Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
You will learn how to undertake the different duties of a Pharmacy Technician. Prior pharmacy experience is desirable but not essential. Pharmacy technicians undertake a wide range of duties including dispensing and accuracy checking of prescribed items, medicines reconciliation, providing information to patients and other healthcare professionals, and procurement and issue of medicines.
Successful applicants must be eligible for an apprenticeship:
1. Will be aged 18+ (no upper limit)
2. Must NOT be in any form of formal government-funded education
3. Can hold a degree but not in the area in which the apprenticeship aligns with the pharmacy framework.
4. You must have 4 GCSEs at grade C (or above) or equivalent to include English, Maths, and 2 science subjects
5. You need to be committed to learning and completing coursework to deadlines.
6. You must be able to work accurately, communicate effectively and be confident to move between teams regularlyApplicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria for apprenticeship funding due to prior qualifications may still be considered for this position as a developmental opportunity outside of the apprenticeship pathway. You will be required to bring evidence of academic qualifications to the interview.
Main duties of the job
We have three vacancies – with NELFT NHS Trust. You will gain experience in a range of different pharmacy settings.
This is an innovative two-year apprenticeship that allows successful postholders to learn the pharmacy technician role in a range of rotations in NELFT, inpatient wards, community teams, and the dispensary. You will develop new skills and knowledge whilst working with an established pharmacy team, gaining work experience as well as a recognised apprenticeship qualification. Working hours will reflect the opening times for the setting where you are based.
As part of the programme, you will be working towards a level 3 Diploma in Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians. This is a fixed term contract, however, once you have successfully completed the programme you will be offered a permanent contract and will be able to register as a Pharmacy Technician.
Working for our organisation
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have coproduced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
We are kind.
We are respectful.
We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust.All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes.The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Person specification
Values
Essential criteria
7. Putting people first
Qualifications
Essential criteria
8. 4 GCSE's including Maths, English and Science
Experience
Desirable criteria
9. Previous Pharmacy experience
Skills
Essential criteria
10. Ability to work accurately and communicate effectively
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
11. A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
12. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
13. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
14. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.