Skip to main content

This site is independent of the NHS and the Department of Health.

Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Pharmacy
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
282-SB1411
Employer
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Marsden Hospital Chelsea
Town
Chelsea
Salary
£47,951 - £56,863 Per Annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
30/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust logo

Lead Pharmacy Technician

NHS AfC: Band 6

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced pharmacy technician to join our dynamic, innovative, and friendly on site Clinical Pharmacy Team based in Chelsea. This will provide you an opportunity to develop your leadership skills and gain invaluable management experience for a rewarding career. 

The successful applicant will be responsible for the inpatient dispensary service provision and, in conjunction with the Day Unit Lead Pharmacist, delivering and further developing an efficient and accurate clinical pharmacy service to the Day Units. In addition, you will also participate in medicines reconciliation, supporting stock management, counselling patients and general dispensary duties, including dispensing and accuracy checking.

To be successful in this role, you will need to be organised, motivated, have excellent communication skills and be able to adapt quickly to new situations. Registration as a pharmacy technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is essential as well as holding the ACPT accreditation and a nationally recognised medicines optimisation accreditation course.

Please contact Alex Mateer, Lead Pharmacist, Oncology, Chelsea: [email protected] / 0208 642 6011 x 4639, if interested in the post.

Main duties of the job

  • Ensure on-site service provisions of the pharmacy inpatient dispensary and day units are coordinated to a high standard and developed, according to the needs of the Trust.
  • Monitor relevant key performance indicators accurately through audit and report on weekly/monthly basis e.g. workload turnaround times, error monitoring, workload figures.
  • Be responsible for staff allocation in response to changing workload and service delivery requirements. Duties include ensuring that relevant rotas for on-site clinical service delivery are developed and adhered to e.g. day-to-day tasks, evening and weekend shifts are covered. 
  • Lead the training of all levels of staff working in the dispensary.
  • To support other band 6 lead clinical pharmacy technicians on the operational delivery of the medicine’s optimisation services across clinical services, with the support of the team of clinical technicians.
  • To support and drive the implementation of initiatives to improve patient experience related to medicines

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information please refer to the Job Description & Person Specification.

  • Responsible for leading, managing, and co-ordinating the clinical pharmacy team in the daily running of the inpatient dispensary and day units. 
  • Work jointly with the Lead Pharmacy Technician – Inpatient Dispensary and Day Units at Sutton to agree suitable deployment of staff to meet the needs of the hospital on a day-to-day- basis.
  • Work jointly with other Lead Pharmacy Technicians in Chelsea to agree suitable deployment of staff to meet the needs of the hospital on a day-to-day basis.
  • To work closely with the senior pharmacy team to ensure consistent and best practice across the Trust and develop business continuity and support arrangements as necessary.
  • Escalate any operational issues within an appropriate time frame to resolve workflow issues promptly.

  • Ensure SOPs are regularly reviewed and monitored and comply with external standards e.g. ‘Good Dispensing Practice’ guidance from the GPhC, Controlled Drug (CD) regulations and audit regularly to ensure they are being followed, in order to maintain high standards and orderly methods of working.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC
  • Regional Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician
  • HEE LaSE Medicine Optimisation Programme or equivalent
  • Practice supervisor/Educational supervisor certificate / Train the Trainer or equivalent
Desirable criteria
  • Supervisor / Leadership training or equivalent

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant hospital experience as a qualified pharmacy technician
  • Experience of supervising others and providing feedback for development
  • Education & training of staff
  • Experience or organising a service on a day-to–day basis
  • Experience of holding regular team meetings
  • Experience of giving feedback and communicating outcomes to the wider team
  • Procedure development and review
  • Knowledge of medicines management systems at ward level
  • Up to date knowledge of legislation relevant to pharmacy practice, e.g. controlled drugs, Health and Safety at Work
  • Experience of working with oncology patients
Desirable criteria
  • Management of staff
  • Experience of implementing change
  • Experience of recruitment
  • Experience of quality improvement / Project
  • Experience of audit

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Ability to work on site and effectively as part of a team
  • Good time management and organisational skills, ability to prioritise effectively
  • Ability to motivate, engage and train other members of staff
  • Good leadership qualities: able to take responsibility and to delegate effectively
  • Innovative, ability to initiate ideas for improvement
  • • Computing skills: ability to use Microsoft Office applications e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook

Other Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Calm under pressure, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail
  • Adaptable to change
  • Prepared to take responsibility, and able to work without direct supervision
  • Demonstrate initiative: proactive and self-motivated
  • Reliable with a excellent attendance record
  • Compassionate, Pioneering, Collaborative and determined.
  • Supportive of colleagues and other NHS staff to encourage best practice in relation to medicines.
  • Able to work on all sites and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role
  • Able to work late duty, 7 day and weekend rotas

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Trust IDApprenticeships logoLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardDisability confident employerCare quality commission - OutstandingStep into healthMenopause Friendly 2025

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Alex Mateer
Job title
Lead Pharmacist Oncology, Chelsea
Email address
[email protected]
Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies