Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Pharmacy Technician
The closing date is 10 October 2025
We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated GPhC Registered Pharmacy Technicians to join our Dispensary team.
You will be working in our busy Pharmacy ensuring the timely flow of work through our busy dispensaries. You will be responsible for dispensing prescriptions, monitoring the receipt, dispensing and auditing of Controlled drugs and for counselling our Outpatients on the safe and effective use of their medicines.
The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and are subject to change
Main duties
To label and dispense prescriptions, monitor the supply and use of controlled drugs and participate in the provision of a safe and effective Pharmacy Service.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our services:
* Acute Care — Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
* Primary Care — Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
* Community Services — Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
* Specialist Regional Services — We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
* Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
* Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
* National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Job responsibilities
* To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
* To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
* To dispense controlled drug prescriptions and record according.
* To assist in the receipt of controlled drugs.
* To assist in stock control within the pharmacy, wards, departments and clinics.
* To transcribe information from medicines kardexes on wards and liaise with ward staff on the appropriate supply of non-stock medication.
* To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions.
* To take payment for prescriptions according to the departmental procedure.
* To maintain an accurate balance of cash in the dispensary tills and cash up at the end of the day.
* To communicate with patients regarding their own medication that they have brought into the hospital and the continuation of supply.
* To assist in the preparation and assembly of supplies for delivery to wards and departments.
* To counsel patients on the correct use of their medication and assess their understanding of the medicines and devices prescribed.
* To extemporaneously dispense medicines, occasionally using specific equipment (e.g. fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures. Weighing and measuring must be accurate as there are narrow margins for errors.
* To assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties.
* To co-operate in the provision of an efficient and cost-effective service.
* To answer phone calls and queries from patients and other health care professionals.
* To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
* To assist in the preparation and assembly of resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes according to trust policy.
* To participate as necessary in weekend, evening, bank holiday and on call rotas in response to the changing needs of the service.
* To participate in the band 4 rota to the dispensary at St Helens.
Clinical & Professional Responsibilities
* To work to the code of ethics and standards of practice as laid down by the General Pharmaceutical Council.
* To maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
* To use the CMM computer system and input data responsibly and accurately for all duties requiring its use (e.g., labelling, ordering and stock control).
* To record any information and assist in the compilation of any data necessary including ordering inpatient medication, transcribing medicine kardexes to order forms (one stop dispensing sheets) accurately.
To participate in individual performance review and continuing education programs in order to maintain and improve standards of service.
To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
* To comply with and ensure that all other pharmacy staff under his/her control comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs both within the pharmacy and in all other areas of the trust.
To assist in audit research projects to improve and develop the service provision.
Person specification
Qualifications
* BTEC NC/NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Service skills or an equivalent qualification recognised by the GPhC
* Must be registered with The General Pharmaceutical Council, or be a final year Trainee Pharmacy Technician about to successfully qualify and register within the next 3 months.
Experience
* Experience working in a Pharmacy setting
* Experience of Working with computer systems
* Experience in using the CMM (JAC) Pharmacy Computer System
Skills
* Maintains professional behaviour and upholds professional standards at all times
* Good verbal and communication skills both face to face and using telephones
* Ability to talk to patients, staff and other senior health care professionals
* Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
* Good administration skills including record-keeping
* Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and able work under pressure
* Hardworking with a determination to overcome obstacles
* Self-motivated with the ability to motivate the team performance to achieve objectives
* Reliable and well organised with good time management skills
Other
* Ability to work at both St Helens Hospital and Whiston Hospital as needed
* Present professional image/appearance
* Supportive of colleagues of all grades
* Ability to participate in the departmental rota for late working
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and, as such, it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum pro rata
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