Sam is a trainee pharmacist. He failed his first attempt at the exam and was unable to secure an extension to his current placement, or to find other work to support himself, his wife and child through the summer months.
Due to the location of his placement, Sam had been living away from home, which meant that the family had been paying two sets of bills and as a result were already juggling finances. Sam was stressed, not earning, he was unable to cover the cost of his re-sit and was worried about how he was going to support his family and revise.
Pharmacist Support put Sam in touch with our specialist adviser at the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) who made sure he and his family were in receipt of all the benefits to which they were entitled. We provided financial assistance to help with living costs until the exam and provided funds to cover the examination fee.
Even at that stage, all was not straightforward, as Sam explains…
“Having passed the exam, I thought everything would be smooth sailing but that was not to be. The GPhC had misplaced my file and as a result, I experienced a delay in getting onto the register. This was a traumatic experience for me as I was again unable to work and was stressed with bills still to meet.
At this time I again received financial help from the very thoughtful and wonderful staff at Pharmacist Support. They also provided me with a listening friend and put me in touch with the PDA. This really helped me to pull through until I was registered. I have since secured employment in a community pharmacy where I work at the moment. I am having a wonderful time practicing as a Pharmacist. Many thanks for your tremendous support at the time most needed which made a world of difference.”
Pharmacist Support offers financial assistance towards essential expenditure in times of difficulty. It may be provided to pharmacists and their families, trainee pharmacists and MPharm students. If you are currently experiencing financial difficulties, do not hesitate to contact us on 0808 168 2233 or by emailing info@pharmacistsupport.org.We can help you assess whether an application for financial assistance is the best route and discuss what other support might be available for you. We are here to listen and to help in confidence.
If you are struggling with a dependency issue, or if you know of a friend or colleague with a problem, please reach out to us. We are here to support you in complete confidence through our Addiction Support service.
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