Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated pharmacy technician to join the existing, inclusive and dedicated team of Pharmacy Technician at The Royal Sussex County Hospital.
The Pharmacy Technician team at UHSussex is a growing, dynamic and skilled workforce, with the successful candidate joining a unified and developing team of 150+ Pharmacy Technicians and Assistant Technical Officers across multiple sites. The successful candidate can expect a supported induction period, training and development opportunities, clear leadership and management, including governance and structures and an expanding health and wellbeing focus to support a highly engaged technical workforce
If you are already a Band 5 Pharmacy Technician within the NHS, and can demonstrate the required competencies, you could be appointed into a Band 5 role immediately. However we are offering a comprehensive training package which will develop your skills in order for you to progress from a Band 4 to 5 Pharmacy Technician.
Please note we would welcome applications from pre-registration Pharmacy Technicians due to qualify and register in 2025.
We welcome applications from those who are looking for full time and part time work and we are open to discussions around hours and shift patterns.
Main duties of the job
If, upon completion of the training provided, you are able to demonstrate the required competencies you will progress into a Band 5 Pharmacy Technician position.
On a three month rotation you may experience work in Acute and General Medicine, Care of the Elderly, Trauma surgery, ENT surgery, Digestive Diseases, Vascular, Stroke, Respiratory, Women's and Children's health. For each rotation you will be assigned a practice supervisor and your development will be supported using our internal appraisal system with your designated educational supervisor.
You will be involved in the provision and development of medicines management services, and will check patients' own medicines, take drug histories, initiate further supplies, counsel patients on their medicines and help to co-ordinate discharge.
You will also work in our busy dispensaries using our automated supply system (pharmacy robot). You will label, dispense, and check prescriptions for in-patients, TTOs and out-patients.
Comprehensive in-house training will be provided including working towards achieving an accreditation as an ACPT. Support from dedicated, experienced facilitators will be provided to enable you to progress and work towards achieving this qualification.
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
One of our existing rotational technicians describes the role - “it’s a busy acute trust and you have to work hard, however we get fantastic experience and exposure and a sense of being able to contribute to something special whilst being supported”
As well as the standard stuff you get for turning up for work (pay, experience, training, being part of a team), we are based on the South Coast by the sea and the beautiful South Downs, with great recreational and social opportunities.
You will need to be caring, responsible and highly motivated with good inter-personal communication and IT skills. You should be good at working in a team and under pressure, at problem solving, meeting deadlines and at supporting staff in their development.
Pharmacy Role-Specific Duties
Dispensing duties:
1. Prepare labels using the pharmacy computer system (JAC) from a requisition/prescription for both in-patients and out-patients, ensuring accurate data entry.
2. Dispense for in-patients and out-patients from a requisition/prescription ensuring each item is accurately dispensed, and in the correct packaging, according to SOPs.
3. Accurately record the batch numbers and expiry dates of named patient medications, unlicensed medications and human blood products according to pharmaceutical SOPs and national requirements.
4. To perform the final accuracy, check on dispensed items, from clinically screened prescriptions, on completion of National Accreditation – Accredited Checking Technician course.
Please see Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
Person specification
Qualification
Essential criteria
5. NVQ level 3 - Pharmacy Services or equivalent (or working towards)
Desirable criteria
6. ES qualified
7. Line Management experience
8. Hospital experience
9. Accuracy checking pharmacy technician accreditation
10. Medicines management trained
Professional Registration
Essential criteria
11. Registered (or eligible to) register with the GPhC
Skills
Essential criteria
12. Excellent written and oral skills for communicating with pharmacy team members, public and other healthcare professionals.
13. Demonstrate the ability to work well as a team member.
14. pharmaceutical knowledge – actions and uses of medicines.
15. Must be able to recognise and overcome barriers to understanding e.g. language, deaf, learning difficulties.
16. Prioritise any urgent requests, communicating the urgency to the pharmacy dispensary, to ensure timely receipt of medications to the patients.
17. Numeracy skills for calculation of doses of medicines and quantities of medicines required for supply.
18. Demonstrates initiative and problem-solving skills.
Desirable criteria
19. Knowledge and experience of undertaking drug histories and counselling of patients’
20. Dispensing of medication, including assembly of blister packs.
21. Undertake specialist counselling for warfarin and other drugs, and discharge counselling.
22. Communicate technical information regarding savings plans, including audit, and feedback.
23. Evaluate data from audits, make recommendations for service improvement and communicate findings (verbally and written report)
24. Implement the rota for technical staff in dispensary and at ward level and organise supervision of pharmacy assistants and pre-registration pharmacy technicians in the dispensary
25. Implement changes to ward-based pharmacy services at ward level.
26. Implement SOPs within the pharmacy technician teams and recommend changes to dispensing
27. Experience of supervising pharmacy staff within a pharmacy dispensary setting or at ward level
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential criteria
28. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
29. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
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