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Pharmacist (Hospital)

A Hospital Pharmacist dispenses prescriptions and is involved in the purchasing and quality testing of medicines.

A lab technician

You will also manufacture medicines, as in some cases treatments need to be tailor-made for individual patients. 

You’ll work closely with medical and nursing staff to make sure hospital patients receive the best treatment, advising on the selection, dose and type of administration. You are also expected to help and advise patients in all aspects of their medicines. 

Most hospital pharmacists are based within NHS or private hospitals however this role can extend beyond this with responsibility for medicines in health centres, nursing homes, hospices and general practitioners’ (GP) surgeries. 

You will also check sterile medications for example intravenous medications and chemotherapeutics and work with aseptic pharmacy technicians checking dosage and other requirements. 

You also need to stay up to date with current emerging trends in pharmacy and healthcare generally and continuously develop through engagement with research and teaching commitments within the wider pharmacy team. 

Responsibilities

As a Hospital Pharmacist you will need to: 

  • check prescriptions ensuring correct dosage is appropriate and safe for the individual patient. Checking allergies and other contraindicated health conditions  
  • provide advice on the dosage of medicines and the most appropriate form of medication, which could be tablets, injections, ointments or inhalers 
  • participate in ward rounds to obtain patient drug histories and other health information 
  • work as part of a wider team; with other medical staff as well as discussing treatments with patients’ relatives, community pharmacists and their GP 
  • ensure medicines are stored appropriately (safely in terms of refrigerated for example) and securely (locked away). A lot of medication is dangerous and can be toxic. 
  • prepare and quality-check sterile medications, for example, intravenous medications and work with aseptic pharmacists checking medications 
  • supervise, work on clinical trials 
  • support and manage less experienced and less qualified staff, including pharmacy assistants and students 
  • ensure currency and continually professionally develop, and contribute to, research and development 
  • report on and write guidelines for drug use within the hospital and implement hospital regulations 
  • report on hospital expenditure (drugs) 
  • once senior, support teaching of students and staff and develop research projects 

Skills

As a Pharmacist you will need to demonstrate: 

  • that you are thorough and pay attention to detail 
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure 
  • sensitivity and understanding 
  • customer service skills 
  • patience and have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations 
  • good maths knowledge 
  • excellent verbal communication skills 
  • the ability to read English 
  • ability to use a computer and the main software packages competently 

Salary

Newly qualified:  £32,306-£39,027 (Band 6) 

Senior level: £47,126 to £90,387 (Band 8a to 8d) 

Chief pharmacist:  £93,735 and £108,075 (Band 9). 

Working hours

NHS hospital pharmacists typically work 37.5 hours a week, which usually includes weekends.  

Additional hours will be required at times. You may also be part of an on-call rota. 

Flexible working arrangements, part-time work and job-sharing are possible.  

Employers

  • NHS 
  • Private hospitals 

Work experience

Work experience can be found via: 

  • some pharmaceutical companies may offer one week or two-week work experience placements during school holidays for 16-18 year olds. Work experience placements are rarely advertised so you will probably have to contact companies directly. And to be clear you can approach at any age for work experience exampling why you are interested 
  • the most straightforward route at any age to looking for pharmaceutical work experience is to approach your local pharmacy. Go in with your CV and explain that you are an aspiring pharmacist, they may be able to show you the ropes or answer any questions you have about starting a career as a pharmacist. 
  • your local hospital will also support you but again best to approach directly or via Royal Voluntary service. 
  • You could also apply to volunteer in hospitals through the Royal Voluntary Service. 

What to expect

In a community pharmacy you may work within a small team consisting of the Pharmacist, perhaps a Locum Pharmacist, a Pharmacy Technician and a few Pharmacy Support staff and retail workers.

Career Progression

If you work in the NHS you’ll follow a structured career path with opportunities to study for clinical and management qualifications, often supported by the employing trusts. 

As a newly qualified pharmacist, you’ll typically rotate between different pharmacy services offered by your hospital. These may include: 

  • aseptic/technical services 
  • clinical pharmacy 
  • clinical trials 
  • community pharmacy services 
  • dispensary services 
  • medicines information or management 
  • primary care 
  • radiopharmacy (the use of radioactive materials). 

Following two to three years’ experience, you may apply for a more senior Band 7 pharmacist position. This is usually a rotational role but with more emphasis on specialising in a chosen area of pharmacy practice, for example: 

  • cardiology 
  • haematology 
  • medicines information 
  • paediatric care 
  • procurement and distribution 
  • quality assurance 
  • radiopharmacy. 

There are opportunities to further progress to the role of consultant pharmacist - a clinical expert who works at a senior level.  

Other senior posts include deputy chief and chief pharmacist.  

You may also move into research or into lecturing on MPharm degree courses. 

Consultant Pharmacist Role MSc Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Sunderland

Routes to become a Hospital Pharmacist:

The role of Hospital Pharmacist is the same as Pharmacist generally and how do I become is the same its simply where you are working. 

 You will need to complete the MPharm qualification and one year training in workplace then you can register to practice with the General Pharmaceutical Council and then legally practice as a pharmacist. 

 It is currently an academic route in essence and you need to go on to University, post qualification one year in the workplace and then become registered. 

The route to become a pharmacist across any area you will work in is the same: 

  • you need to complete a five-year programme of academic and practice-based teaching 
  • in your first four years, you will study for an accredited master’s degree in pharmacy (MPharm) at university   
  • this is followed by a one year paid work placement called a foundation training year 
  • after your foundation year, on passing exams, you can register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and legally practise as a pharmacist 
Foundation Year

University

The degree programme you will need to follow is: 

Master of pharmacy (MPharm) 

The first step to becoming a community or hospital pharmacist is to complete a GPhC-accredited Master’s degree in pharmacy, more commonly known as an MPharm. 

  •  MPharm degrees are integrated courses, which combine undergraduate and postgraduate- study into one programme.  
  •  Duration: Four years to complete.  
  • Entry to the profession without a degree or with a HND only is not possible. 

A variety of UK institutions provide MPharm courses, to check which programmes are accredited, see GPhC accredited MPharm degrees. Some accredited universities include: 

  • Aston University 
  • Cardiff University 
  • Durham University 
  • Kingston University London 
  • Liverpool John Moores University 
  • Newcastle University 
  • Robert Gordon University 
  • Queens University Belfast 
  • University of Bradford 
  • University of Central Lancashire 
  • University College London 
  • University of East Anglia 
  • University of Nottingham 
  • University of Strathclyde 
  • University of Sunderland 
  • University of Sussex 
  • University of Ulster. 

Example: Entry requirements:  

Requirements are often different in terms of how they are articulated so it may be in points or grades at A level as well as requiring specific choices e.g., science subjects such as two sciences. 

Some specifically mention qualifications apart from A level, such as BTEC Applied Science. T level’s are newer to universities and are accepted by very few Universities for Pharmacy (Mpharm). 

Examples: 

Newcastle University: Require grades ABB-AAB. This must include Chemistry, either Mathematics or Biology, and one further rigorous academic subject (we do not accept General Studies or Critical Thinking). You are required to obtain a pass in the practical element of any science A-level taken. 

Aston University: Requires you to have BBB at A-level including chemistry and one other science subject.  

They do mention BTEC and accept and this has to be Applied science (extended diploma) and DDD. They are not accepting T level. 

Sunderland University: Typical offer is 120 UCAS Tariff points (BBB at A level), from a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A Levels, T Levels, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate. 

A Levels must include Chemistry and one other science subject at Grade B or above excluding General Studies. 

Work Experience:

Get experience either in a setting where you work with the public or in a local pharmacy that will give you exposure to working with prescriptions and drugs. Any knowledge and experience of the profession will be helpful. 

You could also apply to volunteer in hospitals through the Royal Voluntary Service. 

You should also consider becoming a student member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). This provides access to resources, networking opportunities and support throughout your studies.

Post MPharm: 

Once you’ve finished your degree, you must complete one year’s foundation training. Health Education England runs the National Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Recruitment scheme through Oriel.  

You need to apply to the scheme in June in the year before you finish your MPharm (your third year) if you want to start your foundation training straight after your degree. The pharmacist foundation scheme in Scotland is managed by NHS Education for Scotland. For Wales, see Health Education and Improvement Wales (Pharmacy). 

Foundation training places are also advertised in trade magazines such as the Pharmaceutical Journal and Chemist and Druggist. 

You can also search for accredited training premises via the GPhC website. 

Entry Requirements:

There are no set university entry requirements but generally you need:   

  • three A-levels or equivalent in chemistry and a second science or maths, typically offers range from AAB to BBB  
  • pharmacy degrees with a foundation year may have lower grade requirements
  • GCSEs are considered alongside A-levels, with most schools of pharmacy expecting a minimum of five GCSEs including maths, English language and one science.
  • some universities accept vocational qualifications such as BTEC Level 3, National Extended Diploma in Applied Sciences or the Access to HE Diploma. The new T level is still new to universities, and you will need to check if thinking of this route 
MPharm University of Sunderland NHS Health Careers GPhC website  National Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Recruitment Oriel Health Education and Improvement Wales (Pharmacy). NHS Education for Scotland Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Royal Voluntary Service.

Apprenticeship

You can’t become a registered pharmacist but you can work as a pharmacy assistant or pharmacy technician, depending on which apprenticeship you take. If you want to work in a hospital setting you would need to look at apprenticeships offered by local trusts, see below in bold. 

If university study isn’t for you, you can enter the field of pharmacy through an apprenticeship. 

Buttercups offer two different apprenticeships: The Pharmacy Technician (integrated) Apprenticeship and the Pharmacy Services Assistant Apprenticeship. 

Boots also provides an intermediate (Level 2) pharmacy adviser apprenticeship. McKesson, parent company to Lloyds Pharmacy also runs intermediate and advanced apprenticeships in pharmacy services (12 months) and pharmacy technician (24 months) respectively. 

Pharmacy support apprenticeships are also offered by individual NHS employers (such as trusts), covering intermediate (Level 2) and advanced (Level 3). 

Pharmacy Technician Training Programme (Apprenticeship Pathway) Pharmacy Services Assistant Apprenticeship Boots Jobs