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Job summary

Main area
317 Pharmacy Manufacturing Unit
Grade
PPU Range 2
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
317-2025-24-12-DR
Employer
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Town
317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary
Salary
£23,632 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
15/06/2025 23:59
Interview date
27/06/2025

Employer heading

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Production Operative

PPU Range 2

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.

We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.

We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders. 

Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.

Job overview

We are looking for a reliable, conscientious and practical individuals to work within our team based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital.

Newcastle Specials and Pharmacy Production Unit is housed in the purpose built Production and Quality Control facility on the Royal Victoria Infirmary site with a Cytotoxic Dispensing Unit based on NCCC, Freeman Hospital.

A core team of twelve pharmacists and seventy technical staff provide the Pharmacy Production Service across the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital sites. Services provided comprise a range of activities from non-sterile manufacture to the aseptic dispensing of chemotherapy.

  • Interview Date: 27th June 2025
  • 37 hours 30 minutes /week
  • You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy

NO AGENCIES PLEASE 

Main duties of the job

  • You will join our large team of staff working in busy department providing an efficient pharmaceutical service to patients. 
  • As part of the unlicensed team your main duties will include the assembly and disinfection of pharmaceutical starting materials prior to preparation, and as part of the licensed team your main duties would be pharmaceutical manufacture of sterile and non-sterile products.  Post holders will also be involved in monitoring and preparation of facilities, and stock management.
  • It is essential that applicants have GCSE’s (minimum Grade 4 or equivalent) in English Language and mathematics.  Please ensure that GCSE  equivalent grades are recorded on application form, and be prepared to provide evidence of grades at interview.
  • An accredited training will be provided and there is a commitment to study for a GPhC approved level 2 qualification.
  • Development opportunities for successful applicants include potential internal promotion to R3 Senior Production Operative and potential opportunity to undertake a Science Manufacturing Technician qualification which would qualify applicants to apply for R5 Specialist Technician posts

Working for our organisation

Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:

         Freeman Hospital

         Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)

         Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)

         Newcastle Dental Hospital

         Newcastle Fertility Centre

         Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria

         Northern Genetics Service

         Cramlington Manor Walks

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS. 

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • To carry under the supervision of senior technical staff the preparation and / or manufacture of products from raw materials, having successfully completed the inhouse induction programme that encompasses the concepts of Quality Assurance, GMP and Quality Control.
  • Provides technical support to production services including carrying out routine procedures in the ordering, packing, distribution and storage of pharmaceuticals. 

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • GCSE (Min. Grade 4 or equivalent) in Mathematics and English Language
  • Must undertake and complete a GPhC approved level 2 qualification specific to the role
  • Literacy and Numeracy (minimum score 10)
Desirable criteria
  • Previous relevant experience

Knowledge

Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of a range of pharmacy working practices
  • Aware of the importance of Health and Safety and hygiene in the work place

Experience

Desirable criteria
  • Previous hospital or production experience
  • Experience of working in a clean room environment

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Good oral communication
  • Good written communication
  • Excellent customer care
  • Ability to demonstrate good manual dexterity
  • Ability to prioritise
  • General keyboard skills
Desirable criteria
  • Willing and able to follow written procedures

Employer certification / accreditation badges

We are a Living Wage EmployerVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardRIDI Awards Finalist 2021Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall Gold 2022Better Health at Work Award - Maintaining ExcellenceDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldCycle Friendly Employer

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Lisa Hunter-Blair
Job title
Operations Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01912829096
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