Pharmacists, Give me your opinions
Discussion
Let me explain. My other half is a community pharmacist(works for one of the big stores).
I hear no end of moaning about crap managers, MURs, GPs making mistakes etc.
I have had a quick nose through the Pharmaceutical Journal and it seems a number of people write in about this stuff.
Is it really bad all over the country/ different companies.
Have any of you thought about jacking it all in?
What other jobs can a pharmacist do? She has looked into medicines information but the nearest place to us is an hours commute away so that seems out.
Cheers
I hear no end of moaning about crap managers, MURs, GPs making mistakes etc.
I have had a quick nose through the Pharmaceutical Journal and it seems a number of people write in about this stuff.
Is it really bad all over the country/ different companies.
Have any of you thought about jacking it all in?
What other jobs can a pharmacist do? She has looked into medicines information but the nearest place to us is an hours commute away so that seems out.
Cheers
RB Will said:
Let me explain. My other half is a community pharmacist(works for one of the big stores).
I hear no end of moaning about crap managers, MURs, GPs making mistakes etc.
I have had a quick nose through the Pharmaceutical Journal and it seems a number of people write in about this stuff.
Is it really bad all over the country/ different companies.
Have any of you thought about jacking it all in?
What other jobs can a pharmacist do? She has looked into medicines information but the nearest place to us is an hours commute away so that seems out.
Cheers
Do what I did in 1985-get your own business.I hear no end of moaning about crap managers, MURs, GPs making mistakes etc.
I have had a quick nose through the Pharmaceutical Journal and it seems a number of people write in about this stuff.
Is it really bad all over the country/ different companies.
Have any of you thought about jacking it all in?
What other jobs can a pharmacist do? She has looked into medicines information but the nearest place to us is an hours commute away so that seems out.
Cheers
Alternatives would be getting a job with an independent rather than a multiple or setting your self up as a self employed locum.
Edited by Paul Dishman on Monday 10th May 12:38
I'm not a pharmacist, but one of my best mates is. I work in the Pharma industry so may offer other alternative ideas for employment...
All I hear from my mate is how crap it all is- he has worked for one of the big chains, and is now at a large supermarket chain. I think he says the job is interesting and good (fromt he science side), apart from having to deal with the majority of the public, junkies etc... There also seems to be a shortage of pharmacists so you end up working very long hours, can not easily book time off etc., and have to deal with sh!t from both the public and the medical professionals. The upside is you can pretty much choose whereabouts you want to work, there is the chance of becoming a locum to earn more money and work fewer hours.
You could try working in the NHS (but expect a 50% pay cut!), which is aparently more rewarding and interesting; opportunities in the pharma industry, but it will be very competitive. Pay would be good, the work should be interesting (whatever you decide to do) but of course pharma companies tend to be in the middle of nowhere...
All I hear from my mate is how crap it all is- he has worked for one of the big chains, and is now at a large supermarket chain. I think he says the job is interesting and good (fromt he science side), apart from having to deal with the majority of the public, junkies etc... There also seems to be a shortage of pharmacists so you end up working very long hours, can not easily book time off etc., and have to deal with sh!t from both the public and the medical professionals. The upside is you can pretty much choose whereabouts you want to work, there is the chance of becoming a locum to earn more money and work fewer hours.
You could try working in the NHS (but expect a 50% pay cut!), which is aparently more rewarding and interesting; opportunities in the pharma industry, but it will be very competitive. Pay would be good, the work should be interesting (whatever you decide to do) but of course pharma companies tend to be in the middle of nowhere...
I have only really worked for myself as a pharmacist and would think twice about becoming one now if it meant working for one of the larger organisations. They do have some systems which are good for supporting your CPD etc but ultimately you are a very small cog in their very big machine and can be very much at the mercy of the managers/area managers that you have around you.
Pharmacy has over the last five years become extremely competitive and companies are obviously becoming even more target orientated. This isn't going to change but I'm sure your other half is aware of that.
Self employed locum is probably the easiest change in that there is no retraining involved, GP surgery based pharmacists seem to have a bit more freedom (depends on your PCT) and the two pharmacists that I know left the profession went to work for their husbands so don't know if ypu have any spaces.Not sure I could work with my wife though.
Pharmacy has over the last five years become extremely competitive and companies are obviously becoming even more target orientated. This isn't going to change but I'm sure your other half is aware of that.
Self employed locum is probably the easiest change in that there is no retraining involved, GP surgery based pharmacists seem to have a bit more freedom (depends on your PCT) and the two pharmacists that I know left the profession went to work for their husbands so don't know if ypu have any spaces.Not sure I could work with my wife though.
If you're willing to walk away from it completely, and forget all about 4 years at Uni studying it, there are a lot of other things you can do. (This applies to a lot of jobs though!)
I walked away from Pharmacy 3 years ago. I have never regretted it. I now work in The City.
If you buy your own place though, only employ women over about 50, when their kids have gone to university. They need the money, so will work extra if you need it, they have "old people work ethic" and I've found most of them are easy to get on with. (This attitude probably goes against more laws than you'd possibly believe, and you didn't here it from me.)
Paul, who commented above, employs my soon to be mother-inlaw...
I walked away from Pharmacy 3 years ago. I have never regretted it. I now work in The City.
If you buy your own place though, only employ women over about 50, when their kids have gone to university. They need the money, so will work extra if you need it, they have "old people work ethic" and I've found most of them are easy to get on with. (This attitude probably goes against more laws than you'd possibly believe, and you didn't here it from me.)
Paul, who commented above, employs my soon to be mother-inlaw...
The problem with retraining as Lewis as done is that you have to allow for loss of salary, although you can locum during evenings and/or weekends to help make ends meet. I'd also look around carefully at other career options, pharmacists are fairly well paid- better than teachers certainly until you get up to a fairly senior level.
For anyone contemplating a full time career locuming be aware that there are more pharmacists coming onto the register each year and the multiples are cutting back on using locums. So whereas in the past its been easy to pick up locum bookings, that may not always be the case.
If I were the OP's other half I'd do some locuming, preferably at independent pharmacies and try her local PCTs to see if they have any part-time medicines management work going. I'd also have a good look around and see if you can find an small independent who might want to retire or take life a bit easier and would welcome an approach from someone who could work there with a view to taking the business over
For anyone contemplating a full time career locuming be aware that there are more pharmacists coming onto the register each year and the multiples are cutting back on using locums. So whereas in the past its been easy to pick up locum bookings, that may not always be the case.
If I were the OP's other half I'd do some locuming, preferably at independent pharmacies and try her local PCTs to see if they have any part-time medicines management work going. I'd also have a good look around and see if you can find an small independent who might want to retire or take life a bit easier and would welcome an approach from someone who could work there with a view to taking the business over
If I were your friend I would get off my arse because there are some really good possibilities for pharmacy at the moment.
The be your own boss is literally falling from the tree at the moment.
Gps are forming into companies left right and centre, to prepare for almost impossible 7 day week availability. Part of this is the formation of polyclinics. Almost every polyclinic will need a pharmacist running not only the dispensing side but also managing the GP pharmacy budgets, organising improvement/NICE guidelines implementation and running improvement/efficiency target areas, and of course the upcomming pharmacy prescription ability on the horizon. The house Pharmacist will be running a lot of the meetings, and will probably be one of the most improtant people there.
For a pharmacist to say there is much to do other than handing out prescriptions in this day and age means she is so disinterested in her job she just can't be bothered to look around.
The be your own boss is literally falling from the tree at the moment.
Gps are forming into companies left right and centre, to prepare for almost impossible 7 day week availability. Part of this is the formation of polyclinics. Almost every polyclinic will need a pharmacist running not only the dispensing side but also managing the GP pharmacy budgets, organising improvement/NICE guidelines implementation and running improvement/efficiency target areas, and of course the upcomming pharmacy prescription ability on the horizon. The house Pharmacist will be running a lot of the meetings, and will probably be one of the most improtant people there.
For a pharmacist to say there is much to do other than handing out prescriptions in this day and age means she is so disinterested in her job she just can't be bothered to look around.
louiebaby said:
Paul Dishman said:
The problem with retraining as Lewis as done is that you have to allow for loss of salary, although you can locum during evenings and/or weekends to help make ends meet.
He's right, I did it before I got a mortgage / wife. 
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