Job overview
Pharmacy Assistant Rotational – Band 2 (with Band 3 progression)
We are excited to invite applications from enthusiastic, motivated and adaptable pharmacy assistants with good communication and interpersonal skills to join our friendly, dedicated pharmacy team. We will support you to progress your career and learn new skills.
Applicants must hold or be willing to work towards the NVQ level 2 qualification in Pharmacy service skills or equivalent.
Essential criteria for apprenticeship funding eligibility:
1. Aged 16 or above
2. Resident in the UK/EU for the last 3 years.
3. Must hold a GCSE in Maths & English (Grade A*-C/9-5 OR functional skills in Maths and English
4. Must not hold a Level 3 qualification or above in the same training subject
5. Must not already be in any form of formal government funded education.
Main duties of the job
We require rotational pharmacy assistants to work in our busy dispensary providing a range of dispensing duties for patients at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. The post holder will also work within the receipt and distribution team on a rotational basis.
The post holders will also be offered the opportunity to undertake ward based training. This will provide you with the skills to work alongside the pharmacy team at ward level within the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Your role will include checking Patient's Own Drugs and Transcribing medications for supply.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme, for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop. We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
Duties within the dispensary include:
• Labelling and dispensing of medicines including blister packs
• Reception duties
Duties within receipt and distribution include:
• Receipt and storage of medicines including expiry date checks
• Replenishment of ward stock
• Delivering medicines to wards when needed
Please see Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
6. Customer service experience
7. Experience of working in a team
8. Good level of literacy and numerical skills and ability to perform pharmaceutical calculations
Desirable criteria
9. Experience of working within a hospital pharmacy
10. NVQ Level 2 in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent
11. 5 GCSE's at grade A*-C (including maths, english language and science)
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
12. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
13. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications