215363 - Pharmacy Support Worker - Annex 21

NHS National Services Scotland; Lanark; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Lanarkshire is seeking a Pharmacy Support Worker to assist in delivering Primary Care Pharmacotherapy Services. The role involves supporting pharmacists, managing prescriptions, and ensuring effective use of medicines. Candidates should have NVQ2 in healthcare and excellent communication skills. This position offers a supportive environment and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

27 days annual leave, increasing with service

Membership of NHS Pension Scheme

Paid sick leave

Occupational health services

Employee counselling services

Work-life balance policies

Qualifications

• Experience in a healthcare setting is essential.
• Good knowledge of medicines commonly prescribed in primary care.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Assist pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with routine tasks.
• Coordinate the collection of information and update clinical records.
• Act as first point of contact for queries from community pharmacies.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Inter-personal skills

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Education

NVQ2 in healthcare or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The Role

A Pharmacy Support Worker (Primary Care) has a vital role in helping NHS Lanarkshire deliver its Primary Care Pharmacotherapy Services; ensuring safe and effective use of medicines.

This post will assist pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by undertaking routine tasks. Some of these tasks may require a moderate degree of technical expertise. You will also be required to discuss use of medicines over the phone with patients and other pharmacy staff.

Following standard operating procedures; you will coordinate the collection of information, input and analyse data, update clinical records as appropriate and collate information in support of quality medication reviews.

Some of the key elements are:

To support the Prescribing Management Team in pharmacotherapy activities and the promotion and implementation of cost-effective prescribing.

The role will include prescription management within GP practices and providing organisational support to the locality and/or HSCP Primary Care Pharmacy Team members.

To undertake level 1 (non-clinical) medication reviews following an agreed protocol, highlighting issues (such as non-concordance) to pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, and suggesting resolutions to agreed issues (such as dose alignment).

Work to standard operating procedures to facilitate medicines reconciliation and making changes to patient records.

To receive referrals for medication reviews or serial prescriptions.

In partnership with pharmacy team and GP practice colleagues, to consider, agree and implement improvements to practice prescription processes (acute and repeat)

Act as first point of contact for queries from community pharmacies, triaging to appropriate colleagues or resolving where possible to agreed protocols.

Organising pharmacist’s clinics and care at home appointments with patients.

Act as a point of contact for urgent stock supply issues relevant to the practice.

Identification and screening of patients requiring medicine safety reviews/recalls

Be point of contact for the pharmacy team, on areas such as supply problems and issues with prescriptions. The role will be to triage the information to the most appropriate member of staff.

NHS Lanarkshire

Have you always wanted to work with NHS Lanarkshire? Then this might be the opportunity for you to join Team Lanarkshire!

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

What we'll need you to bring

NVQ2 and/or demonstrable experience in a healthcare setting

Experience of dealing with the public.

Excellent attention to detail.

Experience of working in an administrative role. Experience in the NHS or a Healthcare role is desirable.

Demonstrate commitment to continuing professional development.

Good knowledge of medicines commonly prescribed in primary care.

Awareness of law and good practice related to prescribing, storage and handling of pharmaceuticals.

Strong motivation, organisation and prioritisation skills to work independently.

Good negotiating and inter-personal skills to work as part of a team.

Excellent written and verbal communication stills (Standard Grade English), showing tact and diplomacy when required.

Excellent computer skills – Word and Excel and ability to learn new systems.

Stress tolerant.

Adaptable and flexible, open to different systems of working and able to identify potential for progress.

Show willingness to participate in service development.

Able to maintain confidentiality and work in line with NHS Lanarkshire confidentiality policy.

Adhere to the General Pharmaceutical Council Standards for Pharmacy Professionals.

Undertake mandatory training requirements in accordance with NHS Lanarkshire policy and procedure.

Please note for all vacancies where a driving licence is required this must be a full UK/EU/EEA licence.

Applicants who do not meet the essential criteria will be considered under the Annex 21 training programme where whilst undergoing training they will be paid 75% of the top of Band 3 (Salary Scale) and on completion of training will then move on to Band 3 scale

It would be great if you also have

Experience in the NHS or a Healthcare role is desirable

Contract type

Permanent

Full time and Part Time hours available

Various hours

Location and Working Pattern

This role will be based in NHS Lanarkshire area wide - actual base to be confirmed

The working pattern for this role Mon - Fri 9:00-5:00 pro rata.

Whilst this advertisement may be for a specific post(s) in a particular location, applicants who are shortlisted for interview may be considered for similar vacancies in alternative locations.

Looking to find out more?

If you’re looking to find out more, then we would love to hear from you!

Please contact Carol Jarvie, Lead Pharmacy Technician on [e-mail]

For enquiries regarding the application form or recruitment process, please contact David Murray, Recruitment Administrator on [e-mail]

(Please remember to include the job title and reference number in your email)

Why NHS Lanarkshire?

Join us and you will discover a supportive environment where you will have the chance to add to your skills and further your career.

Some of NHS Lanarkshire’s benefits include:

• A minimum of 27 days annual leave increasing with length of service

• A minimum of 8 days of public holidays

• Membership of NHS Pension Scheme, with life insurance benefits (for more information on the NHS Pension Scheme visit the Scottish Public Pension)

• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service

• Occupational health services

• Employee counselling services

• Work-life Balance policies and procedures

NHS Lanarkshire have a range of support services on topics that can impact both on your working and personal life including occupational health, spiritual care and independent counselling. This support can be accessed using the links on this page.

Further Information

For more information on the role, please refer to the Job Description. If you’re looking for more information on the recruitment process, organisation or the services we provide, please refer to our information pack, or our recruitment webpage.

Additional Information for Applicants

• Posts close at midnight on the indicated date. However, if there are a high level of interest in this position, we may close the advert once sufficient applications are received. Please complete and submit your application early.
• For help to complete an application on Jobtrain please follow this link: https://www.careers.nhs.scot/how-to-apply/application-process/
• Please check your e-mail regularly (including junk & spam folders) as well as your Jobtrain account for updates.
• We recommend using the Internet Browser "Google Chrome" or "Microsoft Edge" when using Jobtrain
• Once you have submitted your application form you will be unable to make any amendments

NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent—regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.

*Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.

Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.

Right to Work within the UK

NHS Lanarkshire has a legal obligation to ensure that it does not employ any worker who has not been granted the relevant permission to work in the UK.

We are required to check the entitlement to work in the UK of all prospective employees, regardless of nationality or job category. UK Visas & Immigration rules are available at www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to check eligibility in advance of applying for vacancies in NHS Lanarkshire.

Please note that all Band 1 and Band 2 posts are not eligible for sponsorship through the Skilled Worker route.