A pharmacy assistant provides assistance to registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. These individuals may be responsible for a number of tasks related to hospital or community pharmacies but are not able to provide customer advice or fill prescriptions as a technician or pharmacist does. The role has numerous other common titles including dispensing assistant, assistant technical officer, dispenser and health-care assistant
Day-to-day tasks for job holders in this position may include ordering and assembling medical products, coordinating with wholesalers, inventory duties, delivering products, labelling and pre-packing products, and directing enquires to pharmacists and technicians, among other tasks; however, these duties can vary greatly depending on the employer
The position requires good communication skills, outstanding attention to detail and Level 2 NVQ certificate in pharmacy service skills. On-the-job training is generally provided. Many working in this post choose to become a pharmacy technician
The average salary for a pharmacy assistant is £15,000 per annum, though figures can range from £11,000 to around £20,000 per annum.

Pharmacy assistants work with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and are required to distribute medicine. They have different titles depending on area of work such as healthcare assistant, dispensing assistant and dispenser. These assistants compone creams, fill prescriptions, count pills, handle paperwork, restock medications, rotate inventory, among other duties.

A Pharmacy assistant usually performs many of the following tasks:
• Labelling medications.
• Opening packaging lines.
• Assisting maintenance of stock levels.
• Receiving incoming goods.
• Answering queries about medicines.

• Having competent IT abilities.
• Having high attention to details.
• Being able to work with a team.
• Being accurate.
• Having strong ethic.
• Having competent math skills.
• Being able to work under pressure.
• Having interest in healthcare.
• Being able to meet strict deadlines.
• Having good communication abilities.

Pharmacy Assistant jobs require some GCSEs at grade C as a minimum and good standard education. Some employers require specific GCSE grades such as A-C in Science subject, Math, and English. There are companies offering training schemes through apprenticeships as an optional way to obtain background.

Through training courses applicants can work towards a level 2 NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills and have an important advantage for job application.