Kamsons Pharmacy Employee Reviews

The company is growing rapidly and has lost some of the identity of being a family. Upper management and owners are great. Middle management ok, but a little 'clicky'. Some pharmacy managers fantastic, some terrible. Like all sectors suffer from recruitment and retention of experienced competent staff, quite often cover is students who haven't a clue. All in all, not bad company at all though.

Pros

Family business who value staff

Cons

Chronic short-staff problems

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Great place to work

Health Care Assistant (Current Employee) - London, Greater London - 1 June 2023

I've been working for kamsons pharmacy for over 12 years and find it to be a lovely company to work for.It's a busy pharmacy at times but I find it rather rewarding.

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Insights into Kamsons Pharmacy

Based on 35 survey responses

What people like

Ability to learn new things
Inclusive work environment
Clear sense of purpose

Areas for improvement

Fair pay for job

Fast paced and can often be stressful but management understanding, fair and supportive.

Pharmacist Manager (Former Employee) - Bognor Regis - 5 February 2023

Community pharmacy is hard work, unfortunately it is the nature of the job. It is busy, fast-paced and often very stressful, and similar to every other job recruitment is difficult, but I really enjoyed my time working there.Unlike some other pharmacy chains, management are all pharmacists and so they understand the challenges involved in the job, and the priority for patient safety over any targets. Certainly in the area I worked, there was a good support network between other managers and area manager approachable and very helpful. Also plenty of support available from head office. Pharmacists/managers generally work for Kamsons for prolonged periods of time which speaks for itself.My experience of working for Kamsons was an overwhelmingly positive one. Salary is average to good, bonus scheme for managers good, but other considerations such as poor pension, basic statutory maternity pay, basic statutory sick pay only.

Pros

Supportive workplace environment, great people; not driven towards targets

Cons

Depending on location/hours, can be long days sometimes with a very brief lunch; often stressful; poor benefits

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Hailsham kamsons

Pharmacy Counter Assistant (Former Employee) - Hailsham, East Sussex - 15 December 2022

Do not waste your time in working here. Manager didn't interview me, instead it was carried out by another member off staff. Manager at hailsham failed to acknowledge or introduce himself on first day, not acknowledged by other staff. No induction expected to do it all. Very dirty, no structure, very messy and untidy.

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Not bad workplace however they employ bullies

Pharmacy Dispenser (Former Employee) - Manchester - 19 November 2022

Work balance was ok enjoyed the job however when you raised complaints about a Bully and multiple people did , it just gets swept under the rug. Nobody should have to go to work to put up with a bully who talk down to you and have problems with everything you do. Myself and few others have left the company due to this and nothing has been done or even reported to higher up when we have raised it to our manager. Getting out was the better option.

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They encourage and teach us everything

Health Care Assistant (Current Employee) - Haywards Heath - 24 July 2022

As a freshers of this industry. They taught me everything relating to my role Given me proper training and encourage me to learn about Role of HCANice place to work with friendly environment

Pros

Cons

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Fast-paced but enjoyable

Dispensing Assistant (Current Employee) - East Sussex - 21 July 2022

Pharmacy is extremely busy, especially post pandemic however Kamsons are a good company and are much more supportive than competitors that I have worked for.

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Overall lovely company to work for

Dispensing Assistant (Former Employee) - Pulborough, West Sussex - 16 June 2022

Everyone is so lovely, and friendly from head office to management. Always help if needed and a chance for progressive roll. I didnt feel overall appreciated towards the end and after covid I was exhausted and the pay for the work we had endured wasn't enough to make me stay. I really did love where I worked and was sad to go but was definitely the best pharmacy company I think to work for.

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Busy and stressful

Pharmacy Technician (Former Employee) - West Sussex - 18 April 2022

I worked for this company for a number of years but in the end you had to be good friends with the management to be prompted further. It used to be very well run and personally I found the owners amazing but as they have grown the area managers changed and were not approachable if you had an issue

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Excellent company

Technician (Current Employee) - West Sussex - 2 April 2022

I have worked with Kamsons pharmacy since 10 years. Management support is one of the best in the industry, If you want to build your career this is the best company to work with. Excellent support from all the managing staff.

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Jobs at Kamsons Pharmacy

See more jobs

Pharmacy Healthcare Assistant

Clapham

6 days ago

Pharmacy Healthcare Counter Assistant

Hove

30+ days ago

Pharmacy Delivery Driver (Redhill, Surrey)

Redhill

12 days ago

Pharmacy Healthcare Assistant

Crawley

20 days ago

Pharmacy Healthcare Assistant

Haywards Heath

20 days ago

Decent company but underpaid

Delivery Driver (Former Employee) - Brighton, East Sussex - 1 April 2022

Overall experience with the people at Kamsons was good - I just feel that the job is underpaid and pharmacy teams are often understaffed, which explains the high turnover.As a driver there was quite a lot of pressure on you to deliver medicine without mistakes. Some days were relaxed, but it could be stressful when overloaded with deliveries. 45p a mile for fuel was good, but drivers are essentially working for minimum wage with no possibility of promotion.

Pros

Lovely staff & company meals

Cons

Repetitive work

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Fast paced, great staff, stressful at times

Healthcare Assistant/Trainee Dispensing Assistant (Former Employee) - Chichester, West Sussex - 10 March 2022

I loved this job and learnt a lot during my time here but unfortunately the money just wasn't worth it for the stress I was under. Everyone was working extra hard during covid and it was such a stressful environment. The staff here deserve more credit and a pay rise.

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Avoid this company

Dispensing Assistant (Current Employee) - West Sussex - 23 February 2022

If you are the type of person to have an opinion or speak up when you feel something isn't right you will not last long in Kamsons. They like YES people. Different rules for different staff which makes for low morale. If your face fits and you put up and shut up you will be fine. Poor management, lazy management, no leadership, Management do not set a good example when they set rules but dont actually follow them themself, no duty of care when staff have health issues or personal issues. Pay doesn't reflect all the training one has to do. Our work load during the pandemic spiralled out of control due to the Gps not seeing patients but there was no gratuity for any of the staff. Morale is at an all time low currently. The area manager does not know what is going on in different pharmacies as alot of wrong doings are covered up in house.

Pros

Free uniform but not enough for a full time worker

Cons

Pay doesn't reflect the ongoing training

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Do not work for this company.

Pharmacy Dispenser (Former Employee) - East Sussex - 16 February 2022

Appalling management higher up, and one of the worst paying pharmacies as they do not keep up with the rate increases or review your pay. Some of the staff are expected to take on so much responsibilities while others get away with doing bare minimum which gets overlooked especially if they are favoured. Management do not listen to you or help with any issues which just leaves you feeling unsupported and worthless. Some stores are overstaffed leaving people to stand around doing nothing while other stores are under staffed and struggling with an extremely heavy workload. People are constantly being signed off work with stress from working in some of their stores, they have a high staff turn over because employees do not get valued or listened to.

Pros

None

Cons

Terrible pay rate, Inequality between genders, Work issues and complaints do not get addressed or resolved, Some awful pharmacists and managers, Lack of support, communication and organisation.

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Fast paced and short staffed

Pharmacy Dispenser (Current Employee) - East Sussex - 24 January 2022

Lack of staff makes it incredibly hard to do your job. Especially when some senior management disregard the amount of stress your branch is under.

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Fast paced and innovative company

Locum Pharmacist (Former Employee) - Crawley, West Sussex - 14 January 2022

If you are looking for a fast paced and stimulating job- then the Kamsons Crawley shops are it. I have worked in Kamsons in South gate and in Broadfield a few times and these are 100% places i would go back to.Unlike other big companies, Kamsons is innovative and very forward thinking especially in its operations. They are always well staffed and always have the correct technology to make jobs and lives easier. I only managed to work at Broadfield for a short time and was impressed with how functional the team was and how collaborative all the Crawley shops were. You definitely feel like you are part of a wider community. Also I received support not only from head office- but also from Kamsons pharmacists working in the local area. Having someone in the same profession nearby to offer advice is really handy especially if you’re newly qualified. Additionally I had a very hands-on area manager who was easily contactable if there was any queries or issues and readily helped me solve them. With Kamsons, technical and managerial support are phone calls away and from my own experience, with other companies- this is never the case.I think as a pharmacist, it’s so easy to feel so isolated but with Kamsons you’re never really alone and you always have that support when needed.

Pros

Bonuses Mileage paid Locum pay on time Great staff

Cons

Long hours Some shops don’t have parking Disrance

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Family run company, positive and uplifting environment

Pre-registration Pharmacist (Former Employee) - Redhill, Surrey - 14 January 2022

Worked at Kamsons as a pre registration pharmacist. Working at Kamsons pharmacy is an amazing learning experience and equips you with all the knowledge you need to know to manage a pharmacy and also be a successful pharmacist. I absolutely loved my team at Redhill and everyone is so hard-working and so supportive. Happy to have spent the year in a friendly and understanding environment especially in such a stressful year. My manager/tutors were fantastic and I received so much support from head office from first week tutorials and learning materials right until the exam.

Pros

Support Well staffed Great team

Cons

Long hours

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One of the best phamacy employers I’ve come across

Pharmacist (Current Employee) - Sussex & Kent - 28 December 2021

Family owned company which is owned and run by pharmacists- so it has a strong professional ethos with a patient rather than a profit focus. I like the way that you are trusted and given autonomy to run the pharmacy as if it was your own but with good support from a senior pharmacist area manager if you need it. They invest in better staffing levels than most other pharmacy companies I see and there is low staff turnover. It makes such a difference to work in a pharmacy with a good atmosphere and well-trained staff.

Pros

Christmas bonus, generous bonus for flu vaccinations and NMS, pharmacy team bonus for going out with colleagues, decent pharmacist salaries

Cons

It’s a full-on day but does go quickly

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No Headoffice support only criticism

Pharmacy Manager (Former Employee) - Luton, Bedfordshire - 16 October 2021

Worked for the company for 12 years with absolutely no support from head office and management. No area manager to support for 18 years and finally when one is assigned would turn up at the pharmacy on my days off to basically intoregated staff about how the pharmacy was managed which made the collegues uneasy. In the end pharmacy staff (excluding some favourites) are just numbers. Ideas and suggestions to improve business were not good unless they originated from the previledged few at senior level. Staff turnover was mimimum but in the last 24months it is 90% at the branch should be an indication. Loyalty worked one way expected loyalty from staff but not reciprocated.

Pros

Ok if you are fine being just a number

Cons

Extra long hours

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Brilliant teams but overall a poor picture

Health Care Assistant (Former Employee) - Brighton, East Sussex - 7 September 2021

So I loved my team in the shop I worked at a lot. We all got on and they worked as hard as anyone to keep the place running smoothly. The problem with Kamsons is the management on all higher levels. Huge staff shortages meant the rest of us were often over worked, but no one seemed to ever question why people left so frequently in the first place. Pay was atrocious for the responsibility held, and progression only seems to be an option if you're in with the right crowd. A shame because on an in-store level the team really shined.

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Brilliant company to work for

Pharmacy Dispenser (Former Employee) - Boscombe - 6 September 2021

Kamsons is a fair and incentive employer to work for. I worked for this company for a short amount of time but during the time I was here I was treated with respect , acknowledged for my hard work and always felt as part of a team. Compared to many of the other pharmacies I’ve worked in - this is sure the best. Only downfall was the wage which is just under some of the higher chains but makes a difference.