Pharmacists

£45,364

Average salary

Average annual salary UK 2020 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

30 hours

Average weekly hours

Average weekly hours UK 2019 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

0.75%

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate UK 2020 | Labour Force Survey

Definition: Pharmacists

*SOC Code (Standard Occupational Classification): 2213

Pharmacists dispense drugs and medicaments in hospitals and pharmacies and advise on and participate in the development and testing of new drugs, compounds and therapies. They counsel on the proper use and adverse effects of drugs and medicines.

Common tasks include:

prepares or directs the preparation of prescribed medicaments in liquid, powder, tablet, ointment or other form following prescriptions issued by medical doctors and other health professionals;
advises health professionals on the selection and appropriate use of medicines;
highlights a drug’s potential side effects, identifies harmful interactions with other drugs and assesses the suitability of treatments for patients with particular health conditions;
checks that recommended doses are not being exceeded and that instructions are understood by patients;
maintains prescription files and records issue of narcotics, poisons and other habit-forming drugs;
liaises with other professionals regarding the development, manufacturing and testing of drugs;
tests and analyses drugs to determine their identity, purity and strength;
ensures that drugs and medicaments are in good supply and are stored properly.

Qualifications

Entrants possess a degree in pharmacy. To register with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, entrants must have completed a one year period of pre-registration training and passed a registration exam. Further training is available to permit pharmacists to prescribe medicines independently.

*Introduced in 1990, SOC is a multi-purpose common classification of occupations in UK. Jobs are defined in terms of skill level and skill content, including qualifications, training and work experience.

Employment status: Pharmacists

Regional employment: Pharmacists

Future employment: Pharmacists

Top 12 industries: Pharmacists

Alternative & related job titles: Pharmacists

Chemist, pharmaceutical Pharmacist Chemist (retail trade) Pharmaceutist Associate, pharmacovigilance Owner (pharmacists) Chemist, homeopathic Manager, dispensary Manager, pharmacist's Chemist Chemist and druggist (retail trade) Adviser, prescribing Chemist, homoeopathic Manager (hospital pharmacists) MPS Officer, pharmaceutical (health authority) Druggist Chemist, nos Manager (retail trade: pharmacists) Manager, pharmacy

Equality focus: Pharmacists

Breaking down the official government big data sources by gender, age and region. Hours and pay data based on full time equlivalent roles.