www.rpsgb.org.uk
Skills for Health
2nd Floor
Goldsmiths House
Broad Plain
Bristol
BS2 0JP
Tel: 0117 922 1155
SEMTA (Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies in the UK)
14 Upton Road
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD18 0JT
Tel: 0845 643 9001
www.semta.org.uk
NHS Careers
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
National Pharmacy Association (NPA)
Training Dept
Mallinson House
38-42 St Peters Street
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 3NP
Tel: 01727 832161
www.npa.co.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could work in a hospital setting or in a community-based pharmacy. You may occasionally find jobs within local Primary Care organisations, giving advice to local GPs and other healthcare professionals on pharmacy services.
In a hospital setting, you could progress to an administrative or supervisory post, with responsibility for managing a section of the pharmacy department. Alternatively, you could move into a specialist role such as clinical technician, which involves working closely with healthcare professionals and patients on wards.
In a community pharmacy, you could progress to supervisor or manager, or go into sales or marketing. You could also move into related careers in research, development and production work in hospitals or the pharmaceutical industry.
Jobs can be advertised in the local or national press, through the Directgov (Jobseekers page) and NHS Jobs website, and in industry journals such as the New Scientist, Chemist and Druggist and The Pharmaceutical Journal.
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
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