229793 (MG) Pharmacy Support Worker, Higher Level

NHS National Services Scotland; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious healthcare provider in Edinburgh is looking for a Clinical Pharmacy Support Worker to support vital pharmacy services at the Western General Hospital. This role involves managing medicines, supporting patient care, and contributing to the pharmacy team. Candidates should have SCQF Level 6 education and previous healthcare experience. The position offers growth and training opportunities in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Career progression

Supportive working environment

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Willingness to complete accredited in-house training within 12 months.
• Previous healthcare or pharmacy experience is essential.
• Commitment to providing exceptional patient care.

Responsibilities

• Manage medicines for the ward and educate nurses on supply issues.
• Check patient medicines for suitability and ensure timely discharges.
• Support training for the Clinical Pharmacy Support Worker team.

Skills

Organisational skills

Teamwork

Medicines management

Patient care

Education

SCQF Level 6 education

Job description

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Western General Hospital

Band 3 | 1.0 WTE | 37 Hours Fixed Term / Secondment – 24 Months

£28,011 – £30,230 (including weekend and public holidays commitment)

Are you ready to take the next step in your healthcare career? Would you like to join a supportive team where you can develop skills and contribute to the smooth operation of vital pharmacy services? If you have a passion for learning, teamwork, and improving patient care, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a difference.

About the Role:

As a Clinical Pharmacy Support Worker (Higher Level) based in regional infectious disease unit (RIDU) at the Western General Hospital, a renowned teaching hospital with a reputation for excellence, you will be an integral part of both the clinical and pharmacy teams. In this role, you will:

• Take a lead role in medicines management for the ward, ensuring ward orders are placed and received in a timely manner, rotating stock, providing nurse education on medication supply and storage issues, and ensuring medicines availability to promote seamless patient care.
• Carry out higher‑level activities, including the checking of patient’s own medicines to ensure suitability for use, ensuring continuation of medication supply, ordering medicines for inpatients, reducing missed doses and facilitating timely patient discharges. You will also be involved with supporting outpatient services within this area.
• Support the training and development of the Clinical Pharmacy Support Worker team, ensuring high standards of service delivery.
• Spend time with the pharmacy team in the dispensary labelling and assembling prescribed medicines for inpatients and outpatients.

Comprehensive training and support will be provided to help you succeed in this role and meet its exciting ambitions.

Why Join Us?

• Career Progression: Gain advanced skills through structured training and expand your scope of practice.
• Supportive Environment: Work with a friendly, professional team that is committed to helping you succeed.
• Impactful Work: Contribute to the efficient supply of medicines, directly supporting high‑quality patient care.
• Flexibility: We offer flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a better work‑life balance.

About You:

• Essential qualifications: Educated to SCQF Level 6, with the willingness to complete an in‑house competency‑based Group Award accredited by Edinburgh College within 12 months of starting.
• Previous experience in healthcare or pharmacy is essential.
• A passion for learning and development, with a professional attitude and commitment to providing exceptional patient care.
• Personal values aligned with NHS Lothian’s core values: quality, teamwork, care, compassion, dignity, respect, openness, honesty, and responsibility.

If you’re enthusiastic, organised, and ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

About NHS Lothian:

NHS Lothian is Scotland’s second‑largest health system, serving a population of 900,000 across Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, and West Lothian. Our Pharmacy & Medicines Service is committed to delivering person‑centred, clinically led care, ensuring patients benefit fully from their medicines. At the Western General Hospital, you’ll join a team dedicated to excellence in patient care and professional development.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

For further information on what is included in the role and the skills/experience we’re looking for, please refer to the job description and person specification linked below. We know that a job pack can only tell part of the story. To find out more about this exciting opportunity and how it could fit your career aspirations, we warmly invite you to contact:

Chloe Sharp | Joint Lead Clinical Pharmacy Technician | Distribution

📞 0131 537 1267 | 📧 [e-mail]

Heather Symons | Joint Lead Clinical Pharmacy Technician

📞 0131 537 1267 | 📧 [e-mail]

Take the first step toward a rewarding career in pharmacy—apply now!

For internal candidates: Please ensure that you have discussed your application with your line manager and that a completed and signed ‘Pharmacy Secondment Approval Form’ has been authorised prior to attending your interview.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We cannot accept late applications so please ensure your application is submitted early.

The email address you provide will be used for notifications. Please check your Junk and Spam inboxes as notifications may go directly to these.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long‑term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.

As part of the pre‑employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre‑settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a ‘regulated role’, your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.