Pharmacy Technician (Band 4 with progression to Band 5)
The closing date is 08 July 2026
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Pharmacy Technician to join our Pharmacy team at MWL. We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Pharmacy Technician who wants to make a real difference to patient care and contribute towards developing our Pharmacy Services.
Applicants must hold a Level 3 Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills or an approved equivalent and should be registered as a Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC. Applications will be accepted from Pre‑Registration Trainee Technicians who have completed their course and are awaiting certificates and GPhC registration.
The initial banding of the postholder will depend on past experience as a Pharmacy Technician and/or completion of a progression competency training pack.
You will work between Whiston and St Helens Hospitals, where we have established automated dispensing systems within the dispensaries on both sites. The Trust has a long‑standing reputation as a teaching hospital and is a rewarding place to work.
Interviews will take place during the week commencing 3rd August.
Main duties of the job
To provide a dispensing service to all patients of the Trust, including the labelling and dispensing of prescriptions, taking medication histories, counselling patients and accuracy checking of all medications belonging to and supplied to patients in our busy dispensaries, as well as rotation onto wards once training is completed.
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- Final accuracy check of dispensed prescriptions, including one‑stop dispensing items in accordance with departmental procedures.
- Dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- Provide a one‑stop dispensing service to inpatients at ward level, which requires taking patient medication histories, counselling patients, inspecting patient own drugs for re‑use and dispensing for discharge.
- Participate in the dispensing process of all prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices and departmental procedures, including TTOs, Controlled Drugs, Clinical Trials, Cytotoxic Drugs, and Unlicensed medicines.
- Be responsible for the stock control of dispensed medicines on wards, departments, and clinics.
- Assist in the maintenance of the stock control of non‑dispensed medicines on wards.
- Liaise with appropriate medical staff, clinical pharmacists, ward staff, GPs, Primary Care Trust staff, community pharmacies and other professional bodies regarding any issues with patients’ medication.
- Order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions.
- Provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
- Assist in the preparation, assembly and final accuracy check of emergency resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
- Assist the Chief Technician in the recruitment of staff, including participation in interview panels.
- Participate in a rota that enables the department to provide a full 7‑day service.
- Participate in Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday, late night and on‑call rotas as necessary in response to the changing needs of the service.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
- Maintain continuing professional development in line with GPhC requirements.
- Attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
- Undertake any training and assessment required to maintain competency in the role.
- Maintain security and the safe storage of medicines within the dispensaries in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
- Comply with and ensure that all other pharmacy staff under one’s control comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs both within the pharmacy and in all other areas of the Trust.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- Be responsible for making appropriate records in the Controlled Drug Register.
- Organise own daily workload within allocated areas.
- Carry out prescription charge transactions accurately, including Chip and Pin, handling cash, cheques and be able to cash‑up in the dispensaries as necessary, according to departmental procedures.
- Train and counsel patients on their suitability for the use of compliance aids such as blister packs, breath‑activated inhalers/spacers, containers and other formulations such as liquids and assess their understanding.
- Extemporaneously dispense medicines using specific equipment (e.g., fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures.
- Assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties.
- Co‑operate with the provision of staffing within the Pharmaceutical service and participate in staff rotation to 2 Trust sites when the need arises.
- Answer telephone and face‑to‑face queries of a routine or basic technical nature from a wide range of staff groups, patients and the public, either in the pharmacy or on the ward, and refer appropriate queries to the relevant member of the pharmacy team when necessary.
- Be responsible for the accurate input of data into the pharmacy JAC computer system for all duties requiring its use (e.g., labelling, ordering and stock control).
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assist in the training and development of all grades of staff in the systems used, including other professionals such as discharge planning and the efficient operation of dispensing for discharge.
- Assist in the training and support of ATOs and pre‑registration pharmacy graduates in dispensing training manual requirements and provide witness statements for NVQ students.
- Assist in the training and development of other members of staff in patient services and ensure complete training records are maintained.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Co‑operate in the provision of an efficient and cost‑effective service.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- Carry out and assist in audit research projects to improve and develop the service provision.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
- Experience in hospital or retail pharmacy.
- Experience of working with computer systems.
- Experience in using the JAC pharmacy computer system.
Skills
- Maintains professional behaviour and upholds professional standards at all times.
- Good verbal communication skills both face‑to‑face and using telephones.
- Ability to talk to patients, staff and other senior health care professionals.
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail.
- Good administration skills including record‑keeping.
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and work under pressure.
- Hardworking with determination to overcome obstacles.
- Self‑motivated with the ability to motivate the team performance to achieve objectives.
- Reliable and well‑organised with good time‑management skills.
Other
- Ability to travel between hospital locations.
- Present professional image/appearance.
- Supportive of colleagues of all grades.
- Ability to participate in the departmental rota for late working.
Qualifications
- BTEC NC/NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Service Skills or an equivalent qualification recognised by the GPhC.
- Must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, or be a final year Trainee Pharmacy Technician about to successfully qualify and register.
Our Values
- We are Kind.
- We are Open.
- We are Inclusive.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.
Salary
£28,392 to £39,043 a year, pro rata (Band 4 with progression to Band 5).
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