Job summary
- Main area
- 317 Pharmacy Education and Training - RVI
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 317-2025-32-15-DR
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Trustwide
- Town
- 317 Trustwide
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 18/08/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 05/09/2025
Employer heading
Lead Technician - Pharmacy Undergraduate Training
Band 6
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 enthusiastic, organised and friendly technician to join our education and training team.
The successful candidate will work predominantly at the Freeman Hospital to deliver training for pharmacy undergraduate students within the trust.
You will also work to support the needs of the clinical pharmacy service across the trust and work collaboratively with the pharmacy E&T team to deliver training to other staff members when appropriate.
- Interview Date: 5th September 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
To support and coordinate the training and assessment of up to 140 Pharmacy undergraduates per year.
Communicates with Trust pharmacy operational leads and representatives from Newcastle University to ensure the needs of both organisations are met, which often involves negotiation and the ability to persuade parties on the required course of action.
Communicates complex and sensitive matters to the Assistant Director of Pharmacy and Education and Training Pharmacist that can be uncovered during observational work.
Communicates with patients directly or by telephone on complex matters regarding their medication.
Counsels patients about their medication. This requires the post holder to explain the instructions about their medication to a diverse group of the public, who may be upset, angry or ill. The post holder is required to communicate with patients where English is not their first language, this requires a great deal of patience and understanding.
Helps organise work experience placements and vocational placements.
Ensures that the working environment is safe in terms of the Health and Safety requirements of undergraduates.
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
- Technically checks work dispensed by other staff and is expected to identify possible errors (e.g. incorrect calculation, misinterpretation of a prescriber / pharmacist intentions, wrong drug / strength / dose etc.) ensuring dispensing errors are rectified before the medicine is issued to the patient.
- Provides information to patients and ward staff on routine drug dosage and use.
- May be required to participate in evening, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday working rosters relating to dispensary services.
Job purpose
- To deliver, support and coordinate the education, training and development of all pharmacy undergraduates working in the Trust, particularly in relation to the dispensing of medicines.
- To work directly with Newcastle University School of Pharmacy and trust pharmacy operational leads to ensure timetables are developed and adhered to, which meet the needs of both organisations.
- To assess pharmacy undergraduates in accordance with standards set by the University which form part of the Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree qualification.
- To assist the Assistant Director of Pharmacy and the Education and Training Pharmacist with the preparation and delivery of training needs to meet the changing demands of the pharmacy service.
- To undertake a broad range of technical pharmaceutical activities in the pharmacy department including providing advice to patients and other healthcare staff.
- To undertake the role of NVQ Assessor and Internal Verifier for both pre-registration technicians and assistants.
- To practise as an experienced, registered Pharmacy Technician.
- To practise as an accredited checking Technician and to mentor Technicians training to become accredited checking Technicians
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge and understanding of all technical aspects of pharmacy patient services, supported by practical experience.
- Knowledge of the legal and regulatory requirements relating to staff training and qualifications.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the organisational requirements for training.
- Knowledge of current issues affecting pharmacy and education
- Knowledge of Clinical Pharmacy services
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Excellent customer care
- Working knowledge of pharmacy computer systems.
- Ability to analyse and overcome barriers in implementation of staff training
- Ability to create and monitor complex rotas that is agreeable to all the stakeholders
- Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel
- Excellent workload and time management skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant post qualification experience of working in a hospital environment as a pharmacy technician, during which time the following has been achieved; Working at band 5 or above, Experience as an accredited checking technician, Experience of providing training or supporting the development of others, Experience of organising rotas, Have proven ability of supervising staff of all grades including pharmacists to achieve set outcomes
Desirable criteria
- Experience of designing and implementing training programmes
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- S/NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services and approved underpinning knowledge e.g. BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent recognised pharmacy technician qualification
- Recognised Accredited Checking Technician Qualification
- Registered with GPhC
Desirable criteria
- NVQ Assessor qualification
- NVQ Internal verifier qualification
- Education Qualification
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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
- Amy Mundell
- Job title
- Senior Lead Clinical Pharmacist E&T
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01912825025
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