Clinical Pharmacy Assistant

Dorset County Hospital Nhs Foundation Trust; Southmoor; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Clinical Pharmacy Assistant to complete a medicines management qualification and accurately assess patients' own medications for timely supply in line with SOPs.

The role requires strong communication, initiative and flexibility, with computer literacy and training provided on pharmacy systems. 37.5 hours per week with weekend/Bank Holiday rotations.

Qualifications

• Evidence of general work experience.
• Computer literacy and keyboard skills.
• Enthusiastic, motivated and able to use initiative and work with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work methodically and accurately under pressure.
• Ability to organise and prioritise own workload in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Excellent communication skills both oral and written.
• Ability to have a flexible approach to work and to be open to changing practices.
• Good analytical, judgmental and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent spoken and written English Language skills.
• Evidence of GCSE Maths and English (or equivalent).
• Qualified to NVQ level 2 or 3 in Pharmacy Services AND/OR willing to undertake NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services within an agreed timescale.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Pharmacy Medicines Management Team at ward level to ensure smooth discharge of patients and assessment of patients' own medicines.
• Order medicines required to avoid missed doses and support discharge.
• Transfer of patients' medicines between wards, labelling and dispensing of medicines for patients.
• Manage medicine returns from wards.
• Work under supervision of Pharmacist, Senior Technician or lead clinical assistant on a broad range of activities in the Pharmacy department and at ward level.
• Visit a variety of wards to provide medicines provision for patients.
• Work as part of a team providing a quality dispensing service.

Skills

General work experience

Computer literacy

Initiative

Working under pressure

Organising workload

Team player

Communication skills

Flexibility

Analytical skills

English language proficiency

Education

GCSE Maths & English (or equivalent)

NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services

NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services (or willing to undertake)

Tools

Pharmacy systems

Job description

Job summary

As a Clinical Pharmacy Assistant you will be required to complete a medicines management qualification to allow you to accurately assess patients own medications and provide a medication supply as per departmental standard operating procedures (SOP's). You will need to possess excellent communication skills, be self-motivated and have a flexible approach to work and be open to changing practices. Attention to detail is important and you must be able to work as part of a team but also able to demonstrate initiative and work in a professional and timely manner. You will need to be able to work well under pressure and have a flexible approach. Computer literacy is required although appropriate training on pharmacy systems will be provided.

Hours

37.5 hrs per week. Staff will be expected to work weekends, Bank Holidays & late duties on a rotational basis. Staff are expected to work flexibly to meet the needs of the business and services provided as required.

Main duties of the job

You will assist the Pharmacy Medicines Management Team at ward level to ensure the smooth discharge of patients, assessment of patients own medicines, as well as ordering any medicines required to avoid missed doses and support discharge, transfer of patient's medicines between wards, labelling and dispensing of medicines for patients and manage medicine returns from wards. Under the supervision of a Pharmacist, Senior Technician or lead clinical assistant you will be involved in a broad range of activities in the Pharmacy department and at ward level. You will visit a variety of wards to provide medicines provision for patients. You will work as part of a team providing a quality dispensing service. At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff. Our Mission is to provide outstanding care for people in ways which matter to them, and our vision is Dorset County Hospital, working with our health and social care partners, will be at the heart of improving the well-being of our communities.

We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.

Person Specification

Essential

• Evidence of general work experience.
• Computer literacy and keyboard skills
• Enthusiastic, motivated and able to use initiative and work with minimum supervision
• Ability to work methodically and accurately under pressure
• Ability to organise and prioritise own workload in order to meet deadlines
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills both oral and written
• Ability to have a flexible approach to work and to be open to changing practices
• Good analytical, judgmental and interpersonal skills
• Excellent spoken and written English Language skills
• Evidence of good level of education to include GCSE grade C in Mathematics and English or equivalent
• Qualified to NVQ level 2 or 3 in Pharmacy Services AND/OR willing to undertake and achieve specified Units of NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent qualification within an agreed timescale

Desirable

• Evidence of work experience preferably some in a pharmacy environment
• Understanding of pharmacy service changes.

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.

Right to Work in the UK

This role is not available for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, we are unable to support visa applications for this post in line with UKVI regulations.

Closing date

05 November 2026

Reference number

405-26-ACS522PHA

Contact

Eleanor Lake, Dispensary Manager, [e-mail], 013052555294