Pharmacy assistant
Pharmacy assistants help pharmacists order, prepare and dispense medicines. See how you could use your customer service skills in a pharmacy.
Working life
A pharmacy is where medicines are stored, prepared and dispensed. Medicines are the most common treatments offered to NHS patients.
Pharmacy assistants work as part of a pharmacy team under the direction of a registered pharmacist. The work includes:
- taking in and handing out prescriptions
- dispensing prescriptions
- using computer systems to generate stock lists and labels
- ordering items
- receiving, loading, unloading deliveries
- delivering medicines to other parts of a hospital or health centre
- selling over-the-counter medicines
- answering customers questions face to face or by phone
- pre-packing, assembling and labelling medicines
- preparing medicines
- referring problems or queries to the pharmacist
Pharmacy assistants can also be involved in manufacturing medicines when ready-made preparations are not available. For example, certain cancer treatments and intravenous feeding solutions need to be tailor made under sterile conditions for individual patients.
Pharmacy assistants work as part of healthcare teams in hospitals or community pharmacies. Some work in retail pharmacies in supermarkets or on the high street, or for other employers that provide NHS services. In community pharmacies they may be called dispensing assistants.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements to become a pharmacy assistant. Employers usually expect good literacy, numeracy and IT skills. They may ask for GCSEs or equivalent qualifications.
Employers often ask for relevant work experience. Even where this is not specified, it would be an advantage if you have worked in a customer service role.
Skills and personal characteristics
Pharmacy assistants need to be:
- accurate and methodical
- responsible
- able to pay attention to detail
- able to understand law and guidelines on medicines
- able to read and carry out instruction
- to be interested in people’s health
- able to explain clearly to members of the public
They'll also need excellent communication, customer service, IT and manual skills.
Training and development
You will be given the training you need to be a member of the pharmacy team. This includes health and safety, use of IT systems, manufacturing medicines and dispensing prescriptions.
You may be offered the chance to study for qualifications such as:
- NVQ level 2 in pharmacy service skills
- BTEC level 2 in pharmaceutical science
A level 2 apprenticeship for pharmacy services assistants is available in many parts of the country.