Most community pharmacists would not recommend career in the sector

Pharmacy is still a good career but it depends from which dimension you to look at that. If you own your pharmacy it is more exciting and challenging. It's not easy to be a both a clinician and an enterpreuner . However, having the pleasure of being your own boss and give orders rather than taking them , being able to staff your premises and furthermore able to come up and imply ideas that can benefit the community is certainly more satisfactory and rewarding .
In contrast, if you work for big multiples, a pharmacist usually does not get that freedom and authority that he/she deserves. Infact you are seen more of a burden on the companies accounts rather than an asset! Agree or not agree but this is the fact.

Hospital environment is completely different than community. So the two sectors of the same profession can't be compared neck to neck in many areas however, they do have their own problems as it is operated by NHS.

Finally, As it stands the conditions are going to get tough or may be tougher in both the sectors as more austerity measures will be taking place for next 2-4 years.

This is sad to read

It may be sad but I think this survey does accurately reflect the feelings of most pharmacists when thinking of the future of Pharmacy in the medium to long term.

Over time many other professions have waxed and waned with the changing world.

I am not sure why Pharmacy should be any different.

The question is: what would you recommend to your son or daughter? the economy is bad, many people is struggling to find a job, I did the survey and said I won't recommend pharmacy probably because the situation is not that good at the moment but I am really happy being a pharmacist. My little sister asked me what she should study and between the options she gave me I finally told her: Study Pharmacy! So you will soon have another one :-)

Ok... things might have changed but I am glad I qualified as a pharmacist in 1960-went repping with CIBA ,enjoyed 35 sizzling years in marketing-went round the world-learnt a lot of things and loved marketing new pharmaceuticals...now having retired am enjoying locum in community -still working at nearly 75. Pharmacy careers are what you make of them-still...dont be negative-use your skills in so many ways..I would do it again and when my careers master said I wasnt good enough for medicine....the laugh is on him...being a doctor would not have been so exciting

opportunities are better as is the credibility of pharmacists in USA or Australia, because you go through excellent training and you have to speak graduate level English before you can practice ......... Theres nothing wrong with the profession i think is the poor control of entry affecting the credibility of the Pharmacist in UK

It has no clinical or economical satisfaction. It needs working long hours to make end meets. It keep you away from your family life. Working as a pharmacist like someone who is walking on area full of landmines sooner or later you will step on one of them. Any small or even insignificant mistake could turn you to a criminal. You suppose to be clinican but you end up on doing too many paper works , accountingu, keeping files reading too many paper works about rules and regulation which change regularly and some of them useless like responsible pharmacist regulations. You always feel alone with no support even your society is watching you more than helping you. Every one wanted to use you as a money maker for them without any reward for yourself. You have to be able to do too many jobs at the same time regardless how stressful that could be. On average you have to dispense 5000 prescriptions a month. Statistically each dispensing item should take 8 minutes so you have to do 26 hours job in 10 hours without a break that's beside MUR, NMS, POEC, Chlamydia healthy life promotions SOP, IG and etc. You were expected to know everything other knows like GP, speciallist, nurse, dentist, optometrist, technicians, accountant, Lawrer, advertiser and etc... No thank you I don't want my son or daughter to be tortured. I would like them to be a window cleaners less dangerous and more money.

Mike, I admire you, you are still working and you are so passionate about Pharmacy. I hope I feel always like you!

Good on you Mike for your enthusiasm. You'll be powered by this and live to 105!

However, many others will be envious of your experiences due to the fact such opportunities may be harder to find in the years ahead.

I am so glad that this issue has been raised.
Ahmed has hit the nail on all counts and is so refreshing to see that I am not the only one with 25 years under my belt and hated everyone minute!!!!
I have not only deterred my sons but a whole host of relatives and work experience students, I am passionate about helping students but not down this path.
One issue that has not been highlighted is our quailifications, after nine 'O' levels, three A-levels all in hard subjects, a degree in pharmacy, 2o years of CPD and I know of unqualified people who earn more, do less hours a week and see their kids growing up and don't have to deal with the ignorant public!

Only 85% surprising..... What is the rate of mental illness in the population, oh yes, about 15%!!!!

Hi Ahmed, it's so nice to see your response and know that I am not alone. I have been qualified for 3 years now and have been working for a high street multiple all this time. I have to say this profession is such a dead end. I have seen and worked with managers that set targets that are unrealistic. Hardly experienced what its like now on the front line. At the moment I want to quit and do something else, but stuck with a mortgage and cannot go back to studying. Is there anything else you can do with a MPharm degree?