Chief Pharmacy Technician - Stores

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Flexible working and wellbeing

Staff recognition scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

Car lease schemes

Season ticket loan

Membership options for onsite leisure

Job summary

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust seeks a senior post to lead the stores and distribution side of pharmacy. The role focuses on daily technical leadership, service audit, and safe, cost-effective stock management across sites.

You will oversee CMM, stock robot, automated cabinets and temperature monitoring, with line management of staff and involvement in a centralised stores project. GPhC registration as a pharmacy technician is required.

Qualifications

• Quality improvement qualification or equivalent change-management experience.
• Accredited Checking Technician accreditation required.
• GPhC registration as a pharmacy technician is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the stores and distribution service across Imperial College Healthcare sites.
• Provide daily technical leadership and guidance to stores staff.
• Ensure safe medicines storage and cost-efficient stockholding and supply.
• Act as systems manager for CMM, stock robot, automated drug cabinets and temperature monitoring systems.
• Support development of a new centralised stores and over-labelling unit.
• Audit service delivery and drive quality improvement against standards.

Skills

Pressure management

Quality improvement

Data analysis

Audit & benchmarking

Risk management

Budget awareness

Education

Quality improvement qualification

Accredited Checking Technician

GPhC registration (pharmacy technician)

Tools

Pharmacy computer systems

Job description

This senior post leads the stores and distribution side of pharmacy at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, where a new centralised stores and over-labelling unit is being set up. The work centres on daily technical leadership of stores staff, service audit and improvement, and keeping medicines storage and stockholding safe and cost-effective. It is distinct for its systems role, running the CMM system, the stock robot, automated drug cabinets and temperature monitoring, alongside line management of staff. Applicants need GPhC pharmacy technician registration and a Band 6 background in hospital pharmacy.

What the job involves

• Deliver an effective, efficient, high-quality medicines distribution service meeting professional and regulatory standards across Imperial College Healthcare sites
• Provide daily technical leadership and professional guidance to all stores staff
• Ensure safe medicines storage and cost-effective stockholding and supply from stores
• Act as systems manager for CMM, the stock robot, automated drug cabinets and temperature monitoring systems
• Help shape the development and delivery of a new centralised stores and over-labelling unit
• Ensure a flexible service responsive to customer needs
• Support the Principal Technician and Principal Pharmacist, Patient Services, in delivering the service
• Champion learning and quality improvement in pharmacy
• Help audit the service against set standards and review service provision
• Help maintain the quality and accuracy of system information

What’s required

Qualifications

• Quality improvement qualification, or equivalent experience in change management
• Accredited Checking Technician

Registration & licences

• Registered pharmacy technician with the GPhC

Experience

• Significant experience at Band 6 in a relevant hospital setting
• Extensive experience within dispensary services
• Experience of line managing staff, including performance management, PDP setting and appraisal
• Experience using data to evaluate a service
• Experience looking after pharmacy computer systems

Skills & knowledge

• Ability to work effectively under pressure
• Knowledge of quality, standard setting, benchmarking and audit
• Analytical ability for problem solving
• Ability to identify and manage risks

Nice to have

• Management qualification, e.g. Edward Jenner course, or equivalent experience
• NVQ Assessor, or equivalent qualification
• Knowledge of budget management
• Experience delivering a clinical trials dispensing service
• Experience with aseptic manufacturing services

What’s offered

• Career development
• Flexible working and wellbeing
• Staff recognition scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Car lease schemes
• Season ticket loan
• Membership options for onsite leisure facilities