1. Thats exactly what it means, equivalent means a degree is recognised like for like in two different areas which means the person can practice without restrictions.. same way EU med/dentistry degrees are accepted in the UK without need for conversion exams. And also you cant compare medicine and pharmacy atleast in the UK.. theres a huge difference in the calibre of students entering both courses. Why do you think it costs less and takes less years here..? because it is not as demanding or hard to get into compared to North America. You just answered your own questions.
2. Senior Lead pharmacist? Where? Hospital? if so maybe if they were a band 8/9 in the Trust but very very few people do hospital pharmacy anyway and out of that a small percentage of people make it those bands. Community pharmacists even on a full time contract does NOT make anywhere close to that
@marinade could you please confirm.
Also how i know about independent pharmacies shutting down is by working in one for a few years and speaking to the owner who had it for 40 years.. example 25 years ago in my city there were 15/20 independent pharmacies.. now there are only 3.. Unlike you I have reliable sources and experience here for me to back up my statements. If you dont believe me find an independent pharmacy and ask them what they see the future as.
Anyway what makes you think I have made no use my degree..? because of this i managed to get into a competitive grad schemes in consulting and i work for a lot of healthcare clients BECAUSE of my background. we have a few ex pharmacists working in our firm who have left pharmacy. Every so often my course mates message me to say they are fed up of pharmacy and they want do something else.
What is 'useful' to you? True just going into lab work after doing pure science degrees which you mentioned may not be fulfilling or high paid but pharmacy isnt either. It depends what someone wants to do in life.. if someone WANTS to be a pharmacist then obv the degree will be useful but at the end of the day its just a degree which can be used to do ANY kind of generic graduate roles.
You can keep coming up with excuses to justify your investment to come study in the UK but you cannot change the ground reality which is a bad future for pharmacists.