How to become a Pharmacy Technician
Training to become a pharmacy technician takes two-years. It combines practical work with study as either a distance learning or college-based course. The training consists of two-years consecutive work-based experience under the direction of a pharmacist or pharmacy technicians for not less than 14 hours a week, so you will need to find employment as a Pre-registration Trainee or Student Pharmacy Technician.
You will need to be enrolled on an approved pharmacy technician training course. More information can be found on the General Pharmaceutical Council website here: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/students-and-trainees/pharmacy-technician-education-and-training
The knowledge course will either be studied, as day-release or block release, at a local college or by distance learning depending on the training provider. You will study a variety of topics such as human physiology, disease management, actions and uses of medicines, pharmacy manufacturing and pharmacy law.
There are two types of training, distance learning or classroom based. This will depend on your employer and who they use as their education provider. All courses found within the GPhC website are approved and recognised and allow you the appropriate education and training to be able to register at the end of the training period. As all of us learn differently, your education provider will complete some initial assessments to help identify your learning style so that you can be fully supported throughout your training.
There are also different types of programme to consider; this will either be an apprenticeship pathway or a non-apprenticeship pathway. If you are completing an apprenticeship pathway you will also have to complete end point assessment and so please do ensure you speak with your education provider about this aspect of the programme.
What qualifications do you need to apply for a Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician post?
You will usually need GCSEs Grade 4 and above (or equivalent) to start this qualification to include English, Maths, and 2 x Science subjects, although this depends on the recruiting employer and training provider. With an interest in medicine and people’s health, the desire to learn whilst holding working in your chosen pharmacy sector, your personal characteristics and attributes necessary to undertake this role include the ability to pay attention to detail, be organised, accurate and methodical in undertaking tasks relevant to dispensing or recording patient information.
You will have the desire to work with many different types of people, from many different professional areas to ensure that the patient and their care remains your priority in matters relating to medicines and health related topics.
Career Pathways
Many pharmacy technicians in all pharmacy settings are extending their roles to work with pharmacists and other healthcare staff in helping patients to manage their medicines. These specialist roles involve checking and recording the medication that patients should be taking, ensuring sufficient supplies, and helping patients to understand how to use their medicines safely on the hospital wards, and when they return home. Pharmacy Technicians can also take addition training and assessment to allow them to perform the final accuracy check of prescriptions before being issued to the patient. In hospital and industry pharmacy technicians manage the technical aspects of dispensing services and manufacturing medicines.
In the hospital service, there are several grades for qualified pharmacy technicians, based on the NHS grading criteria ‘Agenda for Change. Grading criteria ranges from Band 4 to Band 7 undertaking roles explained by the national pharmacy technician profiles which can be found here: National profiles for Pharmacy
To view the NHS Careers in Pharmacy booklet click here.
Professional Registration
Statutory registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) came into force on the 1st July 2011, and all pharmacy technicians need to meet the minimum requirements for registration.
The criteria to register as a pharmacy technician can be found on the GPhC website here: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/pharmacy-technicians/registering-pharmacy-technician
As well as checking for your education and experience the GPhC will also require information on:
- Health
- Character
- Knowledge of the English language
- Identity
Overseas (non-UK) qualified pharmacy technicians
As per GPhC guidance from January 2021, all overseas Pharmacy Technicians wishing to register and practice within England, Scotland and Wales, will need to complete the education, training and experience requirements which can be found on the GPhC website. Overseas (non-UK) qualified pharmacy technicians please see the GPhC website here: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/pharmacy-technicians/registering-pharmacy-technician.
Please note: APTUK does not have the resources to map overseas qualifications to determine equivalency.