Your role as a Pharmacy Technician is pivotal to making sure patients and customers get the most out of their medicines.

What is a Pharmacy Technician?

As a Pharmacy Technician, you will manage the technical aspects of pharmacy services to support the safe and effective use of medicines.

A registered health professional yourself, you will work under the supervision of a registered Pharmacist but be responsible and accountable for your own accurate and safe practice.

In addition to working with patients, their carer, customers and other healthcare professionals, your role as a Pharmacy Technician also includes:

  • Preparing and administering medicines and medical devices
  • Providing information to inform decision making
  • Assembling and accuracy checking medicines for prescriptions
  • Managing medicine dispensaries
  • Supervising other pharmacy staff
  • Engaging with patients and customers to answer their questions and offer advice
  • Packing, assembling and labelling medicines

Why should I become a Pharmacy Technician?

There are plenty of reasons to become a Pharmacy Technician with New Directions Pharmacy.

As one of the leading recruitment providers to the pharmacy sector, there’s never a shortage of opportunities to:

  • Work as many or as few days as you want
  • Enjoy flexibility and a good work/life balance
  • Build up industry knowledge and your confidence
  • Gain a wide range of experiences
  • Try different work settings and find new ways of working
  • Network and build up industry contacts
  • Experience best practice and expand your skillset

Where and when can I work as a Pharmacy Technician?

We place Pharmacy Technicians to work in multiple settings. Whether it’s a local independent pharmacy in the community, NHS and private hospitals, high-street retail chain or a supermarket pharmacy – you have options and can see what suits you.

We also recruit Pharmacy Technicians in other settings, such as in general practice, care homes, the Armed Forces, justice service and the pharmaceutical industry.

It’s important to understand that when you work can depend on the location and type of pharmacy you work in. For example, some pharmacies are open for extended hours because they provide out-of-hours services. That means shift work, long hours, weekend work and rotas might be involved.

Who can be a Pharmacy Technician?

As a responsible recruitment provider, we carefully check your qualifications and training during the registration process to make sure you meet the regulatory requirements for Pharmacy Technicians. We do this because the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) requires all staff working in a pharmacy environment to be appropriately trained for the role they are carrying out.

To work as a Pharmacy Technician in England, Scotland or Wales, you need to complete both a NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Service Skills and be registered with the GPhC.

The GPhC recognises several awarding bodies that deliver the required qualifications for Pharmacy Technicians. Find out more.

Pharmacy Technicians must also complete a two-year training programme, which combines academic and practical work, followed by annual continuing professional development (CPD) and formal revalidation with the GPhC.

How do I register for work as a Pharmacy Technician?

You are required to have a minimum of six months of experience working in a UK dispensary setting, hold a NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Service skills and be registered with the GPhC before we can register you for work. This is the case for all candidates.

If you have the experience, register with New Directions Pharmacy today. Our friendly Account Managers are waiting to start the process of placing you into work.

If you don’t have the experience yet, contact us today and we’ll make sure we stay in touch. This will help us place you straight into work as soon as you have the experience and qualifications you need.