South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Pharmacy Assistant
The closing date is 27 July 2026
Kickstart your career and join our outstanding Pharmacy team!
This post is an excellent gateway to a technical pharmacy career – see the ‘Career Pathway’ document below for more details.
The Pharmacy Department is looking to recruit an enthusiastic Pharmacy Assistant to support us in the Goods-Receipt, Distribution and Reception areas of the service. This is an opportunity to join our friendly, committed team and learn new skills in a dynamic, supportive environment. As the successful candidate you will need to be self‑motivated, able to concentrate on detailed tasks and understand the importance of working to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
We will provide you with a comprehensive in‑house training programme and support you to complete the relevant vocational qualifications required; if you do not already have this or an equivalent.
Standard NHS conditions of service apply.
Main duties of the job
- Assist in the smooth running of the assigned area of Pharmacy under the direction and supervision of Senior Technicians.
- Provide a ward top‑up service for the supply of stock items to the ward.
- Operate the topping‑up system for supply of pharmacy items to wards, departments and clinics.
- Provide drugs to be used in emergency situations and participate in the preparation of over‑labelled patient packs of drugs for issue to the patient on discharge.
- Participate in general stores and distribution activities to include ward deliveries, stock management and receipt/storage of goods.
- In the Aseptic Unit undertake tasks to assist in the smooth running of daily activities, and undertake planned Aseptic work under the supervision of the Senior and Lead.
About us
Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.
We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford‑Upon‑Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston‑on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity. Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are ‘Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care’. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn’t matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.
As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we encourage all applicants to complete a short survey. This can be accessed via the link below:
https://forms.office.com/e/ahWY3eAGM2
We appreciate you completing the survey.
Job responsibilities
General Duties
- Undertake ward‑based drug stock‑checks as part of the ward topping‑up system, assess suitability for use and further need to supply.
- Accurate entry of data into the Pharmacy computer system.
- Deal with incoming telephone calls and take accurate messages as necessary.
- Undertake deliveries to wards and departments.
- Process returns of goods to the section according to Standard Operating Procedures.
- Monitor and record drug storage temperatures.
- Effect stock rotation within all stock storage areas and perform stock‑level and expiry date checks.
- Assist with routine filing, archiving of records and general clerical duties.
- Maintain a neat and tidy working environment.
- Any other duties as required by the Pharmacy Manager in accordance with this grade of post.
- Provide short‑term cover for colleagues during periods of leave.
- Ensure that all Trust standards are maintained and monitored to improve the quality of care to all whom come into contact with services provided by South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.
- Participate in appraisals and personal reviews and work to achieve agreed set objectives.
- Participate in appropriate training and development activities.
- Participate in team, professional and personal development activities and promote commitment to continuous development and improvement.
- Consciously review mistakes, complaints and incidents/near misses as well as successes to improve performance and the level of customer care.
Stores and Distribution
- Produce picking lists via the pharmacy computer system.
- Pick, process assemble and pack orders for stock items supplied by pharmacy, ensuring that appropriate storage is maintained and that transport deadlines are met.
- Process orders received from other sections of the Pharmacy Service.
- Ensure planned work in the area is completed on‑time, and that ad‑hoc work is completed in a timely manner, escalating to senior colleagues when necessary.
- Ensure accurate recording and communication of to‑follow lines.
- Receive, unpack, check and appropriately store deliveries received from external suppliers in accordance with defined stock locations.
- Check and replenish drug resuscitation boxes and maintain accurate records of their contents and locations.
- Produce, maintain and update ward and department drug stock lists on the pharmacy computer system.
- Participate in the documented process of additional/over‑labelling of drugs for issue to patients, by wards and departments, for discharge.
Aseptic Unit
- Work to Aseptic Unit SOPs and complete relevant areas of the Aseptic Training manual.
- Work within specified job role, referring to senior staff at appropriate time.
- Aid in the daily cleaning and setting up of rooms and isolators within the Aseptic Unit. Carry out daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual cleans and procedures, and ensure all records relating to these activities are kept up to date and complete.
- Carry out wipe, spray, spray, wipe process for all products and equipment entering the clean rooms, as per SOPs.
- Manufacture simple products, as defined in relevant SOP.
- Carry out setting up of worksheets, ingredients and consumables under supervision of suitably trained Aseptic staff.
- Final pack products as per SOPs and store product according to specified storage conditions.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- GCSE or equivalent level of education, to include English and Maths.
- Willing to undertake NVQ level 2 training.
Experience
- Previous experience of service industry e.g. office, stores or supply environments.
- Previous experience in hospital or healthcare work.
- Previous Pharmacy experience.
Skills
- Keyboard skills and general IT knowledge.
Personal Qualities
- Able to create a rapport.
- Presentable appearance.
- Ability to work alone and as part of a team.
- Accurate and observant.
Other
- Able to meet the physical demands of the post e.g. lifting, standing, delivering materials and moderate lifting (<13kg) and use a VDU.
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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
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