From the High Street to the Wards: My Journey from Community Pharmacy to Hospital Pharmacy

I started my pharmacy journey back in 2005 when I began my MPharm degree at the University of Manchester. Around the same time, I landed my first job in pharmacy as a weekend counter assistant at Lloyds Pharmacy, like many students, I got my first taste of the sector through the community route.

After graduating in 2009, I secured a pre-registration placement at The Co-operative Pharmacy in Eccles, based in a busy health centre. I threw myself into that year, and I was fortunate to be kept on as a Pharmacist Manager once I qualified.

Over the next decade, I progressed through various roles in community pharmacy. I worked hard, developed my skills, and took on increasing responsibility, from running branches to eventually becoming the first ever Digital Pharmacist at Well Digital. On paper, things were going well.

But if I’m honest, I knew deep down from day one that community pharmacy wasn’t the right fit for me.

Retail just didn’t suit me. It wasn’t what I trained for. I wanted to use my clinical knowledge, to feel part of a patient’s journey, to contribute more meaningfully and in community, despite all the good it does, I often felt disconnected from the clinical side of care.

Things shifted when I moved into a digital role. I finally felt engaged again, but I still wasn’t where I wanted to be. That’s when I started thinking seriously about changing careers.

I came across a role in EPMA (Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration) at The Royal Bolton Hospital. It was a big decision. Leaving a stable career path in community for something completely new felt risky. I’d heard the same stories many of you have probably heard:

“It’s too hard to move into hospital”

“You’ll struggle without clinical experience”

“Hospitals won’t take you seriously”

“The wages are not as good”

I had all the same anxieties. I hadn’t clinically screened a prescription since university. I didn’t know the hospital systems. I didn’t know if I’d cope.

But I also had support, from friends and colleagues who had worked in hospital before, who encouraged me to take the leap. One friend even gifted me two Oxford Clinical Handbooks to help me find my footing on the wards, and I’ll never forget that kindness. They made a real difference.

I prepared as much as I could, worked hard, and didn’t give up. And the result?

I’ve never looked back.

Hospital pharmacy suits me down to the ground. I love being able to help patients directly. I love applying my clinical knowledge in a way that makes a difference. And I love that feeling, when you know your intervention, your recommendation, your presence on a ward mattered.

If you’re a community pharmacist who feels stuck, or like something’s missing, I get it. I’ve been there. And I want to help.

That’s why I created a free learning program right here on The EPMA Hub:

🎓 How to Move from Community Pharmacy to Hospital Pharmacy: A Guide for Community Pharmacists

It is based on everything I learned (and wished I’d known), including real talk about the transition, the challenges, and how to prepare. It’s free, and I made it specifically for pharmacists like you.

If you’ve got questions or want advice, feel free to get in touch, I genuinely enjoy helping people take this step. And if you’re exploring EPMA and wondering how it fits into real-world clinical care, trust me: it all starts to make more sense when you’re working on the wards.

You’ve got the skills.

You’ve got the experience.

Now you just need to make the move.