Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy Clinical - E00920
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 413-100115-CNS-AK
- Employer
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Pharmacy Clinical - E00920
- Town
- Manchester
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/12/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Lead Education & Training Pharmacy Technician - Clinical Services
Band 6
Job overview
We have an opportunity for a highly motivated, enthusiastic Lead Education and Training pharmacy technician to join our team and work alongside our other Lead Education and Training technicians within the department. The postholder will provide leadership, management and development opportunities to apprentices, pharmacy assistants and pharmacy technicians alongside our other clinical service Lead Education and Training technician and work with the Pharmacy Education and Training Pharmacy team to develop and deliver our Education and Training Strategy.
If you are passionate, like we are, about providing the highest patient care this could be the perfect opportunity to showcase and develop your education and training, management, leadership, and clinical skills. You will need to be self-motivated, passionate and a team player and be able to develop staff within service needs, ensuring a high quality and safe pharmacy service
A recognised pharmacy technician qualification and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council is essential. You will also need to hold a recognised accuracy checking qualification and have completed the educational supervisor training with Health Education England.
We are looking for an individual who is inspirational, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Main duties of the job
You will have responsibility for the design, delivery, and evaluation of education and training for the clinical pharmacy technical team alongside other Lead Education and Training technicians and will support the Chief Clinical Pharmacy Technician to ensure a high standard of pharmacy care is provided to all patients. This will include development of training programmes and all associated documentation You will be expected to work with the minimum of supervision and co-ordinate your activities to ensure that an efficient service is provided. You will be accountable for the education and training of qualified and unqualified pharmacy staff.
The post holder will have line management responsibilities including sickness and absence management and undertaking personal development reviews.
You will be a strong team player with effective interpersonal, communication and organisational skills as well as a keen interest and enthusiasm for patient focussed services and continual improvement.
Although the pharmacy service is based at The Christie Hospital main site, post holders may be required to work at any location across the Greater Manchester and Cheshire Cancer Network. The Trust has a flexible working policy and, subject to service commitments, it may also be possible to support an element of working from home.
Working for our organisation
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Education and Training
- To lead, develop and implement an education and training framework to all technical staff within clinical pharmacy services ensuring a high-quality service is maintained to all key stakeholders.
- To support the Chief Clinical Pharmacy Technician ensuring all pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants and trainees are supported and developed to the correct level through in-house and external training programmes, to achieve competency.
- To assist in the development and review of training packages in collaboration with other lead pharmacy technicians for all technical pharmacy staff working across clinical services ensuring all staff have received appropriate training.
- To develop, monitor and integrate written policies, guidelines, and procedures for training and education.
- To help develop and implement new systems of working to improve service quality and efficiency.
- In collaboration with other Education and Training lead technicians to develop, support and be responsible for PTPTs undertaking the BTEC Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians for registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council to ensure the designated competencies are met within the required timeframes.
- To monitor and support clinical pharmacy assistants undertaking the BTEC level 2 Certificate in the Principles and Practice for support staff.
- To ensure level 2 and 3 candidates successfully achieve their qualifications, within the specified deadline.
- To be the point of contact for all training providers.
- To monitor and support pharmacy technicians undertaking the accuracy checking pharmacy technician qualification ensuring completion within the specified deadline.
- To develop rotations for PTPTs within the four pharmacy services: clinical, aseptic services, clinical trials and the third-party dispensary provider.
- To assist in obtaining funding through HEE for PTPTs and any other training opportunities.
- To mentor, train and supervise staff completing the Band 4 to 5 competency training programme.
- To attend Trust, regional and national training, and meetings, relating to the relevant trainee programme you are responsible for.
- To work with the Education and Training Pharmacy team to develop and deliver on the Education and Training Strategy.
- In collaboration with Education and Training Pharmacy team, collate information on the learning needs for the clinical technician team as identified in PDRs to ensure that a comprehensive departmental Learning Needs Analysis is submitted to the Cancer Institute of Cancer Education.
- To provide education and training support to nursing, medical staff and other members of the multi-professional team, including teaching opportunities for students.
Clinical Services
- The development, implementation, and monitoring of pharmacy technicians, assistants and PTPT input into the clinical service.
- The coordination and management of all ward pharmacy technician, assistant and PTPT activities to maintain defined service standards, including medicine reconciliation, medication provision and patient counselling.
- Monitor the standard of professional work undertaken by clinical pharmacy technicians, assistants and PTPTs in accordance with local and national competency frameworks.
- Maintaining a clinical pharmacy technician role for designated ward(s), advocating patient centred care.
- Attending relevant internal and regional meetings to network, develop standards for clinical pharmacy practice and participate in benchmarking and regional audit.
- Developing and implementing new systems of working to improve service quality and efficiency.
- To actively participate in the MRHA drug recall process, in conjunction with the third-party provider, regarding clinical service implications and resulting communications with the Trust.
General
- To build strong working relationships with regular two-way communication with other lead pharmacy technicians within the clinical service and provide support during periods of absence.
- To assist in the investigation of incidents related to technical pharmacy services in accordance with Trust policies and assess processes to mitigate risk of future incidents.
- To deputise for the Chief Clinical Pharmacy Technician in all aspects of the clinical service.
- Ensure medication errors and incidents are reported and managed according to Trust policy.
- Have the ability to use Microsoft office applications and healthcare software e.g., electronic SACT prescribing systems, EPMA and scheduling software.
- To attend regular training and development opportunities to maintain continuing professional development.
- To be fully aware of COSHH regulations including the handling of cytotoxic and clinical trial materials.
- To contribute to audits of clinical pharmacy services to ensure a high-quality service provision is maintained and to identify future service improvements, developments, or initiatives.
- To participate in weekend working and bank holiday rotas as required by the clinical pharmacy service to meet the needs of the Trust.
Managerial responsibilities
- To oversee the management of pharmacy technicians and clinical pharmacy assistants within the clinical pharmacy service.
- To participate in the recruitment of staff in accordance with recruitment and selection policies and induction programmes.
- Ensure staff have at least one performance and development review annually.
- Ensure staff have their sickness managed in accordance with Trust policies, in particular the Management of Attendance Policy.
- Ensure staff have their education and training needs regularly assessed.
- To support and assist the planning and development of clinical service rotas including weekend and bank holiday rotas.
- Assess and approve annual leave requests for technical clinical staff.
- Lead, direct and motivate staff, acting as a role model and mentor for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants and apprentice pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians.
- To contribute to the provision, co-ordination, and on-going audit of safe, high quality medicines optimisation services to the directorates.
- To act independently within the broad framework of the Medicines Practice Operational Policy.
- To actively contribute to service improvement initiatives and projects within the clinical pharmacy service.
- The duties and hours of the post will be reviewed regularly in accordance with changing practices and procedures of the department and organisation.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
- BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
- GPhC registration
- BTEC Level 4 Professional Diploma in Dispensing Checking or equivalent
- Educational Supervisor accreditation or A1 Assessor or equivalent
- Management qualification or be willing to work towards
Desirable criteria
- BTEC Pharmacy Clinical Services Professional Diploma Level 4
- Member of APTUK
- Member of BOPA
- BOPA SACT Passport holder
Experience
Essential criteria
- Suitable post qualification experience
- Experience of training staff, giving developmental feedback and implementing training plans
- Experience of providing pharmacy professional training, and supporting training for NVQs
- Experience of tutoring, mentoring, supervising staff and trainees
- Setting SMART objectives and creating action plans
- Experience of working within hospital pharmacy
- Experience in supervision of other staff
Desirable criteria
- Experience within the cancer setting
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
- Able to design and deliver training, and facilitate training sessions and meetings
- Ability to turnaround negative situation to have positive outcomes
- Good organisation and time management skills
- Ability to work under pressure, highly organised, work to deadlines
- Ability to manage and implement change
- Fully computer literate in programmes such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- Ability to influence and negotiate with medical, nursing and pharmacy staff
- Ability to recognise own limitations
Desirable criteria
- Presentation skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of the career pathway of a pharmacy technician
- Understanding of available post qualification training and development opportunities for pharmacy staff
- Good working knowledge of medicine optimisation
- Good knowledge of clinical use of medicines
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
- Experience of drug use in oncology setting
Values
Essential criteria
- Able to deal with varied situations with tact and diplomacy
- To show empathy and understanding to staff and patients
- To treat people with dignity and respect
- Professional approach
- Ability to adapt to change and to develop services and systems to meet changing need
- Equality and diversity
Other
Essential criteria
- Participation in weekend working (Saturdays & Sundays) and Bank holiday working rotas
- Flexible working hours as required
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Annmarie McVeigh
- Job title
- Lead Education and Training Pharmacy Technician
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0161 918 8371
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