Chief Aseptic Manufacturing Technician

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust; Pembury; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Pembury seeks a Chief Aseptic Manufacturing Technician. This full-time position involves overseeing the aseptic services, preparing cytotoxic agents, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The ideal candidate should possess five years of relevant experience and hold a pharmacy technician registration. Competitive salary ranging from £38,682 to £46,580 annually, alongside a comprehensive benefits package including annual leave, NHS Pension Scheme, and training opportunities.

Benefits

At least 27 days of annual leave plus public holidays

Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme

Blue Light card eligibility

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years hospital pharmacy experience in an aseptic unit full time.
• Experience in directing and supervising staff.
• Knowledge of chemotherapy regimes.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and direct day-to-day running of Aseptic Services.
• Support the Aseptic Services Manager for compliance with regulations.
• Mentor and train staff in aseptic practices.

Skills

Effective manual techniques relating to aseptic transfer

Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload

Customer service skills

Good IT skills

Education

oBTec in Pharmaceutical Science and/or NVQ Pharmacy Services Level 3

Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council

GCP certificate

Job description

Band 6 Chief Aseptic Manufacturing Technician

The Kent Oncology Centre provides comprehensive cancer services for the 1.8million population of Kent Medway and East Sussex.

The Kent Oncology Centre Provides a full range of chemotherapy and supportive treatment at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals

The Oncology Pharmacy Team benefits from a high profile within the Kent Oncology Centre and the Kent & Medway Cancer Collaborative. We are always striving to improve in order to meet the demands and challenges of an evolving service. The Aseptic Department is situated at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital @ Pembury and supplies IV SACT treatments to our designated Chemotherapy wards and Clinics across the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Hospitals

An exciting and rare opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, dynamic and self-motivated professional technician who is ready to take the next step in their career within Aseptic Services.

You will be part of a team consisting of like-minded pharmacists, technicians and assistants, who are always striving for excellence in all aspects of service.

Main duties of the job

The job description outlines the role of the Chief Aseptic Manufacturing Technician.

• The role requires extensive technical knowledge in aseptic preparation of injectable cytotoxic and immunotherapy agents, adherence to regulatory standards and a commitment to ensuring the safety and efficacy of aseptic products.
• You will supervise and direct the day to day running of the Aseptic Services.
• Support the Aseptic Services Manager to ensure a comprehensive service complying with relevant legislation, good practices and following standard operating procedures.
• You will work closely with the Clinical Trials team to ensure all IV IMP's are manufactured following trial sponsors guidelines and GCP regulations.
• You will work collaboratively with the QA team to support the ongoing Quality Management system for the unit.
• We are investing in the SMT and SMPO courses for our staff and therefore part of the Chief Aseptic Manufacturing Technician role is supporting the mentoring and training of the members of staff as they start their journey within Aseptics.

About us

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it's adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Click here to hear what our staff say.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Job responsibilities

Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). If a role involves regulated activity and requires a DBS check with a barred list check, you cannot apply if you are on the barred list.

All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• oBTec in Pharmaceutical Science and/or NVQ Pharmacy Services Level 3 or Scientific Manufacturing Technician Level 3
• oRegistered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council or equivalent body.
• oPre and in process checking within aseptic services accreditation
• oAttendance at relevant study days/courses related to sterile production e.g. Leeds Aseptic Course
• oCompleted the externally recognised product approval training program and carryout regular product approval within the aseptic unit.
• oAttendance at relevant study days/courses related to Aseptic / Oncology services
• oGCP certificate

Experience/Knowledge

• oA minimum of five years hospital pharmacy experience post qualification working in an aseptic unit full time Or A minimum of five years' experience working in a commercial aseptic unit rotation full time
• oExperience in directing and supervising staff
• oExperience with Internal and External MHRA audits relating to Aseptic and / or regional audits under Section10 Medicine Act
• oKnowledge of the environmental standards required in an Aseptic Unit
• oKnowledge of the guidance relating to the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs
• oExperience in training staff
• oExperience of working in a multidisciplinary environment
• oKnowledge of chemotherapy regimes
• oUnderstanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and their influence on current practice

Skills

• oSkilled in effective and efficient manual techniques relating to aseptic transfer
• oAbility to plan, prioritise and organise workload.
• oEffective customer service skills - able to work to meet the needs of customers of the department.
• oGood word processing and IT skills

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.

Pharmacy Department, Tunbridge Wells Hospital

£38,682 to £46,580 a yearper annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

359-7665683-T3

Job locations

Pharmacy Department, Tunbridge Wells Hospital