Pharmacy assistant

You can learn some of the skills you need for this job by doing:

• Level 2 Certificate in Retail Skills
• Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills Sales Professional

Entry requirements

You may need:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• search for courses

You can get into this job through a pharmacy services assistant or retailer intermediate apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

You can apply directly for job vacancies. Experience of handling cash and serving customers will be helpful.

Employers will expect you to have good reading, number and IT skills. They may ask for GCSEs.

Further information

You can find out more about working as a pharmacy assistant from Health Careers.

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to work well with others
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• to enjoy working with other people
• the ability to read English
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

In this role, you could:  

• advise customers about non-prescription items
• serve customers and making up orders
• take payments
• label products
• re-stock shelves and display cabinets
• take calls from GP surgeries, nursing homes and clinics
• deliver medicines to wards
• enter medicine data on computerised dispensing systems

You could work at a health centre, at a store or in an NHS or private hospital.

You may need to wear a uniform.