Pharmacy Assistant
Helps dispense and supply medicines under supervision in a hospital or community pharmacy. The first rung of the pharmacy ladder.
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Strong on work–life balance and entry; held back by job security.
Can reach ~£80,000 via Clinical Director / Consultant-level Lead.
Workforce scale not separately tracked; trend not tracked.
Moderately resistant to automation — mixed work.
Strong work–life balance; regular hours.
Easy entry — low study load, moderate competition.
1 onward routes; good flexible-working scope.
Career Score™ is CareRoute's own indicative rating from public NHS-style data — not an official NHS ranking. A composite of six factors; same inputs always give the same score.
What you'd do
- Assist with dispensing and labelling
- Manage stock and ordering
- Support patients at the counter
- Keep the dispensary clean and compliant
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Typical progression routes
Indicative routes from the career graph — not usage data.
Your salary roadmap
Indicative pay on the highest-reaching route, by year.
Skills & requirements
- Maths & English GCSE (grade 4/C) or equivalent
- Pharmacy Technician apprenticeship (Level 3)
- GPhC registration (pharmacy)
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Honest, practical answers grounded in real NHS-style data — not a recruiter.
Guides & updates
We're writing in-depth pharmacy guides — pay, entry routes and progression. In the meantime, explore the roles and career map above.
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Where to look next
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