Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy (Mental Health)
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 4 - Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
- Job ref
- 325-7229203-CORP
- Employer
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Farnham Road Hospital
- Town
- Guildford
- Salary
- £28,860 - £39,686 Incl. 5% Fringe HCAS, pa, pro rata.
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 24/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Pharmacy Technician (B4/B5 Development Role)
NHS AfC: Band 4 - Band 5
Job overview
We are looking for a registered Pharmacy Technician to join our friendly and hardworking Pharmacy team in our automated premises at Farnham Road Hospital in Guildford (GU2 7LX). We are a multi-site organisation with inpatient units here in Guildford, at our Silverwood Unit in Chertsey and Meadows, West Park in Epsom. We have a Research and Development Team based at Two Bridges in Chertsey (where clinical trials are held).
Whilst previous mental health experience would be an advantage it is not essential, and we can support you to develop your knowledge and skills in this area of growing interest.
The successful applicant will have a BTEC and NVQ level 3 (or equivalent) in Pharmacy Services and be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician.
An Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification is an essential attribute of the Band 5 role. However, if you do not have this accreditation, you can join us as a band 4 Pharmacy Technician and we can support you to progress to band 5 Senior Pharmacy Technician on completion of an appropriate accredited course, which will be a work-based qualification.
We welcome applications from people who are working within primary care or secondary care and would like a change of setting or speciality. If you have the commitment to make a positive difference for those people who use our services then we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
This role will require travelling and working between our three main inpatient units here at Farnham Road Hospital, Silverwood and Meadows.
Main duties will include:
- dispensing and issuing prescriptions.
- undertaking the final accuracy checking of dispensed medicines.
- completing medicines reconciliation for allocated wards.
- providing medicines related information and responding to enquiries within scope of role and competence from inpatients and community teams.
- being involved with the day to day running of the clozapine supply service.
- being involved in clinical trials dispensing and in the preparation of medicines at our R&D unit in Chertsey, for which training will be provided.
Working for our organisation
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of mental health, learning disability, neurodevelopmental and drug and alcohol services in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We support people of all ages and are passionate about providing high quality care that is delivered at the right time as close to home as possible to help people recover and stay well.
We are one of the top 10 mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Trust to work for nationwide. Our Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support. We also provide a wide range of opportunities to help staff develop and progress.
Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.
Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To progress to band 5, postholder will need to complete an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification which meets the National Standards Accuracy Checking.
- To participate in the dispensing of prescriptions for in-patients and community based services ensuring the security of drugs throughout the supply process.
- To utilise Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification to perform the final accuracy check on dispensed items of prescriptions clinically screened by a pharmacist.
- To be involved in the clozapine dispensing, updating the patient monitoring system, maintaining the clozapine database and liaising with clinical staff and patients to resolve any service provision problems.
- To assist in the safe and secure handling of Controlled Drugs within the dispensary and report any problems or discrepancies to the Dispensary Manager.
- To be acquainted with the roles of other pharmacy technicians within the department in order to provide cover for their services
- To be involved in the recruitment of operational pharmacy staff as necessary
- To be involved in day to day supervision of pharmacy support workers
- To be involved in (and responsible at Band 5) for the monitoring and supply of individual medications to patients within a variety of in-patient units and community teams. This involves interpreting prescriptions, liaising with clinical staff and resolving service provision issues.
- To work closely with the ward or dispensary pharmacist to resolve any issues.
- To assist in the safe and secure handling of Controlled Drugs in Pharmacy and at ward level and report any discrepancies or problems.
- To support pharmacy colleagues and nursing staff around medication error incidents and ways to improve accurate medicines administration by positively encouraging and facilitating effective reporting.
- To participate in and contribute towards future Medicines Management developments which will improve communication with people on our wards and have more clinical focus (at band 5).
- To participate in (and be responsible for, at band 5) the technician-led Clozapine clinic analysing and uploading blood results.
- To participate in the provision of operational service to our Clinical Trials team, which would involve setting up clinical trials, dispensing and preparation of medicines.
- To participate in the pharmacy department’s clinical and service audit programme
- To participate in the provision of medication education to nursing, medical and pharmacy staff as required.
- To be responsible for preparing, implementing and monitoring Standard Operating Procedures within area of expertise
- To contribute to the strategic planning of pharmacy services
- To present a positive professional image and maintain confidentiality at all times.
- To undertake any other task assigned by line manager, within the scope of the Pharmacy service.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Work experience in a Dispensary
- Basic IT skills (including operating a computer, mouse, printers, use of Microsoft programmes etc.)
Desirable criteria
- Working as an ACT Pharmacy Technician
- Working as and NVQ Assessor
- Working with JAC hospital Pharmacy computer system
Qualifications and Membership
Essential criteria
- NCQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services qualification
Desirable criteria
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) or equivalent
- Pharmacy Medicines Optimisation Training Programme or equivalent
- Practice supervisor training or equivalent
- Accreditation as an NVQ Assessor / Verifier
- Membership of APTUK
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
- Sam Francis (or Gemma Gillett)
- Job title
- Dispensary Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01483443697
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