You may know your pharmacist as the person who fills your prescription, but they are so much more than that! Have you ever wondered 'how much you can ask a pharmacist'? Here, we aim to help you understand what pharmacists do and why they are essential to our society. 

To do that, we've interviewed two pharmacists from different settings: hospital and community. Read on to learn more about these diverse pharmacy jobs. 

Babatunde Sokoya - Independent Prescribing Pharmacist

Q: Why choose a community pharmacy over a hospital? 

A: Working in a community pharmacy gives you a much wider variety of services you can offer to the public. You can interact with people you see regularly, forming real bonds with them and providing a more personalised service. You're so much more involved with the local community than if you were working in a hospital. What I do is fulfilling. 

Q: Have you ever tried a hospital pharmacy? If so, what made you transition to the community?

A: I did work in a hospital pharmacy early on in my career. This job is all about the people; I'm a people person and love working face-to-face with patients. However, in a hospital setting, you didn't get that level of interaction, and I missed working with people I could get to know. That's why I decided to move into the community and, eventually, open my independent pharmacy. 

Q: What are the shift patterns like in community pharmacy? 

A: It can vary depending on the individual pharmacy. We work long hours - Monday to Friday plus weekends. We always want to give our community the best service possible, so we'll stay open later. 

Q: What advice would you give to a graduate looking for jobs in community pharmacy? 

A: There hasn't been a more exciting time to start in a community setting. Because of the large drive to move responsibilities from doctors to pharmacists, we are involved with so much more and have more excellent opportunities than before. I'm a prescribing pharmacist - I took a pharmacist prescribing course - and I encourage graduates to do the same because you can get involved with more customer services. Be passionate! Do lots of research and understand where the pharmacy is going, as this will help you become a better pharmacist. 

Q: Why are you proud to be a pharmacist? 

A: I want to make a difference, and I feel that by opening my independent pharmacy, I've been able to do that. It's so fulfilling to see how we can improve people's lives by helping patients and other healthcare professionals with our services. I always try to do as much as possible for the community, and it feels great to see the results.  

David Ugwuozor - Band 7 Hospital Pharmacist

Q: Why become a hospital pharmacist?

A: Having worked in both hospitals and communities before, I find hospitals to be more clinical, which is great because you learn more. You can get more involved with patient care and take a hands-on approach by discussing a course of treatment with doctors and nurses. Moreover, you can intervene with care plans and have more responsibility regarding decision-making. 

Q: What are the shift patterns like for hospital pharmacy roles? 

A: As a locum hospital pharmacist, I have the same shift patterns within my current hospital, typically weekdays from 9 to 5.30 pm. However, your shift can depend on whether you take full-time or locum pharmacy jobs. 

Q: What advice would you give to a budding hospital pharmacist?

A: There are plenty of good ways to get into a hospital, but I would definitely advise volunteering for regular placements within NHS settings. If you volunteer while you study, you'll learn a lot more, and it will help when it comes to applying for pre-registration.

Q: Why are you proud to be a pharmacist? 

A: I work as a lecturer in many sectors, from hospitals to education. Learning and then passing that knowledge to pharmacy students is so rewarding. I love being a pharmacist; even with workload pressures, it's rewarding.  

Want to know more about becoming a pharmacist? Read on...

Why become a pharmacist? 

Pharmacists play an essential role within the healthcare community. As medication specialists, they are responsible for using the correct drugs, creams, and medicines to help patients accept a doctor's prescription in these changing times, and with so much pressure on the NHS to cope with high patient demand, pharmacists play a much more significant role than simply providing medication. Pharmacy jobs have a much wider remit than many think, which means there has never been a more exciting time to be a pharmacist!

Pharmacists work in patient-facing environments, which means they have the opportunity to interact with people regularly, which is perfect for anyone who feels confident making conversation with members of the public. 

What do pharmacists do? 

Those with careers in pharmacy are responsible for giving customers the correct medication in the right dosage. Alongside distributing medication, pharmacists also advise patients on what to take, how to use it, safe dosages, and side effects. 

Depending on where the pharmacy is based (hospital or community), pharmacists may provide specialist drug services, such as oncology, nuclear pharmacy, geriatric pharmacy or mental health medication (psychiatric pharmacy). 

In recent years, the NHS has campaigned to get more public to approach pharmacists for minor ailments and questions about medication to remove some of the pressure from GPs and hospitals. 

Where do pharmacists work? 

The majority of pharmacists typically work within community or hospital settings. A community pharmacy (a high street pharmacy) is open to the public and serves the local community and surrounding areas. 

Community pharmacies dispense prescribed medications, as well as over-the-counter medicines, creams, and ointments. Many also sell a selection of basic toiletries. Some community pharmacists offer extended specialist services, including confidential health advice, emergency birth control, and flu vaccinations. 

Hospital pharmacies are based in both NHS and private hospitals and dispense medication to both in-patients and out-patients, often working alongside doctors and nurses to find the best course of medication for a patient. 

To find a wide range of pharmacy jobs in the UK, browse Your World Healthcare's current vacancies today!