Walgreens Boots Alliance Employee Reviews about "pharmacist"

Pros

A large corporate with decent peer support and some fantastic individuals that work at various levels. The pharmacist managers, or those with pharmacy background are leaving in droves and the workforce is being de-skilled. The non-pharmacist management is highly varied in its capability to lead such a large pharmacy brand - with recent experience being disastrous, but past experience being extremely good. It is obvious to see working day to day on the job. From the outside, its amazing peers and dispensary staff at all levels that keeps most of our local stores afloat. The public may catch on soon. I just hope that the diligent and skilled governance managers working at area and regional level are fighting strongly to maintain a 'pharmacy led' health and beauty aspect of this so-called heritage British institution.

Cons

You are a cog in a huge machine, that is relentlessly marching towards something you ''won't recognise in 10 years'' (#quote from C&D), consequences be damned. The pharmacist forum, internal networking and raising concerns does little to mitigate the damage done to the local population that you serve. To make this sound less harsh, I would like to stress that change, which revitalises a workplace and challenges practice in order to improve the proficiency, professionalism, reputation and future-proofing the pharmacy profession is good. However I am put off by the middle management disregard for genuine (i.e. those that walk the talk) work done on the ground by all the hard working dispensing team.

Pros

Good managers, well developed best practices for efficient work procedures, well-known brand, modern facilities, Fortune 500 company, large network of pharmacies, good technicians kept and valued.

Cons

Working overtime for free unavoidable, but should not be done. Cutthroat competition for all positions, bare-bones operations in terms of clerks and technicians, pharmacists can thrive if work efficiently, have quick hands, can multitask.

Pros

Good pay Good amount of holidays Flexible hours Great canteen facilities Lots of friendly colleagues

Cons

Age discrimination (especially towards young workers) Hostile 'professional staff '- ACPTs, Pharmacists and Engineers Management can be unfair and often times lack good communication Lots of over ambitious colleagues clinging onto tiny bits of power from extra responsibilities Working environment can be toxic at times especially due to all the cynical attitudes there Training and NVQ attainment is a sluggish and unorganised process (if you aren't full time it's even worse)

Pros

I really enjoyed the interview and was looking forward to joining the Company

Cons

I started my new job with Boots as a Pharmacy Dispenser on Monday and left never to return on Thursday evening! Although I am a trained and qualified pharmacy dispenser I was new to Boots. My first day consisted of being left on my own in a small office to go through all the legals on the computer. I wasn’t phased by this as I realised pretty quickly the place was short staffed and I’m a big girl I don’t need babysitting. I had high hopes for Tuesday! Went in only to be taken to a room upstairs and told to dispense weekly prescriptions. There was no equipment and I wasn’t shown where anything was. Anyway, I got on and did it. The afternoon was spent in the dispensary downstairs dispensing prescriptions. Stock was left in boxes and not put away so I had to trawl through loads of stock to find the right meds. This took ages! Has Wednesday off. Went in Thursday only to find I was expected to cover the front of the dispensary with 5 minutes training on systems! Not surprisingly I didn’t do well! Back to trawling through boxes and the pharmacist moaning about being behind!!! Never going back. Don’t work for Boots.

Pros

Good wages and a good staff.

Cons

They wanted to perform tasks that were not for a pharmacist. No support from the store manager

Pros

Flexible schedules and good work environment.

Cons

Not enough technician help, too much work overwhelming the pharmacist especially in busy stores