A survey of over 600 pharmacy technicians in England by University of Manchester researchers has revealed widespread concerns around low pay, limited career progression and other issues like bullying, with the study authors warning that “urgent action” is needed to improve retention.

The UoM researchers compiled anonymous survey responses from 603 pharmacy technicians in early 2023, as well as conducting more in-depth interviews with 19 individuals working across a range of sector.

The study on what motivates pharmacy technicians to leave, published in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy last week, found that while half had no plans to leave the GPhC register for at least 10 years, 36 per cent felt it “would not take much” to trigger a career change and 16 per cent were actively looking to change careers.

“Low pay and poor career opportunities were the predominant reasons pharmacy technicians wanted to leave the GPhC register,” the authors found, adding that “a minority” also cited problems with favouritism, racism and bullying.

One pharmacy technician said: “I have left community pharmacy after 10 years of stress and bullying by customers, staff and management.”

When asked how long they envisioned staying with their current employer, those working in general practice were the most likely to say they planned on staying for at least two years (91 per cent) and those in community pharmacy were the least likely (71 per cent).

‘Supermarket shelf stackers get £3 more’

Pharmacy technicians on an annual salary of £45,000 or more were the least likely to stay with their employer, while those paid between £25,000 and £30,000  were the most likely and those on £25,000 or less were in the middle. Those working in community pharmacy had the lowest salaries.

One pharmacy technician told the researchers: “You could get £3 an hour more stacking shelves in a supermarket, which is pretty eye opening. In pharmacy you make a mistake and you have got a whole raft of things that you need to be seriously worried about and that is only worth 30p more an hour.”

While 72 per cent of the total sample expressed at least moderate satisfaction with their roles, just 38 per cent were happy with the opportunities for promotion and career advancement available to them, with those in general practice the most optimistic about their future development and those in hospital and community pharmacy less so.

Similarly, pharmacy technicians in hospital and community were more likely to say that short staffing is a major driver of their work-related stress, with 95 per cent of community pharmacy technicians reporting this.

‘There is a very much a ceiling’

Some of those interviewed spoke of community pharmacy having a particularly poor reputation, with one commenting: “I wouldn’t work in pharmacy at all if I had to work in community pharmacy. If that was the only choice, I would go and do something else, I would find a new career.”

However, one subject felt there were similar problems in NHS roles: “I personally think, and a lot of my colleagues feel that there is very much a ceiling for technicians in the NHS… it becomes quite difficult, almost impossible actually, to obtain those higher grades.”

 “The findings are a stark warning to policymakers that urgent action is needed to retain the 26,500-strong English pharmacy technician workforce,” said the paper authors.

Lead author Imelda McDermott said: “Our study discovered many complexities behind the falling numbers of pharmacy technicians.

“These include low pay, limited career advancement, lack of recognition by employer and stressful work environments, characterise by heavy workloads, inadequate staffing and lack of support.”

The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has been approached for comment.