Apprentice Pharmacy Assistant | Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire Care Foundation Trust; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare trust in the United Kingdom is seeking a Pharmacy Support Worker to join its clinical inpatient team. The role involves training and responsibilities such as monitoring stock and assisting with medication management. Candidates should have excellent communication skills and a willingness to learn. This position offers flexible working hours and a supportive team environment. Interested individuals must meet specific eligibility and residency requirements.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Willingness to undertake a Level 2 apprenticeship.
• Residency and eligibility criteria for apprenticeship courses must be met.

Responsibilities

• Monitor fridge and ambient temperatures in the dispensary.
• Compile stock orders and ensure timely transmission.
• Ensure proper management of stock received and disposed.

Skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Self-motivated

Interest in pharmacy

Job description

This role involves working within a mental health inpatient setting. For safeguarding reasons, applicants must be 18 years or older.

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, hard working and patient-focused person with an interest in pharmacy to train as a Pharmacy Support Worker.

The successful applicant will work as part of our clinical inpatient team of Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Support Workers deliver excellent patient care and ensure safe and effective medicines management processes within the service.

You should be self-motivated with excellent communication and interpersonal skills and a willingness to undertake a Level 2 apprenticeship on the fixed term employment contract.

As a purely clinical service there is no pharmacy-based dispensary commitment, bank holiday or weekend working. We can also offer flexible working hours and are committed to improving working lives.

The Pharmacy Service within Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust is a well-established team with a wealth of expertise in both Mental Health and Community services and continues to provide high quality clinical input into all aspects of the health provision delivered by the organisation. We are a supportive team committed to the education and development of our expanding service.

Please note: This post is subject to a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Responsibilities

• To monitor fridge and ambient temperatures in the dispensary according to procedure, reporting discrepancies and taking remedial action immediately.
• To develop skills in compiling stock orders ensuring they are transmitted to the Acute Trust in a timely manner.
• To ensure all stock is received, delivered and checked into the ward in accordance with Trust procedure and is placed in the correct stock cupboards.
• To monitor for expired stock and ensure it is disposed of in accordance with Trust procedure.
• To work with the Pharmacy Technicians to learn how to review and alter stock lists.
• To learn how to check suitability for re-use of any unwanted stock items and process according to audit procedures.
• To develop skills in electronic systems to ensure that stock lists are updated and maintained and to understand the retention period for paper records.
• To learn and develop skills in using the Ascribe pharmacy medicines management computer/labelling system.
• To learn the skills required to accurately undertake the dispensing of medication.
• To learn the skills required in ensuring that all computer transactions relating to medication and patient details are accurate.
• Undergo a dispensing validation assessment.
• To develop a good working knowledge of which medicines are stocked, their forms and strengths to minimise the risk of selection errors.

Equal Opportunities and Inclusive Practice

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

Training and Eligibility Requirements

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

• Being a full-time ordinary resident in the UK for 3 consecutive years or more prior to the course start date (unless otherwise exempt from this rule – for example you hold refugee status – use the link below to see full list of exemptions).
• Residency to live and work in the UK for at least 1 year from the apprenticeship start date and must cover the entire course duration including the EPA period.

Please be advised if you are a ‘Non-UK National’ applicant you must meet the eligibility criteria and fulfil the settlement requirements of the apprenticeship course.* Your settlement status will need to be verified as eligible for funding by the relevant apprenticeship provider for you to formally enrol on the course.

We advise that you check the UK Govt - Apprenticeship Eligibility Criteria for more details on your visa’s eligibility to undertake an apprenticeship course prior to applying. Please be advised that Sponsorship cannot be offered for any apprenticeship roles.

*We will use Visa and work history information provided on the application to determine a candidate’s eligibility for the funding. Failure to provide the correct information is the responsibility of the candidate. **Residency for the purposes of education does not qualify.

Closing Information

This advert closes on Wednesday 10 Dec 2025.