The basics are:
The health-care services in Cyprus are divided in two separate and not-related sectors. These are the public sector and the private sector.
You may find more information regarding the structure and scope of the Cyprus Ministry of Health in this
link
There is also a specific site for the MOH department of the Pharmaceutical services in this
link. There are aproximately 170 pharmacists working in this sector, in the various departments that are administration, legislation, different councils and comittees as well as in the public pharmacies that are based either in hospitals or other centers around Cyprus. The main task of pharmacists who work in these pharmacies is dispencing. They work five days per week for a total of 38 hours and the starting salary is 18K.
Working in the private sector is completely different in terms of the day-to-day work. I am working in this sector.
There are approximately 450 privately owned pharmacies around the island (the total population does not exceeds 1 million). Chain-type businesses is not allowed. This has been a recent achievement of the Cyprus Association of Pharmacists. We managed to create this barrier to external investors and to people who are not related to our profession. That makes competition to be more fair and between equals. Prices are regulated by the MOH, therefore, there is no competition in prices either! A pharmacist may be the owner of a single retail outlet and she/he is not allowed to open a second one.
Normally there is only one pharmacist working in every pharmacy probably with one or more assistants. An average pharmacy has around 100 customers every day. We do have the over the counter area and an area reserved for dispencing.
A pharmacist is doing perhaps more or the less the same type of work as a pharmacist anywere else with regards of councelling, public relations, give instructions for the proper use of medications. In addition we have to do an inventory control which is mostly computerised and maintaining the records for prescriptions etc.
We also have POM and OTC as well as narcotic, psychotropic categories that are regulated just like in the UK. Perhaps some differences from the UK is that patients with chronic disorders on medication for hyperlipidemias, diabetes, hypertension, etc are walking in any pharmacy asking for a branded medicine and the pharmacist would not ask for any prescription. The only case to ask for a prescription is the case of psychotropic agents, hormones and antibiotics to a lesser extent. One can buy any quantity of paracetamol even from kiosks in Cyprus. There is no re-packing of tablets in other container than the one used originally by the manufacturer. The most of the tablets are being sold in a branded packet. Counting pills is not an issue. We never count pills. The prescriptions are for multiplies of the original packets.
The most of the pharmacists in Cyprus are running their own business and in the private sector they work for 47 hours per week with 15 days holidays in summer. The gross profit margin on sales for pharmaceutical products is 25% or more for certain special offer items. The annual turnover of the average pharmacy is 250K STG and that is translated to an annual take-home money of 50K. There are however pharmacies with significantly higher revenews than the average. The best pharmacy owner in Cyprus earns something like 250K per year or more. Cost of leaving in Cyprus might be less than the UK and 50K is considered as a very high income. The average salary in Cyprus is approximately 11K. The salary for me as a part-time pharmacist is considered also a very good-income.
If there is anything specific you would like to know I would be happy trying to inform you as best as I can.
Cheers!