Guides · Updated 13 October 2026
Your first session at a new pharmacy. A checklist for the day.
Every pharmacy does things slightly differently, and on your first day there nobody has time to explain. A few minutes of preparation saves most of the surprises.
Before the day
- Confirm the date, the hours, the rate and the payment terms in writing.
- Ask which dispensing system they use and which services you will be expected to provide.
- Check the address, parking and who to ask for when you arrive.
- Have your ID, your registration number, your smartcard and your indemnity details with you.
When you arrive
- Arrive early enough to look round before the doors open.
- If you are the responsible pharmacist, display your notice and sign in to the record.
- Find the standard operating procedures and read the ones you will rely on.
- Find the controlled drugs cabinet, the keys and the register.
- Meet the team and ask who usually does what.
During the day
Write down anything you were not sure about and anything you left unfinished. Take the break you agreed. If something is not right, say so at the time and make a note of it.
Before you leave
- Leave a handover note for the next pharmacist.
- Sign out of the responsible pharmacist record and return the keys.
- Note the hours you actually worked, if they differ from the booking.
Then the admin
Log the session and send the invoice the same day, while the hours and the details are fresh. In Locbase that is the session logged with its place, times and rate, and the invoice sent from it before you have left the car park.
Questions
What should a locum pharmacist take to a new pharmacy?
Photo ID, your registration number, your NHS smartcard if you will provide NHS services, and your indemnity details. Have your DBS details to hand as well.
When should I send the invoice?
The same day. The payment period starts when the invoice arrives, so sending it promptly is the simplest way to be paid sooner.
How early should a locum pharmacist arrive?
Early enough to find the procedures, the controlled drugs cabinet and the keys before the doors open. Fifteen minutes is usually enough.
What if the pharmacy is not as described?
Raise it at the time with whoever booked you, and make a note of it with the session.
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This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with HMRC or a qualified accountant.