How to become a Pharmacy Technician

490

£28,000/y

avg. starting salary

Looking for a healthy dose of career happiness? You’re in luck… Pharmacy Technicians collect and fulfil prescriptions in pharmacies, helping their customers pick up their medicine easily and safely. Working under the supervision of a registered pharmacist, Pharmacy Technicians also sell a wide range of over-the-counter medicines, as well as providing general advice to customers on which product is right for then. Aside from pharmacies, Pharmacy Technicians may also work in hospitals or nursing homes, helping to prepare more complex medicines. Typical duties for a Pharmacy Technician could include:

Collecting and dispensing prescriptions
Measuring, mixing and weighing medicines
Taking inventory and ordering new stock
Noting down recommended dosages
Labelling and packaging medicines
Answering questions regarding people’s prescriptions

Being a Pharmacy Technician is a practical, hands-on role. It also comes with a lot of pressure, especially as particularly busy times. A calm approach, not to mention excellent attention to detail, will often be absolutely key to your success. And, as you’ll be dealing with members of the public on a daily basis, you’ll also need excellent interpersonal skills in order to survive. See also: patience… Other key skills for a Pharmacy Technician could include:

Enthusiasm
Discretion
IT skills
Accuracy
Empathy
The ability to clearly and concisely explain instructions

Pharmacy Technician

Up to £28,000

Senior Pharmacy Technician

Up to £35,000

Pharmacist

Up to £60,000

"I’ve been working as a Pharmacy Technician in my local chemist for just under three years. I’ve always wanted to work in healthcare, and to be honest I just saw this as an entry level position to help me move to something more specialised, like working in mental health or paediatrics. But even though I’ve learned a lot, there’s so much left for me to pick up, so I’m really happy where I am. I get to work with members of my local community all day, which I love, and you do really get to know people. The hours are great, and it’s so interesting. My next step will hopefully be moving to a more technical role in a hospital – but until then, I couldn’t be happier."

Get qualified

You will not need a degree in order to become a Pharmacy Technician. However, you will need to be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to get started, which will require either a BTEC National Diploma, an NVQ/SVQ, or a National Certificate in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

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