What is the salary for NHS pharmacy Band 5 roles?

NHS Band 5 roles pay between £32,073 and £39,043 per year under the 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay scale, plus additional payments for unsocial hours, on-calls, and high-cost area supplements.

What qualifications do I need for NHS pharmacy Band 5 jobs?

Band 5 roles require a relevant degree and professional registration (NMC for nurses, HCPC for allied health professionals, etc.). These are the entry-level positions for newly qualified practitioners.

What qualifications do I need to work as an NHS pharmacist?

An MPharm degree from a GPhC-accredited university, completion of pre-registration training, and GPhC registration. Clinical pharmacist posts increasingly expect or prefer an independent prescribing qualification and postgraduate clinical diploma.

What is the salary range for NHS pharmacists?

Under the 2026/27 pay scale, NHS pharmacists typically start at Band 6 (approximately £40,000-£48,000), with senior clinical pharmacists at Band 7 (£49,000-£57,000) and principal/consultant pharmacists at Band 8 (£58,000+).

Band 5 Pharmacy Jobs in the NHS

49 live vacancies at this grade · 38 NHS employers · salary £32,073 - £39,043

Open Positions

£31k - £47k

Salary Range

NHS Trusts

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What to expect from Band 5 Pharmacy roles

Band 5 is where most newly qualified registered professionals start: nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, dietitians, and others. Posts involve autonomous clinical practice under supervision, with progression to Band 6 typically after 2-4 years. For pharmacy candidates, this usually means matching the advertised responsibilities to your evidence before applying: the same band can cover different service settings, rota patterns, and levels of supervision across NHS employers.

Job Clerk is currently tracking 49 live band 5 pharmacy vacancies across 38 NHS employers. Use this page to compare the broad market, then narrow into a city page when you need local salary expectations, employers, and closing-date pressure.

Recent salary data for band 5 pharmacy roles ranges from about £31,049 to £46,852 per year, depending on employer, setting, rota pattern, and high-cost area supplements.

Band expectations

Professional registration with the relevant body (NMC, HCPC, GPhC)
Degree-level qualification approved by your regulator
Evidence of clinical competence from placements or supervised practice
Readiness to manage an autonomous caseload under supervision

Role evidence to prepare

Medicines optimisation and safety interventions on ward rounds
Independent prescribing within scope of competence (where qualified)
Antimicrobial stewardship and formulary compliance
Clinical checking and risk-based dispensary oversight

Typical requirements

GPhC registration (or pending for foundation trainees)
Independent prescribing qualification (essential or desirable for most Band 7+ clinical roles)
Postgraduate clinical diploma or equivalent (for specialist roles)
Foundation training year completion

Hiring locations

Current band 5 pharmacy demand is visible in Dartford, Ashford, Stockton-on-Tees, Edinburgh, and Blackburn. Location pages help you compare local trusts, travel expectations, and live job counts before applying.

Employer mix

Recent listings include employers such as NHS Professionals Limited, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Lothian, and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Review each advert for the person specification, application method, and whether the post closes early after enough applications.

Band 5 Pharmacy Jobs by City

Browse band 5 pharmacy jobs in the UK's biggest NHS hubs.

Band 5 Pharmacy in London

Where Band 5 Pharmacy Roles Are Hiring

Dartford, South East3 jobs

Ashford, South East2 jobs

Stockton-on-Tees, North East2 jobs

Edinburgh, Scotland2 jobs

Blackburn, North West1 jobs

Bradford, Yorkshire & Humberside1 jobs

Barnet, London1 jobs

Crewe, North West1 jobs

Birmingham, West Midlands1 jobs

Darlington, North East1 jobs

Colchester, East1 jobs

Carshalton, London1 jobs

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