Job summary
- Main area
- 317 RVI Pharmacy
- Grade
- Band 2
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 22 hours per week
- Job ref
- 317-2025-24-02-DR
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Victoria Infirmary
- Town
- 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary
- Salary
- £24,169 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/06/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 03/07/2025
Employer heading
Pharmacy Assistant
Band 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 to recruit a Pharmacy Assistant into our Royal Victoria Infirmary Pharmacy Team. Times may occur when there is a need to work across site at the Freeman Hospital, both dispensaries have the advantage of automated robotic dispensing to facilitate the dispensing of a wide range of prescriptions and orders to various specialties across the Trust.
As a key member of the Pharmacy Team you will work alongside Pharmacists, Technicians, Assistants and Students supporting the rapid discharge of our patients 7 days a week.
The successful candidate will also be expected to support our seven day service and participate in weekend working, weekday late duties and bank holidays on a rotational basis.
- Interview Date: 3rd July 2025
- 22 hours/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
This is a great role to start your career as a Pharmacy Assistant, as you'll receive all the training and support you need to be your best. In our new recruit we are looking for an individual who is committed to delivering a high quality service to our patients and the trust, whose personal attributes include:- the ability to work accurately in a very busy environment, good communication skills, a professional manner, good time management, a flexible team approach and the ability to adapt to and engage in change.
Previous experience in Pharmacy is not required, as you will be provided with competency based training and support to help you expand on your knowledge and experience.
You will also support the timely supply of controlled drugs and a range of other requests for in-patient medicines.
So, if you are ambitious, enthusiastic, reliable, and conscientious, then this is the opportunity for you.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 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
- Provide technical support to dispensary services including carrying out routine procedures in the ordering, distribution and storage of pharmaceutical stock
- Undertake reception duties at the staff hatch, answer the dispensary telephone and ensure orders/prescriptions are entered on the prescription tracking system
- Provide appropriate support as required to dispensary staff
- Checks off orders received into the dispensary in accordance with procedure
- Replenish the Emergency Drug Cupboard
- Replenish a variety of cardiac arrest boxes
- Issues Controlled Drugs in response to a written order
- Deliver drug bags to wards and departments throughout the hospital
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.
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.
Person specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of Health and Safety and hygiene in the workplace
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of Hospital Pharmacy
- Knowledge of drug names and differences in formulations / pack sizes
SKILLS
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate good oral and written communication
- Basic computer skills
- Good organisational and accuracy skills
- Good customer care skills
EXPERIENCE
Desirable criteria
- Grandparent clause notification to the GPhC
- Experience of stock control and stock management
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential criteria
- Good basic education (e.g. GCSEs or equivalent qualifications) or previous relevant experience
- Must commit to undertake an NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Services if not already achieved
Desirable criteria
- GCSE (Min. Grade C) or equivalent in Mathematics and English Language or previous relevant experience
- NVQ 2 in pharmacy services
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Christopher Conway
- Job title
- Dispensary Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01912824488
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