Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy technician
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Late nights and weekends, including bank holidays)
- Job ref
- 297-8132408
- Employer
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Gateshead
- Salary
- £57,528 - £64,750 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 02/08/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 19/08/2026
Employer heading
Chief Pharmacy Technician
NHS AfC: Band 8a
In the event of excessive applications being received this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible
IMPORTANT NOTE ON COMPLETION OF REFERENCE SECTION OF APPLICATION FORM
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and MUST cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Where possible this should be from two separate employers. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
PLEASE NOTE it is a requirement of this Trust that all successful applicants pay for their DBS certificate if a check is required for the post. This will be done through deduction from your monthly pay over a maximum of three months. It is also a requirement that all successful applicants register or are registered with the DBS update service where a DBS is required.
All new entrants to the NHS will be appointed on the minimum of the pay scale in line with Terms & Conditions.
Job overview
Due to the planned retirement of the current chief pharmacy technician, an exciting opportunity has arisen at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead for a Band 8a Chief Pharmacy Technician.
We are seeking a dynamic, strategic, experienced and motivated pharmacy technician who is passionate about pharmacy services. You will be responsible for the professional leadership and management of the Trust’s pharmacy technician workforce.
You will have knowledge and experience of national developments in medicines management and the role pharmacy technicians play in driving forward pharmacy and medicines management services.
Main duties of the job
This role brings together the management of pharmacy operations and medicines management services. The post holder is responsible for the professional leadership and management of the Trust’s pharmacy technicians and provides oversight of the education, training and development of pharmacy technicians, pharmacy support staff and administration staff within the department.
As a key member of the Pharmacy Senior Team, the post holder works closely with senior pharmacy colleagues in promoting a collaborative culture, embedding effective leadership, inputting to strategic planning, and supporting the Trust’s governance framework and transformation agenda.
The post holder focuses on best practice and managing risk, whilst driving initiatives to make optimal use of finite resources and new technologies. The role includes responsibility for the management of relevant aspects of pharmacy operational budgets, contribution to cost improvement programmes, implementation of evidence-based improvements, and monitoring against relevant national standards.
The role requires excellent organisation and leadership skills, a patient-centred approach, strong communication and influencing skills, resilience, and an ability to secure engagement from staff and service users. The Chief Pharmacy Technician role supports the regulatory compliance (GPhC/CQC/ MHRA/NHSE) of the pharmacy service.
Working for our organisation
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.
Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.
Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.
We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Line manage and supervise the lead pharmacy technicians delivering the pharmacy services
- Responsible for the operational delivery of medicines supply services across the Trust to wards, clinics and community teams; ensuring the procurement and supply of medicines to patients follows all legal and statutory controls in a safe and effective manner
- Ensure on a day-to-day basis that adequate levels of technical and support staff, with training appropriate to their roles, are available across the Trust to deliver the expected pharmacy services.
- Actively contribute to the development and delivery of the pharmacy department’s strategy
- Actively contribute to the development and delivery of the pharmacy department’s Education and Training Strategy
- Actively contribute to the development and delivery of the pharmacy department’s digital programme of work
- Develop, implement, monitor and report KPIs for pharmacy operations and medicines management services
- Optimise service delivery by effective deployment of the workforce, implementing human resources guidance and policy, e.g. recruitment and selection, absence management reviews, grievance and disciplinary processes, employee health and wellbeing support. Where appropriate delegate to team managers, seek advice from HR professionals and escalate as appropriate
- Lead and develop specialist pharmacy technician roles and functions within the pharmacy services
- Provide support to the Lead Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the clinical services provided by the clinical pharmacy technicians meet the needs of the users and complies with best practice and legislation
- Develop efficient communication channels with the rest of the pharmacy team to ensure a good understanding of the service and the roles and responsibilities of staff
- Ensure that the principles of safe and secure handling of medicines are adopted and take part in quality assurance systems for pharmacy and medicines management services
- Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and records for the inpatient pharmacy service
- Support the Chief and Deputy Chief Pharmacists in operational and strategic workforce development, transformational initiatives for improved service delivery and health and wellbeing of staff
- Support the Chief and Deputy Chief Pharmacists in identifying business and productivity opportunities and implementation within the department
- Be a person of responsibility in the department’s business continuity plan, including as an initial point of contact
- Ensure the appropriate stock control and storage of materials and safe maintenance of equipment used in the provision of the services managed by the post holder
- Be responsible for the management of risk in relation to services managed by the post holder
- Act as a pharmacy robot ‘super-user’
- Develop and maintain a culture within the department that encourages and allows staff participation and contribution to the achievements of the department and Trust aims and objectives
- Participate and co-operate to provide a 7-day pharmacy service, which includes Bank Holidays and late nights
- Participate in the dispensary rota for accuracy checking technicians
- Develop, implement, maintain, and promote local and national best practice policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines, and recommendations relating to pharmacy and medicine management within the organisation
Person specification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Considerable experience working in hospital pharmacy
- Experience of service development and project management
- Experience of training and staff appraisal
Desirable criteria
- Educational supervisor
- Member of Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK
- Knowledge of NHS finances
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GPhC registered Pharmacy Technician
- Management or professional qualification or equivalent experience
- Accredited checking technician (ACT)
Desirable criteria
- Leadership or management qualification
Skills/Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Team player and ability to build good relationships with colleagues
- Evidence of leadership skills including conflict management
- Commitment to continuous improvement of patient-focused services
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
- Venessa Echanique
- Job title
- Deputy Chief Pharmacist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 4452315
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