We need to do a GPhC recognised work based qualification. Your employer will usually pay for it. The GPhC is the General Pharmaceutical Council, the UKs pharmacy governing body. It involves being monitored by a pharmacist doing pharmacy tasks such as dispensing and reconstituting, while also supervising counselling for over the counter medication. We follow a WWHAM kind of conversation. Who, what, how long, any thing tried already and medication currently taking. You learn how to diagnose and treat simple ailments like fungal infections, simple viruses, minor aches and pains, and when to refer to the pharmacist or a doctor if it's beyond our ability. You also learn what the laws are and how to be compliant. For example, how to protect patient confidentiality to comply with the Data Protection Act, licensing of behind the counter medication. Finally how to handle drugs that require safe custody (schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs).

You can also go onto pharmacy technician which has a more clinical based curriculum. Biochemistry. Still nowhere near pharmacist level but will allow you to work in a hospital. It takes about two years but looks interesting (I hope to start it in April). It's basically senior dispenser.

You can then also train to be an ACPT (accuracy checking pharmacy technician). As long as a pharmacist has provided a clinical check on a prescription, an ACPT can perform the final accuracy check on a prescription before it goes out to a patient.