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Job summary

Main area
Pharmacy
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 2
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
193-7849962NCG
Employer
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Town
Reading
Salary
£24,465 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
06/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust logo

Pharmacy Assistant/Porter

NHS AfC: Band 2

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”

Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements.  The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’.  

We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions

We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate

We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live

We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, we value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills, and experiences to the Trust. When completing your application, we encourage you to highlight your individual achievements and strengths, showing us how they align with the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools during the process, please be mindful that AI-generated responses can often lack the personal detail and relevance needed to demonstrate your suitability for the role. AI generated content is discouraged by the Trust and may diminish the candidates chances of success.

Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us.  We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.  

Job overview

Band 2 Pharmacy Assistant/Porter

The Pharmacy Assistant/Porter undertakes duties in Pharmacy Stores, performing a range of tasks to assist and support the provision of a variety of Pharmacy services, delivering all stock medicines and I.V. Fluids throughout the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Main duties of the job

  • Collect and deliver the Pharmacy Boxes to and from the Wards, Clinics, Departments, and Theatres according to the delivery schedules in operation.
  • Pick IV fluids accurately and pack ready for safe delivery and distribution according to departmental standard operating procedures.
  • Ensure that all deliveries are made securely and that delivery boxes are never left unattended.
  • Receipt and check bulk fluid deliveries twice a week liaising with the Rotational Senior Pharmacy Assistant to book in the goods in CMM and flagging up any discrepancies and issues identified.
  • Count bulk fluids twice a week and liaise with the procurements team for placing orders.
  • Liaise with delivery drivers and sign for deliveries, checking that parcels are labelled correctly and packages requiring special storage are dealt with correctly.
  • Follow standard operating procedures when handling substances subject to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, including deliveries containing dry ice.
  • Report stock discrepancies and assist with cyclical stock takes, following departmental standard operating procedures.
  • Hand over packages containing pharmaceutical stock to internal and contracted staff, obtaining signatures where required and ensuring storage and handling requirements are maintained and communicated.
  • Ensure health and safety regulations are observed.
  • Adhere to Departmental security procedure and NHS Foundation Trust/Pharmacy policies.

Working for our organisation

Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

Our "CARE" values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Resourceful, Excellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the job role.

Person specification

Education, Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria
  • GCSEs at level 4-9 (grade A* - C or equivalent) in Maths, English Language and 2 Science subjects (A)
Desirable criteria
  • NVQ and BTEC Level 2 in Pharmacy Services, OR willing to work towards qualification (A)

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Lifting and Handling; Customer service experience
Desirable criteria
  • Previous working experience

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Ability to prioritise workload and work independently with minimal supervision
  • Able to work under pressure
  • Ability to handle and move up to 20kg
  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Ability to work with a good level of concentration for prolonged periods of time
Desirable criteria
  • Proficient IT and keyboard skills

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Florence Nightingale FoundationNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early due to the application cap imposed.
Candidates to be capped at 30 applications for each whole time equivalent position being recruited to.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Patricia Duldulao
Job title
Lead Pharmacy Technician - Stores and Distribution
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01183228654
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