Pharmacists - is it just drugs????

[debrakevin]

We are exploring possible career ideas with our 6th form son. How "intimate" do pharmacists have to be with people? I notice pharmacies offer "stoma and truss fitting services" and all kinds of intimate medical appliances as well as medicines and drugs. Does this involve handing something over a counter or more personal interaction? Sorry to sound stupid!
If they do have tactile consultations with customers, is it something which happens occasionally or every day?

[Maydup]

I would imagine that with the changes in the NHS eveyrone invloved in the health industry will be multi-tasking more and more in the future.

We're already encouraged to use our pharmacists for minor issues and I can only see that service growing and incorporating more and more treatment. Many have small side rooms now where for example they did flu jabs in the winter, so its quite likely they will merge with something like the walk-in centres into a place for nursing as well as dispensary.

[bednobs]

community pharmacists have to do that sort of stuff, plus give people face to face health advice (although i doubt theyy would be fitting stoma appliances in a community setting)
however, there are many more pharmacist jobs than community phar,macists - working for the hospital and drug companies where there is no having to give people advice about their manky legs etc

[lillylemon]

I work in a pharmacy and we don't do any of the fittings for trusses etc but in some pharmacies they do. There is a quite a bit of patient interaction and the consultations can be anything ranging from what cough medicines people can take with their own medication, giving advice on a cold or someone asking you to look at their rash. Many pharmacies deal with drug addicts who come in the pharmacy for their daily methadone prescription and you may have to deal with more f these depending on the area you are working in. The main part of the job like you mentioned though is the dispensing of prescriptions and whilst doing this there is little patient interaction.
You can also opt ot work in a hospital pharmacy but I don;t have any experience in this sorry.
When you have qualified and you are working in community pharmacy, the bulk of the regular pharmacist jobs are as managers, or you can opt to work as a locum if you don't mind the travelling and the variety.

[Buenchico]

The vast majority of retail pharmacists probably do little more, on a day-to-day basis, than check that prescriptions are properly dispensed. (They usually seem to be bored stiff!). That's a great pity because pharmacists are an excellent source of advice on many medical matters. (They know far more than any GP about possible drug interactions and side effects).

Some pharmacies offer the type of services which you refer to. However it might not necessarily be the pharmacist who actually sees the people who require those services. Other staff (or representatives of companies with which the pharmacy has a financial relationship) might do the job.

It's also worth remembering that many pharmacists don't work in the retail sector. A large number work in hospitals.

This might help:
https://nextstep.dire...63/Pages/default.aspx

Chris