What's pharmacy all about?

Pharmacist

Pharmacists are the country's main experts in medicines and pharmacy is one of the fastest growing areas of healthcare.

Pharmacists share a common commitment to improving people's lives through medicines and care and making a real contribution to the nation's health. Career opportunities are developing fast and pharmacists today can be found in many different settings including high street pharmacies, hospital wards, GPs' surgeries, walk-in centres, industry and universities.

A career in pharmacy offers you:

  • • The pursuit of an interest in science
  • • The opportunity to join the NHS healthcare team
  • • A choice of working environments

What's in it for me?

Ask yourself what kind of future appeals to you. Do you want challenges, opportunities, a chance to make a difference?
If the answer is “yes” then this is what you can expect from a career in pharmacy:

  • • For a start, you help people.
  • • You are an important part of the community.
  • • You are in demand wherever you choose to live. There are opportunities to work abroad because your skills are in demand worldwide.
  • • You have a good living with a secure future. Pay levels in pharmacy compare very favourably with those of other professions and job security is excellent.
  • • You have lots of career options.
  • • Your job is interesting.

Few occupations meet all of these standards. Few meet them better than a career in pharmacy. What's stopping you?

What's the pay like?

Although the Society cannot advise on exact salary figures, a quick survey shows that as a qualified pharmacist you could probably expect a starting salary equivalent to around £20,000 to £30,000 (in today's money) depending on the area of pharmacy you choose to work in.

After 10 years you could expect to be earning the equivalent of anywhere between £35,000 and £60,000. Pharmacy technicians could expect a starting salary equivalent to around £13,000 to £15,000 rising to £25,000 to £30,000 after 10 years.

For more information and to get an indication of salaries: