A Day in the Life of a Trainee Pharmacist Working in a GP Surgery
A Day in the Life of a Trainee Pharmacist Working in a GP Surgery 💊
Hi everyone!
I graduated from the University of Bath this summer with an MPharm degree, and I’m now working as a trainee pharmacist in a GP surgery. I thought I’d share what a typical day looks like, as GP pharmacy is quite a new and dynamic area and on my course it was definitely one of the most popular career paths.
🕘 9AM: Starting the Day
I start work at 9am in the pharmacy team office. Our team includes two pharmacy technicians, two prescription clerks, and my supervisor pharmacist, who mostly works remotely but comes in one day a week. The local ICB pharmacist also joins us in the office once a week.
My first task is to check any important emails or messages — these might include MHRA alerts I need to manage or training updates. I then open our clinical system (EMIS) to see if I’ve been allocated any specific tasks. As I’m still fairly new, I don’t get too many yet, but these can include reviewing a patient’s medication or following up on a query.
💊 Morning: Medication Reviews
Most of my morning is spent completing medication reviews allocated to me by my supervisor. We prioritise those that are overdue, as they usually have the greatest clinical need. I’m typically assigned reviews for patients taking six or more medications, while the pharmacy technicians handle the simpler ones.
These reviews can take a while, but they’re a good way to apply clinical knowledge and spot where changes could improve safety or effectiveness.
❤️ Afternoon: Hypertension Clinics
In the afternoon, I run hypertension clinics. These currently focus on patients with raised blood pressure who’ve been asked to send in home blood pressure readings. Once I receive these, I identify anyone still above target and contact them to discuss next steps, whether that’s more readings or adjusting their medication.
Managing high blood pressure is quite structured thanks to NICE guidelines, which make decision-making much clearer. Two to four weeks after any changes, I’ll request follow-up readings and arrange blood tests if needed. Most consultations happen over the phone, but I can also arrange face-to-face appointments if preferred.
🩺 Other Parts of My Role
Alongside my main jobs, I often get queries from colleagues to investigate. If I need advice, the managing partner (GP) drops by twice a day to offer support.
I also do a “Drug of the Week” session with medical students, have prescribing sessions with my designated prescribing supervisor (a GP), and meet with my pharmacist supervisor to work on development areas or tackle more complex consultations together.
Every week, I get half a day for study time, which helps me keep on top of my e-portfolio and, from January, will be dedicated to preparing for my final exam. Once a month, I also attend a training day with either the local ICB (who organise my placement) or Pharmacy Workforce Development South. These sessions build clinical skills like vaccination and first aid, and cover wider topics — for example, my recent session was on becoming a culturally competent practitioner.
🤝 MDT Work
Another really interesting part of my role is being involved in multidisciplinary team (MDT) work. Every month, we have a clinical meeting with all the clinical staff at the surgery to discuss updates to our clinical systems and identify areas for improvement. I find these meetings really helpful for feeling incorporated within the wider team and it’s interesting to hear different perspectives and see how everyone’s work connects.
I also regularly shadow online clinical MDT meetings that focus on complex patients in areas such as frailty and mental health. These are fascinating to observe, as they show how less routine cases are managed and how input from different specialists shapes decisions.
In addition, I’m involved in a few medicines management quality improvement projects. The main one aims to increase the number of medication reviews completed by other clinicians and find ways to make the process easier, helping reduce the backlog of overdue reviews.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really enjoying working in GP pharmacy. It’s a varied and rewarding role that makes full use of the clinical knowledge I gained during my MPharm degree at Bath.
I’m happy to answer any questions anyone has about GP pharmacy, the training year, or studying pharmacy at Bath!
Hi everyone!
I graduated from the University of Bath this summer with an MPharm degree, and I’m now working as a trainee pharmacist in a GP surgery. I thought I’d share what a typical day looks like, as GP pharmacy is quite a new and dynamic area and on my course it was definitely one of the most popular career paths.
🕘 9AM: Starting the Day
I start work at 9am in the pharmacy team office. Our team includes two pharmacy technicians, two prescription clerks, and my supervisor pharmacist, who mostly works remotely but comes in one day a week. The local ICB pharmacist also joins us in the office once a week.
My first task is to check any important emails or messages — these might include MHRA alerts I need to manage or training updates. I then open our clinical system (EMIS) to see if I’ve been allocated any specific tasks. As I’m still fairly new, I don’t get too many yet, but these can include reviewing a patient’s medication or following up on a query.
💊 Morning: Medication Reviews
Most of my morning is spent completing medication reviews allocated to me by my supervisor. We prioritise those that are overdue, as they usually have the greatest clinical need. I’m typically assigned reviews for patients taking six or more medications, while the pharmacy technicians handle the simpler ones.
These reviews can take a while, but they’re a good way to apply clinical knowledge and spot where changes could improve safety or effectiveness.
❤️ Afternoon: Hypertension Clinics
In the afternoon, I run hypertension clinics. These currently focus on patients with raised blood pressure who’ve been asked to send in home blood pressure readings. Once I receive these, I identify anyone still above target and contact them to discuss next steps, whether that’s more readings or adjusting their medication.
Managing high blood pressure is quite structured thanks to NICE guidelines, which make decision-making much clearer. Two to four weeks after any changes, I’ll request follow-up readings and arrange blood tests if needed. Most consultations happen over the phone, but I can also arrange face-to-face appointments if preferred.
🩺 Other Parts of My Role
Alongside my main jobs, I often get queries from colleagues to investigate. If I need advice, the managing partner (GP) drops by twice a day to offer support.
I also do a “Drug of the Week” session with medical students, have prescribing sessions with my designated prescribing supervisor (a GP), and meet with my pharmacist supervisor to work on development areas or tackle more complex consultations together.
Every week, I get half a day for study time, which helps me keep on top of my e-portfolio and, from January, will be dedicated to preparing for my final exam. Once a month, I also attend a training day with either the local ICB (who organise my placement) or Pharmacy Workforce Development South. These sessions build clinical skills like vaccination and first aid, and cover wider topics — for example, my recent session was on becoming a culturally competent practitioner.
🤝 MDT Work
Another really interesting part of my role is being involved in multidisciplinary team (MDT) work. Every month, we have a clinical meeting with all the clinical staff at the surgery to discuss updates to our clinical systems and identify areas for improvement. I find these meetings really helpful for feeling incorporated within the wider team and it’s interesting to hear different perspectives and see how everyone’s work connects.
I also regularly shadow online clinical MDT meetings that focus on complex patients in areas such as frailty and mental health. These are fascinating to observe, as they show how less routine cases are managed and how input from different specialists shapes decisions.
In addition, I’m involved in a few medicines management quality improvement projects. The main one aims to increase the number of medication reviews completed by other clinicians and find ways to make the process easier, helping reduce the backlog of overdue reviews.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really enjoying working in GP pharmacy. It’s a varied and rewarding role that makes full use of the clinical knowledge I gained during my MPharm degree at Bath.
I’m happy to answer any questions anyone has about GP pharmacy, the training year, or studying pharmacy at Bath!
Reply 1
11
Original post
by University of BathA Day in the Life of a Trainee Pharmacist Working in a GP Surgery 💊
Hi everyone!
I graduated from the University of Bath this summer with an MPharm degree, and I’m now working as a trainee pharmacist in a GP surgery. I thought I’d share what a typical day looks like, as GP pharmacy is quite a new and dynamic area and on my course it was definitely one of the most popular career paths.
🕘 9AM: Starting the Day
I start work at 9am in the pharmacy team office. Our team includes two pharmacy technicians, two prescription clerks, and my supervisor pharmacist, who mostly works remotely but comes in one day a week. The local ICB pharmacist also joins us in the office once a week.
My first task is to check any important emails or messages — these might include MHRA alerts I need to manage or training updates. I then open our clinical system (EMIS) to see if I’ve been allocated any specific tasks. As I’m still fairly new, I don’t get too many yet, but these can include reviewing a patient’s medication or following up on a query.
💊 Morning: Medication Reviews
Most of my morning is spent completing medication reviews allocated to me by my supervisor. We prioritise those that are overdue, as they usually have the greatest clinical need. I’m typically assigned reviews for patients taking six or more medications, while the pharmacy technicians handle the simpler ones.
These reviews can take a while, but they’re a good way to apply clinical knowledge and spot where changes could improve safety or effectiveness.
❤️ Afternoon: Hypertension Clinics
In the afternoon, I run hypertension clinics. These currently focus on patients with raised blood pressure who’ve been asked to send in home blood pressure readings. Once I receive these, I identify anyone still above target and contact them to discuss next steps, whether that’s more readings or adjusting their medication.
Managing high blood pressure is quite structured thanks to NICE guidelines, which make decision-making much clearer. Two to four weeks after any changes, I’ll request follow-up readings and arrange blood tests if needed. Most consultations happen over the phone, but I can also arrange face-to-face appointments if preferred.
🩺 Other Parts of My Role
Alongside my main jobs, I often get queries from colleagues to investigate. If I need advice, the managing partner (GP) drops by twice a day to offer support.
I also do a “Drug of the Week” session with medical students, have prescribing sessions with my designated prescribing supervisor (a GP), and meet with my pharmacist supervisor to work on development areas or tackle more complex consultations together.
Every week, I get half a day for study time, which helps me keep on top of my e-portfolio and, from January, will be dedicated to preparing for my final exam. Once a month, I also attend a training day with either the local ICB (who organise my placement) or Pharmacy Workforce Development South. These sessions build clinical skills like vaccination and first aid, and cover wider topics — for example, my recent session was on becoming a culturally competent practitioner.
🤝 MDT Work
Another really interesting part of my role is being involved in multidisciplinary team (MDT) work. Every month, we have a clinical meeting with all the clinical staff at the surgery to discuss updates to our clinical systems and identify areas for improvement. I find these meetings really helpful for feeling incorporated within the wider team and it’s interesting to hear different perspectives and see how everyone’s work connects.
I also regularly shadow online clinical MDT meetings that focus on complex patients in areas such as frailty and mental health. These are fascinating to observe, as they show how less routine cases are managed and how input from different specialists shapes decisions.
In addition, I’m involved in a few medicines management quality improvement projects. The main one aims to increase the number of medication reviews completed by other clinicians and find ways to make the process easier, helping reduce the backlog of overdue reviews.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really enjoying working in GP pharmacy. It’s a varied and rewarding role that makes full use of the clinical knowledge I gained during my MPharm degree at Bath.
I’m happy to answer any questions anyone has about GP pharmacy, the training year, or studying pharmacy at Bath!
Hi everyone!
I graduated from the University of Bath this summer with an MPharm degree, and I’m now working as a trainee pharmacist in a GP surgery. I thought I’d share what a typical day looks like, as GP pharmacy is quite a new and dynamic area and on my course it was definitely one of the most popular career paths.
🕘 9AM: Starting the Day
I start work at 9am in the pharmacy team office. Our team includes two pharmacy technicians, two prescription clerks, and my supervisor pharmacist, who mostly works remotely but comes in one day a week. The local ICB pharmacist also joins us in the office once a week.
My first task is to check any important emails or messages — these might include MHRA alerts I need to manage or training updates. I then open our clinical system (EMIS) to see if I’ve been allocated any specific tasks. As I’m still fairly new, I don’t get too many yet, but these can include reviewing a patient’s medication or following up on a query.
💊 Morning: Medication Reviews
Most of my morning is spent completing medication reviews allocated to me by my supervisor. We prioritise those that are overdue, as they usually have the greatest clinical need. I’m typically assigned reviews for patients taking six or more medications, while the pharmacy technicians handle the simpler ones.
These reviews can take a while, but they’re a good way to apply clinical knowledge and spot where changes could improve safety or effectiveness.
❤️ Afternoon: Hypertension Clinics
In the afternoon, I run hypertension clinics. These currently focus on patients with raised blood pressure who’ve been asked to send in home blood pressure readings. Once I receive these, I identify anyone still above target and contact them to discuss next steps, whether that’s more readings or adjusting their medication.
Managing high blood pressure is quite structured thanks to NICE guidelines, which make decision-making much clearer. Two to four weeks after any changes, I’ll request follow-up readings and arrange blood tests if needed. Most consultations happen over the phone, but I can also arrange face-to-face appointments if preferred.
🩺 Other Parts of My Role
Alongside my main jobs, I often get queries from colleagues to investigate. If I need advice, the managing partner (GP) drops by twice a day to offer support.
I also do a “Drug of the Week” session with medical students, have prescribing sessions with my designated prescribing supervisor (a GP), and meet with my pharmacist supervisor to work on development areas or tackle more complex consultations together.
Every week, I get half a day for study time, which helps me keep on top of my e-portfolio and, from January, will be dedicated to preparing for my final exam. Once a month, I also attend a training day with either the local ICB (who organise my placement) or Pharmacy Workforce Development South. These sessions build clinical skills like vaccination and first aid, and cover wider topics — for example, my recent session was on becoming a culturally competent practitioner.
🤝 MDT Work
Another really interesting part of my role is being involved in multidisciplinary team (MDT) work. Every month, we have a clinical meeting with all the clinical staff at the surgery to discuss updates to our clinical systems and identify areas for improvement. I find these meetings really helpful for feeling incorporated within the wider team and it’s interesting to hear different perspectives and see how everyone’s work connects.
I also regularly shadow online clinical MDT meetings that focus on complex patients in areas such as frailty and mental health. These are fascinating to observe, as they show how less routine cases are managed and how input from different specialists shapes decisions.
In addition, I’m involved in a few medicines management quality improvement projects. The main one aims to increase the number of medication reviews completed by other clinicians and find ways to make the process easier, helping reduce the backlog of overdue reviews.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really enjoying working in GP pharmacy. It’s a varied and rewarding role that makes full use of the clinical knowledge I gained during my MPharm degree at Bath.
I’m happy to answer any questions anyone has about GP pharmacy, the training year, or studying pharmacy at Bath!
Hi this all sound really interesting I didn't realise GP pharmacy was a area you could go into Im applying for 2026 pharmacy entry what were your favourite and least favourite parts of studying pharmacy and your favourite and least favourite parts of studying in bath also would you say getting work in a GP surgery was a lot more competitive than a community or hospital pharmacy
Reply 2
Original post
by ringiHow much of this can you truly do better then the many unemployed qualified GP? (For example why is your default responce to high BP is to push more drugs?)
Will such roles continue once GP partners are able to spend the funding on addation GPs rather then being forced by the government to spend it on "pretend GPs"?
Will such roles continue once GP partners are able to spend the funding on addation GPs rather then being forced by the government to spend it on "pretend GPs"?
Hi there,
I appreciate your comment, but as a new trainee pharmacist I’m not really in a position to comment on the politics of GP funding or workforce planning. My post was just to share what the day-to-day work looks like in a GP setting from my perspective for any pharmacy applicants or students who are interested in the sector.
Just to clarify, the patients I see in my hypertension clinics have already been diagnosed and have previously had consultations addressing lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and smoking. Any medication changes are made in line with NICE guidelines and under appropriate clinical supervision, as I am a trainee. I’ve also spent a long time observing experienced GPs managing hypertension, so my approach doesn’t differ from what they would typically do.
All pharmacists complete five years of training focused on the safe and effective use of medicines, which gives us a strong skill set to support GPs and other clinicians in optimising patient care. These roles are now a formal part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.
If you’d like to discuss NHS funding choices, that might be better suited to a separate thread.
Reply 3
Original post
by …:)Hi this all sound really interesting I didn't realise GP pharmacy was a area you could go into Im applying for 2026 pharmacy entry what were your favourite and least favourite parts of studying pharmacy and your favourite and least favourite parts of studying in bath also would you say getting work in a GP surgery was a lot more competitive than a community or hospital pharmacy
Hiya! Thanks so much for your questions
I’m really glad to hear you’re interested in pharmacy, it’s definitely an exciting time to be joining the profession.
Yes, GP pharmacy is one of the fastest growing areas in pharmacy, if not the fastest. For example, the number of pharmacists working in general practice increased by around 24.5% between December 2022 and December 2023, which shows just how quickly this area is expanding.
I really enjoyed studying pharmacy because I’ve always loved both biology and chemistry, and the course combines the two really well. I also found it more motivating than studying a pure science subject because everything we learnt felt so relevant to real life and patient care. My favourite parts were definitely the clinical topics and placements, where you can really see how what you learn translates into practice.
My least favourite parts were the more “pure science” elements like medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutics, just because they didn’t interest me as much personally. That said, a lot of people do enjoy those areas and go into research or industry roles such as drug development. I was a bit nervous about my research project for that reason, as many are still lab-based, but I actually ended up loving it because I was testing antibiotics against difficult-to-treat bacteria, so it still linked to patient care. Plus, I was lucky enough to do it in Finland, which was a great experience.
If you’ve visited Bath, you’ll probably already know what a beautiful city it is, that was one of the big highlights for me. I also liked that the pharmacy cohort is smaller compared to some other universities, which meant we all got to know each other well and it felt like a really supportive community.
My least favourite part about Bath is that it’s quite a small city and campus, so by the end of four years I was definitely ready for a change of scene. Luckily, the overseas research project in fourth year gave me a break and made returning for the final semester feel refreshing.
As for your last question, yes GP pharmacy is quite a competitive area to get into, both as a trainee and newly qualified pharmacist. It’s a really popular career path because it offers an excellent work–life balance and interesting, varied clinical work. However there are more GP pharmacy positions opening up, so it’s becoming more accessible each year.
I hope that helps! Feel free to message again if you have any other questions about studying pharmacy or studying at Bath
Reply 4
Original post
by University of BathHiya! Thanks so much for your questions
I’m really glad to hear you’re interested in pharmacy, it’s definitely an exciting time to be joining the profession.
Yes, GP pharmacy is one of the fastest growing areas in pharmacy, if not the fastest. For example, the number of pharmacists working in general practice increased by around 24.5% between December 2022 and December 2023, which shows just how quickly this area is expanding.
I really enjoyed studying pharmacy because I’ve always loved both biology and chemistry, and the course combines the two really well. I also found it more motivating than studying a pure science subject because everything we learnt felt so relevant to real life and patient care. My favourite parts were definitely the clinical topics and placements, where you can really see how what you learn translates into practice.
My least favourite parts were the more “pure science” elements like medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutics, just because they didn’t interest me as much personally. That said, a lot of people do enjoy those areas and go into research or industry roles such as drug development. I was a bit nervous about my research project for that reason, as many are still lab-based, but I actually ended up loving it because I was testing antibiotics against difficult-to-treat bacteria, so it still linked to patient care. Plus, I was lucky enough to do it in Finland, which was a great experience.
If you’ve visited Bath, you’ll probably already know what a beautiful city it is, that was one of the big highlights for me. I also liked that the pharmacy cohort is smaller compared to some other universities, which meant we all got to know each other well and it felt like a really supportive community.
My least favourite part about Bath is that it’s quite a small city and campus, so by the end of four years I was definitely ready for a change of scene. Luckily, the overseas research project in fourth year gave me a break and made returning for the final semester feel refreshing.
As for your last question, yes GP pharmacy is quite a competitive area to get into, both as a trainee and newly qualified pharmacist. It’s a really popular career path because it offers an excellent work–life balance and interesting, varied clinical work. However there are more GP pharmacy positions opening up, so it’s becoming more accessible each year.
I hope that helps! Feel free to message again if you have any other questions about studying pharmacy or studying at Bath
I’m really glad to hear you’re interested in pharmacy, it’s definitely an exciting time to be joining the profession.
Yes, GP pharmacy is one of the fastest growing areas in pharmacy, if not the fastest. For example, the number of pharmacists working in general practice increased by around 24.5% between December 2022 and December 2023, which shows just how quickly this area is expanding.
I really enjoyed studying pharmacy because I’ve always loved both biology and chemistry, and the course combines the two really well. I also found it more motivating than studying a pure science subject because everything we learnt felt so relevant to real life and patient care. My favourite parts were definitely the clinical topics and placements, where you can really see how what you learn translates into practice.
My least favourite parts were the more “pure science” elements like medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutics, just because they didn’t interest me as much personally. That said, a lot of people do enjoy those areas and go into research or industry roles such as drug development. I was a bit nervous about my research project for that reason, as many are still lab-based, but I actually ended up loving it because I was testing antibiotics against difficult-to-treat bacteria, so it still linked to patient care. Plus, I was lucky enough to do it in Finland, which was a great experience.
If you’ve visited Bath, you’ll probably already know what a beautiful city it is, that was one of the big highlights for me. I also liked that the pharmacy cohort is smaller compared to some other universities, which meant we all got to know each other well and it felt like a really supportive community.
My least favourite part about Bath is that it’s quite a small city and campus, so by the end of four years I was definitely ready for a change of scene. Luckily, the overseas research project in fourth year gave me a break and made returning for the final semester feel refreshing.
As for your last question, yes GP pharmacy is quite a competitive area to get into, both as a trainee and newly qualified pharmacist. It’s a really popular career path because it offers an excellent work–life balance and interesting, varied clinical work. However there are more GP pharmacy positions opening up, so it’s becoming more accessible each year.
I hope that helps! Feel free to message again if you have any other questions about studying pharmacy or studying at Bath
Reply 5
Original post
by candlesinthedarkHi! I've put down Bath as an option for pharmacy, I'm super keen on bio but not as much on chemistry, is that going to get in the way? How much biology would you say you did? Is it anything at all like a level chemistry or much more applied? thank you!!
Hi!
That’s great that you’re considering Bath
I was in a similar position when I started with preferring biology over chemistry, and I can say I’ve enjoyed the degree as a whole. First year was the only year we did a lot of pure science (not applied to pharmacy). The modules are slightly different now but on the course page it looks as though there are 2 chemistry-based modules (1 pharmaceutics and 1 medicinal chemistry (organic chemistry)), 1 biology-based module and 1 pharmacy practice module.
In my first year, the chemistry content was quite similar to the organic chemistry topics at A Level, with a focus on medicinal application. There is also a bit of chemistry calculations, but they aren’t any more advanced than A Level chem in my opinion.
After first year, the majority of the modules are specialised integrated units, which focus on specific body systems eg. Immune system, cardiovascular system, from multiple different subject areas such as pharmacology, pharmaceutics, clinical therapeutics etc. I enjoyed these as they have more of a mix of bio and chem so there is very little pure chemistry from that point.
Let me know if you have anymore questions!
Reply 6
1
Hi, thank you so much for this insight, it was really in-depth and informative. I want to work in hospital pharmacy in the future. How do you think your role at a GP differs to a hospital pharmacist, and as I like to communicate with people, is talking to patients directly and not ''diagnosing'' but discussing symptoms and other things involved in the role of a hospital pharmacist or not?
Thank you
Thank you
Reply 7
Strange that the msg from Ringi has been removed but preserved within the thread posts?! I would agree with him/her. What the new guidelines are saying are that a 25 yr old person should basically have the same BP as a 65 yr old person? Aren't they? Could you expand on how you would deal with that situation? Surely age should still be taken into account, especially regarding elasticity of blood vessels, etc?
Reply 8
Just to expand on the figure given above:
The recruitment of pharmacists into these primary care roles is a central part of the NHS effort to expand its multidisciplinary team, largely driven by the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) for PCNs. Pharmacists are now one of the most common roles recruited through this scheme.
Note: These figures typically refer to England as NHS workforce data is usually published separately for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The majority of the expansion has occurred in England under the PCN and ARRS initiatives.
It certainly sounds like an interesting new role, something pharmacists of my generation who are in their 50s wished it had been around 30 yrs ago!
•
Total FTE Pharmacists (October 2023): 7,198
•
This figure represents the total number of full-time equivalent pharmacists, including those employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), which funds most of these positions.
•
Previous Data (December 2023): The figure was 6,874 FTE pharmacists in December 2023, showing a continuous increase.
•
Employment Trend: The number of pharmacists in general practice and PCNs has been rapidly increasing, growing by 24.5% between December 2022 (5,522 FTE) and December 2023 (6,874 FTE).
The recruitment of pharmacists into these primary care roles is a central part of the NHS effort to expand its multidisciplinary team, largely driven by the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) for PCNs. Pharmacists are now one of the most common roles recruited through this scheme.
Note: These figures typically refer to England as NHS workforce data is usually published separately for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The majority of the expansion has occurred in England under the PCN and ARRS initiatives.
It certainly sounds like an interesting new role, something pharmacists of my generation who are in their 50s wished it had been around 30 yrs ago!
Reply 9
Original post
by University of BathA Day in the Life of a Trainee Pharmacist Working in a GP Surgery 💊
Hi everyone!
I graduated from the University of Bath this summer with an MPharm degree, and I’m now working as a trainee pharmacist in a GP surgery. I thought I’d share what a typical day looks like, as GP pharmacy is quite a new and dynamic area and on my course it was definitely one of the most popular career paths.
🕘 9AM: Starting the Day
I start work at 9am in the pharmacy team office. Our team includes two pharmacy technicians, two prescription clerks, and my supervisor pharmacist, who mostly works remotely but comes in one day a week. The local ICB pharmacist also joins us in the office once a week.
My first task is to check any important emails or messages — these might include MHRA alerts I need to manage or training updates. I then open our clinical system (EMIS) to see if I’ve been allocated any specific tasks. As I’m still fairly new, I don’t get too many yet, but these can include reviewing a patient’s medication or following up on a query.
💊 Morning: Medication Reviews
Most of my morning is spent completing medication reviews allocated to me by my supervisor. We prioritise those that are overdue, as they usually have the greatest clinical need. I’m typically assigned reviews for patients taking six or more medications, while the pharmacy technicians handle the simpler ones.
These reviews can take a while, but they’re a good way to apply clinical knowledge and spot where changes could improve safety or effectiveness.
❤️ Afternoon: Hypertension Clinics
In the afternoon, I run hypertension clinics. These currently focus on patients with raised blood pressure who’ve been asked to send in home blood pressure readings. Once I receive these, I identify anyone still above target and contact them to discuss next steps, whether that’s more readings or adjusting their medication.
Managing high blood pressure is quite structured thanks to NICE guidelines, which make decision-making much clearer. Two to four weeks after any changes, I’ll request follow-up readings and arrange blood tests if needed. Most consultations happen over the phone, but I can also arrange face-to-face appointments if preferred.
🩺 Other Parts of My Role
Alongside my main jobs, I often get queries from colleagues to investigate. If I need advice, the managing partner (GP) drops by twice a day to offer support.
I also do a “Drug of the Week” session with medical students, have prescribing sessions with my designated prescribing supervisor (a GP), and meet with my pharmacist supervisor to work on development areas or tackle more complex consultations together.
Every week, I get half a day for study time, which helps me keep on top of my e-portfolio and, from January, will be dedicated to preparing for my final exam. Once a month, I also attend a training day with either the local ICB (who organise my placement) or Pharmacy Workforce Development South. These sessions build clinical skills like vaccination and first aid, and cover wider topics — for example, my recent session was on becoming a culturally competent practitioner.
🤝 MDT Work
Another really interesting part of my role is being involved in multidisciplinary team (MDT) work. Every month, we have a clinical meeting with all the clinical staff at the surgery to discuss updates to our clinical systems and identify areas for improvement. I find these meetings really helpful for feeling incorporated within the wider team and it’s interesting to hear different perspectives and see how everyone’s work connects.
I also regularly shadow online clinical MDT meetings that focus on complex patients in areas such as frailty and mental health. These are fascinating to observe, as they show how less routine cases are managed and how input from different specialists shapes decisions.
In addition, I’m involved in a few medicines management quality improvement projects. The main one aims to increase the number of medication reviews completed by other clinicians and find ways to make the process easier, helping reduce the backlog of overdue reviews.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really enjoying working in GP pharmacy. It’s a varied and rewarding role that makes full use of the clinical knowledge I gained during my MPharm degree at Bath.
I’m happy to answer any questions anyone has about GP pharmacy, the training year, or studying pharmacy at Bath!
Hi everyone!
I graduated from the University of Bath this summer with an MPharm degree, and I’m now working as a trainee pharmacist in a GP surgery. I thought I’d share what a typical day looks like, as GP pharmacy is quite a new and dynamic area and on my course it was definitely one of the most popular career paths.
🕘 9AM: Starting the Day
I start work at 9am in the pharmacy team office. Our team includes two pharmacy technicians, two prescription clerks, and my supervisor pharmacist, who mostly works remotely but comes in one day a week. The local ICB pharmacist also joins us in the office once a week.
My first task is to check any important emails or messages — these might include MHRA alerts I need to manage or training updates. I then open our clinical system (EMIS) to see if I’ve been allocated any specific tasks. As I’m still fairly new, I don’t get too many yet, but these can include reviewing a patient’s medication or following up on a query.
💊 Morning: Medication Reviews
Most of my morning is spent completing medication reviews allocated to me by my supervisor. We prioritise those that are overdue, as they usually have the greatest clinical need. I’m typically assigned reviews for patients taking six or more medications, while the pharmacy technicians handle the simpler ones.
These reviews can take a while, but they’re a good way to apply clinical knowledge and spot where changes could improve safety or effectiveness.
❤️ Afternoon: Hypertension Clinics
In the afternoon, I run hypertension clinics. These currently focus on patients with raised blood pressure who’ve been asked to send in home blood pressure readings. Once I receive these, I identify anyone still above target and contact them to discuss next steps, whether that’s more readings or adjusting their medication.
Managing high blood pressure is quite structured thanks to NICE guidelines, which make decision-making much clearer. Two to four weeks after any changes, I’ll request follow-up readings and arrange blood tests if needed. Most consultations happen over the phone, but I can also arrange face-to-face appointments if preferred.
🩺 Other Parts of My Role
Alongside my main jobs, I often get queries from colleagues to investigate. If I need advice, the managing partner (GP) drops by twice a day to offer support.
I also do a “Drug of the Week” session with medical students, have prescribing sessions with my designated prescribing supervisor (a GP), and meet with my pharmacist supervisor to work on development areas or tackle more complex consultations together.
Every week, I get half a day for study time, which helps me keep on top of my e-portfolio and, from January, will be dedicated to preparing for my final exam. Once a month, I also attend a training day with either the local ICB (who organise my placement) or Pharmacy Workforce Development South. These sessions build clinical skills like vaccination and first aid, and cover wider topics — for example, my recent session was on becoming a culturally competent practitioner.
🤝 MDT Work
Another really interesting part of my role is being involved in multidisciplinary team (MDT) work. Every month, we have a clinical meeting with all the clinical staff at the surgery to discuss updates to our clinical systems and identify areas for improvement. I find these meetings really helpful for feeling incorporated within the wider team and it’s interesting to hear different perspectives and see how everyone’s work connects.
I also regularly shadow online clinical MDT meetings that focus on complex patients in areas such as frailty and mental health. These are fascinating to observe, as they show how less routine cases are managed and how input from different specialists shapes decisions.
In addition, I’m involved in a few medicines management quality improvement projects. The main one aims to increase the number of medication reviews completed by other clinicians and find ways to make the process easier, helping reduce the backlog of overdue reviews.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really enjoying working in GP pharmacy. It’s a varied and rewarding role that makes full use of the clinical knowledge I gained during my MPharm degree at Bath.
I’m happy to answer any questions anyone has about GP pharmacy, the training year, or studying pharmacy at Bath!
So can you answer the question about 25 and 65 year olds all being targeted to 120/80. how does that actually work in GP land from your experience?
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