Band 4 - Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (Apprenticeship)

Bidvane; Watford; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Staff wellbeing and development

Good work-life balance

Job summary

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust offers a two-year pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician apprenticeship across Watford General and St Albans City Hospitals. The role blends work-based learning with study, rotating through dispensing, checking, storage, distribution and medicines counselling.

You will earn a BTEC Level 3 Diploma leading to GPhC registration, with four days of practical learning and one study day weekly. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Qualifications

• Four GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including maths, English and science.
• No Level 3 qualification or above in the same training subject.
• Programme leads to GPhC registration via BTEC Level 3 Diploma.

Responsibilities

• Dispense and check medication as part of the apprenticeship.
• Store and destroy medication following SOPs.
• Distribute medication and take drug histories.
• Counsel patients on their medications.
• Undertake medicines reconciliation and ensure standards.
• Rotate across sites and learn through work-based sessions.
• Complete the BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Pharmacy Technicians.

Skills

Personal time management

SOPs

Team working

Customer service

Pharmacy experience

Education

GCSEs including maths English science

No Level 3 qualification or above in the same training subject

BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians

Job description

A two-year pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician apprenticeship at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, with work across Watford General and St Albans City Hospitals. The trainee works through a rotational programme in dispensing, checking, storage, distribution and medicines counselling, and gains a BTEC Level 3 Diploma that leads to GPhC registration. The apprenticeship splits four days of work-based learning with one day of study each week, and the post may require working at either site. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

What the job involves

• Dispense and check medication
• Store and destroy medication
• Distribute medication
• Take drug histories
• Carry out medicines reconciliation
• Counsel patients on their medication
• Work to current legal, professional and ethical standards
• Take part in the rotational training programme across sites
• Complete the BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians
• Undertake four days of work-based learning and one day of study each week

What's required

Qualifications

• Four GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including maths, English and science
• No Level 3 qualification or above in the same training subject

Experience

• Customer service experience
• Pharmacy experience
• Team working

Skills & knowledge

• Personal time management
• Working with standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Other

• Not already in formal government-funded education

Nice to have

• AS or A level study, or NVQ or BTEC Level 2 in a GPhC-recognised qualification such as pharmacy services
• Knowledge of the NHS Long Term Plan and NHS structure
• Understanding of the NHS vision and values
• Understanding of COSHH for handling hazardous pharmaceuticals
• Health service experience
• Pharmacy experience in any sector

What's offered

• Flexible working options
• Support for a good work-life balance
• Focus on staff wellbeing and development
• Salary of 70% in year one and 75% in year two, including HCA