1. Home: Explore careers
  2. Pharmacy assistant

Pharmacy assistant

Alternative titles for this job include Chemist’s assistant, dispensing assistant

Pharmacy assistants serve customers and patients in chemists and hospital dispensaries.

Average salary (a year)

£18,005 Starter

to

£21,142 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 39 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become a pharmacy assistant

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

College

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

Apprenticeship

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

Direct Application

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.

More Information

Further information

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

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

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

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

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

Working environment

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

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

With experience and a qualification like the Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills, you could become a senior pharmacy assistant.
 
With further training, you could become a pharmacy technician.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Apprentice Pharmacy Assistant

  • Wage: £113.10 - £213.46 Weekly
  • Location: Chislehurst

Apprentice Pharmacy Assistant

  • Wage: £135.00 Weekly
  • Location: Leeds
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Retail, Catering and Hospitality - Entry Level 2

  • Provider: MILTON KEYNES COLLEGE
  • Start date: 07 September 2021
  • Location: Milton Keynes
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Search further careers

Related careers

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

Speak to an adviser

Call 0800 100 900 or use webchat

  • 8am - 8pm Monday - Friday
  • 10am - 5pm Saturday

Is this page useful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you for your feedback. Click here if you'd like to let us know how we can improve the service.