Where to look for a job (areas with vacancies)

[Ushio78]

Well, I think this could happen in every work place, you have to be lucky to find good colleagues. It could also depend on the pharmacist's behaviour: from what I've seen dispensers are often very well trained and very capable in their area and may decide not to be too cooperative in case the pharmacist doesn't acknowledge their work or act a little too bossy. I usually get along very well with colleagues, and despite the dispenser's lack of "university based knowledge" they can handle most situations in the pharmacy and my line is to give them the chance to support me by making their own decisions rather than telling them what to do every 5 minutes (depending on the staff member's experience of course).

Matt

[Pharmaton]

Hi,
Just to give my thoughts...

I would avoid areas that have an over supply of pharmacists, such as London, Birmingham, Leicester. Have at look at the Chemist & Druggist website (C+D - Pharmacy Community News Magazine & CPD Training - Chemist + Druggist) & look for areas that are advertising for pharmacists, these areas must have some demand. Interesting what was said about parafarmacia in Italy, I own a parafarmacia in Spain & it is illegal for me to sell even paracetamol & I am a pharmacist!! I'm looking to get back into pharmacy ownership in the UK again.

Good luck with your job search.

[Ushio78]

Hi,
Just to give my thoughts...

I would avoid areas that have an over supply of pharmacists, such as London, Birmingham, Leicester. Have at look at the Chemist & Druggist website (C+D - Pharmacy Community News Magazine & CPD Training - Chemist + Druggist) & look for areas that are advertising for pharmacists, these areas must have some demand. Interesting what was said about parafarmacia in Italy, I own a parafarmacia in Spain & it is illegal for me to sell even paracetamol & I am a pharmacist!! I'm looking to get back into pharmacy ownership in the UK again.

Good luck with your job search.

Hi Pharmaton,
thanks for your reply.
I'll take your suggestion and try, however I think I might have find a place where to start my career.
Good luck with your project and take care,

Matt

PS I you can't even sell paracetamol...what are you allowed to sell?

[Pharmaton]

Hi Matt,

We cannot sell any "medicines", but do sell; vitamins, toiletries, cosmetics, baby products, perfumes etc. Pharmacy in Spain has a complete monopoly, no wonder they sell for millions of Euros when they rarely come on the market.

Cheers.

[Ushio78]

Hi Matt,

We cannot sell any "medicines", but do sell; vitamins, toiletries, cosmetics, baby products, perfumes etc. Pharmacy in Spain has a complete monopoly, no wonder they sell for millions of Euros when they rarely come on the market.

Cheers.

I think Spain and Italy are the only European countries where pharmacies are passed down from father to son and where it's almost impossible to find one for sale (and even in that case it would cost you a kidney ). However some years ago a new type of premise was introduced: the Parafarmacia. It sounded as a good idea at that time and i must say that some pharmacists are happy with that, however patients still prefer to go to regular pharmacies because they would have to queue at the parafarmacia for otc medicines and then queue a second time at the pharmacy for Rx (why would you do that when you can buy both products (OTC and Rx drugs) in one place?

Matt

[johnep]

This the conundrum of UK pharmacists. Little chance of owning your own pharmacy unless you are born in the right bed. We have a love/hate relationship with the multiples. Without them there would be hardly any locums and absolutely no chance for overseas pharmacists. Italy for Italian pharmacists ... Hurrah, France for French pharmacists....Hurrah. England for English pharmacists.......Bloody racialists.
If we really implemented the ECJ decision, would be hundreds of unemployed pharmacists.
johnep

[jzd4rma]

This the conundrum of UK pharmacists. Little chance of owning your own pharmacy unless you are born in the right bed. We have a love/hate relationship with the multiples. Without them there would be hardly any locums and absolutely no chance for overseas pharmacists. Italy for Italian pharmacists ... Hurrah, France for French pharmacists....Hurrah. England for English pharmacists.......Bloody racialists.
If we really implemented the ECJ decision, would be hundreds of unemployed pharmacists.
johnep

I think the real problem lies with the fact that far too many pharmacy schools have been opened recently and several more to open in the near future, and plus due to the economic plight of this country many people are working beyond retirement age to supplement their meagre pension so we have an excess number of pharmacists, which means in real terms our wages will go down and there wont be enough jobs to go around so I blame this on the government!

P.S. I don't have any issues with pharmacists from continental Europe coming here to work as long as they can speak are able to do the job on another note more new pharmacy school's are opening up over the next few years so thats really going to help with the employment situation for us pharmacists :-)

[Ushio78]

P.S. I don't have any issues with pharmacists from continental Europe coming here to work as long as they can speak are able to do the job on another note more new pharmacy school's are opening up over the next few years so thats really going to help with the employment situation for us pharmacists :-)

While carrying out the UBELT test last July, I had the chance to talk with a Lithuanian girl that worked for a "pharmacy-led health and beauty group"; what she told me is that it is true that many pharmacy schools are opening up over the next few years but that the fees have increased so much that many people will decide not to invest on their education. What do you think about that? It would be really sad that people had to quit their studies because of that, isn't there an agreement on how many students may enroll (and thus graduate) each year? Or could it be that having a surplus of pharmacists would allow the Big Multiples to cut their wages?

Matt

[jzd4rma]

While carrying out the UBELT test last July, I had the chance to talk with a Lithuanian girl that worked for a "pharmacy-led health and beauty group"; what she told me is that it is true that many pharmacy schools are opening up over the next few years but that the fees have increased so much that many people will decide not to invest on their education. What do you think about that? It would be really sad that people had to quit their studies because of that, isn't there an agreement on how many students may enroll (and thus graduate) each year? Or could it be that having a surplus of pharmacists would allow the Big Multiples to cut their wages?

Matt

In my own opinion it will lead to cut in the wages of a pharmacist, the only way a pharmacist has a hope in hell of earning any decent income in the future and enjoy the job is to own there own pharmacy! As for education i don't think it will deter people from doing pharmacy because you can get a loan from student loan company to pay for the tuition fees but then when you graduate you have to pay back, so a lot of people would do pharmacy degree but would then be out of a job and be in debt of 50-60k (tuition fees and living expense)! And those who do get a job will have to settle for much less!