Overview
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Pharmacy Technician - Patient Services
The closing date is 18 September 2025
An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced hospital technician to apply for this post. The post-holder will work closely with the Senior Pharmacy Technician team – Patient Services to provide a safe, efficient and responsive dispensary service. The post-holder will take part in medicines management service to wards at WMUH. Work to improve the admission/discharge process by facilitating the safe and efficient supply of medicines to patients. You will provide a final accuracy check to dispensed medication. You will assist in the work processes in the inpatient and outpatient pharmacy. This includes managing workflow and working alongside pharmacy staff to ensure that dispensary services are provided according to all relevant up to date procedures and standards.
The post holder will need to be NVQ Level 3 qualified.
Responsibilities
Main duties
* While ACPT/MMT qualifications are essential for this role, the department is open to applications from non-ACPT/ MMT qualified technicians. If successful, applicants will be paid Band 4 AFC until completion of both the ACPT qualification and In-house MMT validation accreditations. Upon completion and passing, candidates will be placed on the Band 5 pay scale. You must be an experienced technician with good communication skills and have a demonstrated ability to work in a busy dispensary. Please note that, to support 7-day working, this post involves working weekends on a regular basis.
* Dispensing and checking medicines in a busy hospital environment, including wards and clinics.
Dispensary Services
* Accurately identify, select, label using JAC, dispense and distribute drugs (including controlled drugs & clinical trials) for in and out patients prescriptions according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
* Maintain high quality data input of patient information into the pharmacy computer system to ensure excellent labelling standards for dispensed medications.
* Take part in counselling and in the provision of information on medicines to patients, doctors and other health care staff.
* Carry out reception duties, involving dealing with patients, relatives and handling prescription charges.
* Use the computer systems to track prescriptions. Ensure medication is dispensed to meet agreed delivery times and to minimize waiting times for patients.
* Deal with queries from patients and other hospital staff, referring complex issues to supervisor or line manager.
* Ensure that all medicines are stored according to environmental requirements (e.g. temperature) and to required security standards.
* Ensure stock levels of all products are accurate and support the appropriate ordering of stock through liaison with pharmacy purchasing and procurement office.
* Ensure medication is dispensed to meet agreed turnaround times and to minimise waiting times for patients.
* Be a robot super user in order to troubleshoot complex problems and maintain efficient systems within the dispensing process.
* Check prescriptions within the dispensary for accuracy, in line with departmental procedures.
* Dispense and check of clinical trials.
* Contribute to developing systems for service provision, which enhance the efficiency of the dispensary.
* Follow relevant procedures for Medicines Management to deliver the service in a safe and effective manner.
* Responsible for the provision of the Medicines Management service to designated ward areas, which involves working in clinical areas unsupervised.
* Obtain accurate medication histories for patients on admission by liaising with the patient and/or primary care team to support decisions about continued care.
* Implement and maintain the Patients own medicines/ drug (PODs) scheme, for the designated areas (and self-administration where introduced) according to trust policies. This involves checking the suitability of patients own medicines, i.e. correct instructions on label, expiry date, re-labelling if necessary and gaining patient consent for using their own medication.
* Initiate supply of non-stock items for one stop dispensing i.e. ordering medication labelled ready for discharge when appropriate and to ensure a full prescription of at least 14 days of medication for inpatients (agreed appropriate quantities for other areas) is available in each patient’s bedside locker.
* Counsel patients to provide effective and appropriate advice on medication use to ensure understanding of their medication, including benefits and possible side effects. This includes patients with barriers such as hearing problems or language issues.
* Handle queries and complex issues from patients and other hospital staff.
* Address informal/verbal complaints from ward staff or patients in the first instance before appropriate referral to line manager if necessary.
* Coordinate discharge medication, bringing together Patients own medicines and newly dispensed items in advance of patient discharge and support the planning of patient discharge with respect to medication, including transcription of requests for dispensing.
* Participate in and contribute to the development of the extension of the medicines management scheme across all wards in the hospital.
Supervisory and training responsibilities
* Training and supervision of new and rotational staff.
* Deputizing for section/team leaders or senior pharmacy technicians in their absence.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
* NVQ level 3 or BTEC Pharmaceutical Sciences or an equivalent pharmacy technician qualification
* GPHC registration
Experience
* Able to work to standard operating procedures
* Patient Counselling
* Hospital Experience
* Wellsky/ JAC pharmacy computer system experience
Skills and Knowledge
* Good written and oral communication skills
* ability to overcome barriers
* efficient and accurate worker
* ability to work under pressure
* ability to follow procedures and policies
* ability to work under supervision
* ability to supervise and participate in training of others
* good time management
* good team player and demonstrates reliability
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 known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
£32,199 to £43,466 per annum incl. HCAS
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