The Pharmacy Assistant (PA) works under the supervision of a Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, or other accountable healthcare professional. The PA provides a variety of pharmacy and medicines services to patients, the public and other professional healthcare teams. The PA supports the delivery of pharmacy services in a variety of pharmacy environments.

A PA will be involved in supporting the supply, preparation and assembly of medicines and products; issuing them to patients and other healthcare professionals and assisting in providing advice to patients to help them to make effective use of their medicines. They will be responsible for ordering and receiving medicines, as well as their storage, disposal and return. They will have an understanding of healthy lifestyle choices and relevant screening services. They will understand and work to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by their organisation to help staff carry out routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with pharmacy regulations.

Knowledge and Skills

• Dispensing and supply of medicines and medicinal products
• Team Work
• Communication, pharmacy law and ethics
• Person centred care
• Health and safety in the workplace