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Job summary

Main area
Specialist Technician Aseptic Services
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 08:45 to 17:00)
Job ref
411-MED-25-7323628
Employer
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Town
West Derby
Salary
£29,970 - £36,483 per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
18/08/2025 23:59
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust logo

Specialist Technician Aseptic Services

NHS AfC: Band 5

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care and has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

  • Great flexible working opportunities
  • Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
  • Generous annual leave and pension scheme
  • Extensive staff health and well-being programmes

Job overview

You will play a key role in supervising Assistant Technical Officers (ATOs) and Pharmacy Technicians within the cleanroom, ensuring adherence to aseptic procedures and the safe preparation of products for both inpatient and outpatient use. This includes performing assembly checks, maintaining procedural compliance, and promoting best practices in aseptic technique. Therefore, excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and strong organisational abilities are essential.
In addition to supervisory duties, you will contribute to the continuous improvement of the service through the development of new worksheets (in line with approved templates), the review and updating of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and the planning and coordination of daily workloads. This role requires a proactive team player who can also work independently, with a positive mindset and a commitment to delivering a high-quality, patient-centred service within set deadlines.
Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is a mandatory requirement for this position.

Main duties of the job

You will play a key role in planning and coordinating the day-to-day workload within the Aseptic Services Unit (ASU). This includes receiving and processing emails and prescriptions, managing entries into the ASU diary, and supporting the smooth operation of daily tasks. Strong communication and IT skills are essential for maintaining accuracy and efficiency in this fast-paced environment.
Your responsibilities will also include:
- Accurately printing worksheets and labels for aseptic preparation, ensuring all documentation aligns with relevant prescriptions and protocols.
- Developing new worksheets for the preparation of products within the ASU using approved templates.
- Performing pre-process accuracy checks on assembled components, in line with authorised worksheets.
- Conducting in-process accuracy checks for CIVAS, Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), and cytotoxic products within the cleanroom, to ensure compliance with quality and safety standards.

Meticulous attention to detail, a methodical approach, and a commitment to delivering high-quality service are all essential attributes for success in this role.

Working for our organisation

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a centre of excellence in specialist paediatric care and is recognised as one of the largest and busiest children's hospitals in Europe. Within its state-of-the-art facilities, the Pharmacy Aseptic Services Unit plays a vital role in supporting clinical care.
The aseptic team is comprised of dedicated Assistant Technical Officers (ATOs), Pharmacy Technicians, and Pharmacists, working collaboratively to deliver high-quality, safe, and timely medicines. The unit prepares approximately 1,300 items per month, including CIVAS (Central Intravenous Additive Services), parenteral nutrition (PN), Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT), and cytotoxic preparations. In addition, the unit houses a dedicated suite for the preparation of Advanced Therapy Investigational Medicinal Products (ATIMPs), reinforcing Alder Hey’s commitment to innovation and research in paediatric healthcare.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication 
 
1. Liaise closely with the Authorised/Accountable Pharmacist, the Senior Technician and the Senior ATO with regard to staffing and skill mix.
2. Responsible for reporting Aseptic isolator faults. 
3. Responsible for reporting and identifying risks in the isolator cleanroom and supporting the implementation of change to maintain a safe environment.
4. Responsible for ensuring that any defective products are reported to the Aseptic Senior Technician, Production Manager, Accountable Pharmacist or the Head of Aseptic Services with relevant packaging and batch numbers. 
5. Assist in the recall of defective products.
6. Responsible for liaising with wards to discuss with the nurse in charge orders for the day. 
7. Regularly meet with the other senior technicians in the aseptic unit to share ideas and integrate working practices and procedures.
8. Liaise with purchasing technicians and the head of aseptic services to review new products and ensure the department uses the most up to date cost effective equipment.
9. Responsible for communicating on a regular basis with the regional Q.C. lab arranging routine monitoring and ordering supplies of plates and swabs.
 
 
 
Planning and organising skills 
 
1. Responsible for the co-ordination and allocation of work to junior technicians and ATO’s in the cleanrooms to maintain a safe and efficient aseptic dispensing service
2. To organise and supervise the day to day workload and problems that may arise within the designated area of work ensuring the implementation of department rotas and planning and referring any issues to relevant senior pharmacy staff.
3. Responsible for planning and organising daily preparation of Aseptic drugs
4. Co-ordinate the provision of cytotoxic spillage and extravasation kits to all clinical areas where cytotoxics are administered.
5. Liaise with Specialist Oncology Pharmacists to co-ordinate and plan workflow.
 
 
 
Physical skills
 
1. Responsible for ensuring appropriate cleaning and maintenance of the Aseptic isolator(s).
2. Assist in the implementation and training of new specialist aseptic equipment. 
3. Responsible for ensuring the safe handling, storage and transport of Aseptic drugs at all times by pharmacy, ancillary and ward staff.
4. Responsible for specialist cleaning and operational maintenance of the Aseptic isolators including performing pressure decay tests, manometer readings and glove and sleeve changes.
5. Following SOP’s and GMP Regulations prepare Aseptic products such as pre filled syringes and parenteral nutrition, cytotoxic drugs in either negative or positive pressure isolators.
6. Responsible for preparing intrathecal chemotherapy, ensuring that local and national guidelines are adhered to.
7. Input patient data onto computer database used for the preparation of worksheets
8. Check for accuracy of ingredients and volumes dispensed by ATO’s and other technicians.
9. Generate worksheets and labels for aseptically dispensed products using department computer systems.
10. Perform complex calculations with zero margins for error for Aseptic products, checking the calculations of others.
11. Responsible for the stock control of Aseptic materials including ensuring products are booked out of the stock control system, reviewing and amending stock levels depending on workload patterns and ensuring effective ordering systems are in place.
 
 
 
Responsibility for patient/client care
 
1. Ensure the provision of a safe and effective Aseptic reconstitution service responsive to the needs of patients.
2. Supervise the work of junior technicians and ATO’s, checking for compliance with SOP’s, GMP, COSHH and local and national standards.
3. Assist with recalls, complaints and non-compliances as required, completing CAPA actions and change controls as appropriate. 
 
 
 
Responsibility for policy/service development
 
1. Contribute to the planning and development of the aseptic service to meet changing demands of workload and continued compliance with local and national standards.
2. Contribute ideas and assist in the implementation of changes in order for the department to obtain a specials manufacturing license.
3. Contribute to the risk analysis of errors and formulation of ideas to reduce risk.
4. Prepare and implement new SOP’s and other documents related to Aseptic reconstitution.
5. Prepare new worksheets and labels for new Aseptic products not previously prepared at Alder Hey.
6. Assist in the organisation of supervision and training for new aseptic staff. 
7. Active participation in regional aseptic training courses and ATO facilitator courses, including assisting in the development of regional training packages.
8. Undertake CPD in order to keep pharmaceutical, clinical and technical knowledge current, ensure best practice and comply with requirements for entry on the pharmacy technician register.
9. Keep up to date with current pharmacy practice by attending appropriate in-house tutorials or training courses for technicians.
10. Partake in planned internal audits, clearly documenting and reporting findings.
11. Assist in the implementation and supervision of changes to technical services following external audit.
12. Assist in the review of stability data for Aseptic products.
 
 
Responsibility for information resources 
 
1. Assist in the validation, implementation and development of complex Aseptic computer packages (e.g. Chemocare/CMM) particularly with respect to technical aspects.
2. Provide costing information when required for business planning and produce monthly activity reports.
3. Assist in developing and maintaining a computer database for the preparation of Aseptic worksheets.
4. Update and create new worksheets following an approved template.

 

Person specification

Education and Training

Essential criteria
  • NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services & BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science
  • Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council
Desirable criteria
  • Leeds Aseptic Preparation and Dispensing of Medicines (APDM)

Experience of...

Essential criteria
  • Previous experience and knowledge of working in a hospital pharmacy environment
  • Experience of delivering staff training
  • Experience of supervising pharmacy technicians and assistants
  • Post qualification experience of working within a hospital aseptic unit.
Desirable criteria
  • Working with pharmaceutical isolators

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Good organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
  • Ability to work well within various teams
  • Good time management skills
  • Good analytical skills for carrying out worksheet calculations

Personal Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Ability to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with patients and staff
  • Good attention to detail and accuracy
Desirable criteria
  • Proactive approach to developing own training
  • Proactive approach to the training and development of new staff

Knowledge of….

Essential criteria
  • What the post involves – general understanding
  • Good working knowledge of safe aseptic practice & Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to use different computer packages
Fair Employment Charter Status - Aspiring LevelVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - SilverArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer. Being positive about mental health.Navajo - Merseyside and CheshireDisability confident employerHappy to Talk Flexible Working

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
Judith King
Job title
Production Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0151 2525739
Additional information

Available 

Monday 08:30 to 14:30

Tuesday to Friday 08:30 to 17:00

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