I am currently in the UK, working at a hospital pharmacy in Lincoln. It has been a great experience so far, comparing treatment plans used here for various disease states. I have found that most things are quite similar. The processes of doing tasks do differ, but the end results are much the same.

One of the most surprising things I have found here, is that there are set amounts of money that can be spent on medical health in different areas of the country. What this means is, that your treatment options for some disease states can vary depending on what part of the UK you are from. This is something that they are trying to sort out, and I believe it is unethical is some ways.

Lincoln County Hospital houses 800 beds, so there is quite a broad range of patients here. There are 50 employed pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, or pharmacy assistants working here. I have found it difficult to comprehend the exact job activities of these three different working classes within the pharmacy. Money appears to be a major issue, and technicians are starting to do more and more jobs that the pharmacists would usually do.

It appears that pharmacists are looked at more highly here in the UK. The pharmacy department works very effectively with all the other health care professionals within the hospital. Pharmacists make a lot of clinical interventions that are taken quite seriously by all the doctors.

There is a shortage of pharmacists over in the UK, similar to Australia - and they have even offered me a job here for after I am qualified! This is definitely an experience I will never forget, and it has broaden my outlook on pharmacy to an international level.

Thanks for reading,

Andrew Snow.