Hi, happy to answer.
The Stat Comm thing was a few years ago now, so don't worry about it. I just wanted to let you guys know how the Pharm Soc works in real life.
The reason I am a locum is it is the only time I have ever been happy since I started this job. I like it because I don't have to worry about staff holidays, how much shampoo we sell etc. I don't have any area manager on my back either. I just go to a store, do my best, and leave and go home.
I also like the fact that I earn about £250/day on average and pay 3k a year in tax! I also don't work Saturdays and have evey Christmas off.
The work is steady and there is plenty of it. I could work seven days a week if I wanted to. I have built myself a good reputation over time, basically through working hard. A lot of pharmacists seem to think they have the right to turn up to a store, open the paper, and just expect the dispensers to do all the work. I have always done my fair share and am being often asked for. I work through an agency, but you can do it on your own if you like. The agencies offer you some protection though, so if you are not being paid on time, or are finding when you go somewhere there are no staff, the agency will often help you, and do all the complaining to the company. They charge the company their own fee by the way, I don't pay them anything myself.
I only work a four day week. I used to work five but if you travel a lot it gets to be a bit much. I work for independents as well as chains. During my time as a pharmacist I have been a store manager twice, a relief manager and have worked for most of the big chains.
I think a good idea for the pharmacy degree course would be to have a section on self defence, and conflict management. Maybe they have it now I don't know. Since being a pharmacist I have: -
1. Been spat at full in the face
2. Had two physical fights
3. Been threatened with a syringe full of blood lots of times
4. Performed a citizens arrest on lots of shop lifters
5. Restrained a violent drug addict for 15 mins before the police arrived
6. Been to court three times to give evidence
7. Had people waiting outside to "beat me up" after work on about four or five occasions
8. Oh, last week a girl said she was coming back with a can full of petrol to set me on fire (I caught her stealing)
9. Have seen three friends have breakdowns due to the stress of the job
10. Never had a job that I actually like
I rang my friend, who runs a needle exchange scheme pharmacy, before I put up this post. He has just resigned due to the fact that most of the week he is left with no dispenser. He only has 200 methadone addicts to look after!
I also tried to keep my address out of the public domain, from the statt comm thing. Basically no chance. This caused a mental health patient to see my name on my certificate, type in into Google, and find out where I lived. This led to all sorts of phone calls and threats, one of them telling my husband he was going to rape me in front of him then slit my throat. This was because his Dr reduced his dose of olanzapine and he blamed me. I rang the Pharm Soc - again not interested.
My best advice to anyone considering studying pharmacy is not to work in retail. Go into hospital or industry, but unless you can find yourself a nice quiet shop, keep away from retail, especially in the inner cities.
Looking back, studying pharmacy was the worst decision of my life. None of my friends like their job. I would not do it again.
If you want to be involved in the management of illness - be a doctor
If you like putting tablets in bottles and sticking labels on them - be a pharmacist
If you want to not be a doctor but prescribe drugs - be a nurse
This is only my opinion, there must be a pharmacist somewhere who likes it. I just don't happen to know any, thats all.
Apothecary
pharmacy-forum.co.uk