Being a pharmacist in the UK?

hi! i'm a pharmacy student in the Philippines and one of the countries I target after graduating is U.K. but wait..... here's an article on the pharmacists in London.... LONDON - British pharmacists who refuse to dispense medication such as the morning-after pill fear they may face discrimination or even become unemployable as a result of a decision by the profession's national body to amend its code of ethics. Pharmacists with ethical, religious of other objections to providing such "services" will have to tell prospective employers beforehand that they hold these views, a concerned pharmacist said Tuesday. Since the beginning of 2001, the UK government has permitted women aged 16 and up to buy the drug Levonelle from pharmacists without going through their physician. The move is aimed in part at reducing Britain's teen-age pregnancy rate, the highest in Western Europe. Pro-lifers oppose the pill on the grounds its use can amount to an early abortion, by preventing an already fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of the uterus. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society at its annual general meeting last week amended its code of ethics, dropping wording that said pharmacists could "object on grounds of conscience to the dispensing of certain medicinal products for the control of fertility, conception or termination of pregnancy." The new clause says that pharmacists must, before accepting employment, "disclose any factors which may affect their ability to provide services." Both the original and revised versions said pharmacists who object to providing certain products should not condemn the patient, who should also be advised of an alternative source of supply. "It blew us out of the water," Caroline Hubert, a pharmacist on England's south coast, said Tuesday. Hubert, whose primary objection to the morning-after pill is that it is "life-threatening" to an early-stage human being, said two earlier drafts containing proposed revisions to the code and circulated for consultation had not included the offending sentence. She had read out an objection to its insertion at the AGM, and proposed that the sentence be changed to: "Pharmacists ... must ensure that where pharmacists' religious beliefs or personal convictions prevent them from providing medicines which control fertility, conception or termination of pregnancy they do not criticize the patient and they or a member of staff must advise the patient of alternative sources for the service requested." But although it received more backing than she had expected from other members, the amendment was defeated, Hubert said, - "possibly because the whole of the ethics committee and council of the Society were there and were obviously in agreement with the revised statement." Where pro-life pharmacists were protected in the past, they now faced "a whip." "It says pharmacists must advise future employers of any services they may not be prepared to supply. What does that say - if you think someone's refusal is going to upset a patient and that they won't come back?" Hubert said that in her own experience, she has been "moving according to conscience" for the past five years, and had not found that her stance had caused problems. "People are handling the situation with discretion and confidentiality, in the appropriate manner, we won't alienate people." Nonetheless, prospective employers, she said, will automatically feel that applicants who hold these views should be "the last people to take on." With the RU486 "abortion pill" and legalized euthanasia on the horizon, it had been hoped the Society's revised code of ethics would have "accommodated the increasing number of pharmacists who will need to employ the conscience clause in the future rather than discriminating against them." Hubert expressed the hope that the question of the morning-after pill may be a catalyst in the formation of a pro-life body for pharmacists in the UK. She is herself a member of the U.S.-based Pharmacists for Life International. The pro-life organization Life said Tuesday it had received a number of letters from pharmacists in recent months, expressing concern about the change in the law. In one area, a group of ten Muslim pharmacists had asked Life for material to use in their stores, including display placards saying "We do not supply the morning-after pill." The dropping of the conscience clause, a Life representative said, would affect both employees in large pharmacy chains, as well as the owners of the dwindling number of privately-owned stores. Life spokesperson Rachel Heath said in a statement the Society's decision constituted "the grossest form of discrimination against pro-lifers that any professional body in this country has yet devised." Attempts to get comment from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society were unsuccessful Tuesday. Salary and Stuff..... Pharmacist Salary Levels Irish Salary Levels The following Salaries were set out by the Department of Health. These salaries will vary for pharmacists working within private practices. Level number of increments Salary Range Pharmacist 11 €27,555- €49,022 Senior 8 €46,109- €54,463 Chief II 6 €51,998- €61,446 Chief I 6 €57,697- €66,312 UK Salary Levels. Depends on experience. For example, a senior pharmarist in London can earn £53,975 before allowances. Level Salary Range Pre Registration Graduates From: £13,316 Grade A: From: £18,733 to £21,083 Grade B: From: £21,083 to £23,730 Grade C: From: £23,730 to £30,783 Grade D: From: £29,680 to £35,600 Grade E: From: £33,440 to £39,924 Grade F: From: £37,763 to £44,247 Grade G: From: £42,086 to £48,569 Grade H: From: £48,569 to £53,975 These posts will also attract the following extras. Inner London : All grades receive £2,676 pa. Outer London : All grades receive £1,592 pa. Extra-territorially managed and contiguous units: All grades receive £894 pa. Fringe Zone: All grades receive £251 Please note that these figures are subject to change. Work Environment Jobs are mainly within Hospital, Pharmaceutical and the retail industry. Rates of Pay for locum work This level of locum rate will depend on a number of factors such as length of assignment, location and your experience. It is our role to negotiate the best possible package on your behalf. Length of Assignment and working hours In both Ireland and the UK, length of assignments will vary. If you wish to take up a full time position, a commitment to a year is the norm. Locum positions will vary in length and are usually requested to cover maternity/unpaid leave. Both full time and locum positions working hours are usually within Monday-Friday with the possibility of "on-call" and sessional duties after hours, on a rotational basis. Registration Pharmacists holding a qualification in pharmacy awarded in a country other than a EU/EEA Member State, Australia or New Zealand and who wish to register as a pharmacist in Ireland, must apply to Irish Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. Pharmacists who wish to practice in Ireland , must apply to Irish Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. Applicants must complete a four weeks period of supervised employment and attend an oral examination in the laws governing the practice of pharmacy in Ireland . The cost of registration is €345 and after all the documentation has been received it takes about 6-8 weeks to be registered. Please feel free to contact us for advice and tips on the application process. Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland 18 Shrewsbury Road Ballsbridge Dublin 4 Phone +3531 2837294 Fax +3531 2837678 E-Mail [email protected] Registration in the UK. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain 1 Lambeth High Street London SE1 7JN Tel 020 7735 9141 Fax 020 7735 7629 e-mail: [email protected] How quickly you can become registered will depend on the country you trained in. We have prepared additional information to guide you. How can we help? Registration Arrange for the application forms to be sent to you. Provide you with information which will help you complete these forms and assist in obtaining additional documentation quickly and easily. Check over your application forms to make sure they have been completed correctly and in necessary detail. Planning Provide valuable information on living and working in the UK and Ireland. Help with booking flights/Accommodation and advice if you wish to do some travelling on you way over. On Your Arrival Meet and greet at the Airport. Advise on accommodation and if appropriate arrange initial accommodation. Orientation on upcoming interview. Help with the opening of a personal bank account. Help with obtaining National Insurance Number. HopeI answer your question..... Goodluck!