Lead Pharmacy Technician - Clinical Trials

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare institution in Nottingham is seeking a Lead Pharmacy Technician for the Clinical Trials service. This role involves managing clinical trials, ensuring compliance with standards, and providing expert research pharmacy services. The ideal candidate must be a registered Pharmacy Technician with extensive hospital experience. This position offers opportunities for professional growth within a dedicated clinical trials team.

Qualifications

• General Pharmaceutical Council Registered Pharmacy Technician.
• Extensive experience within hospital pharmacy.
• Evidence of or willingness to undergo training in pharmacy-related aspects of clinical research and of clinical trial legislation.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the delivery of a responsive clinical trials service to ensure good clinical practice standards.
• Support the Specialist Clinical Trials Pharmacists and Chief Pharmacy Technician by managing clinical trials and staff.
• Manage the day-to-day running of the clinical trials service.
• Supervise and participate in the dispensing of clinical trials prescriptions and requisitions.
• Supervise and participate in the accuracy checking of all dispensing.
• Review and update clinical trial documentation and procedures.
• Assist in the review and setup of new clinical trials.

Job description

Overview

An exciting opportunity to be the Lead Pharmacy Technician for the Clinical Trials service at QMC Campus. Under the leadership of the Advanced Pharmacy Technician Research and Innovation (R&I), this role will lead the technical aspects of clinical trial activities, ensuring compliance with standards of clinical trial management as outlined in NUH Trust Clinical Trials Policy, Guidelines for the Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines, relevant EU and UK legislation, and the Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care 2005. The post holder will be based primarily at QMC Campus but may attend meetings and work at City Campus to support the role. This is a varied role managing the day-to-day running of the clinical trials dispensary, managing a portfolio of open clinical trials with support from Specialist Clinical Pharmacists, and assisting with the setup of new clinical trials at NUH.

The role requires an experienced candidate to provide an expert research pharmacy service that ensures the safe supply of trial medications to patients, while supporting the development of novel medicines. The Pharmacy Clinical Trials team is a highly experienced team working alongside NUH Pharmacy and Research and Innovation to deliver a high-quality service to patients and research staff at NUH.

Responsibilities

1. In conjunction with the Pharmacy Clinical Trial team (including specialist technicians and pharmacists), the Production Department Management team and Quality Control staff, assist in the delivery of a responsive clinical trials service to ensure good clinical practice standards (GCP) and meet the needs of service users.
2. Support the Specialist Clinical Trials Pharmacists and Chief Pharmacy Technician - Clinical Trials by managing the clinical trials, technical and support staff, liaising with lead trial technicians in cancer and non-cancer services, other senior technicians and pharmacists, to ensure adequate staffing levels and appropriate skill mix.
3. Manage the day-to-day running of the clinical trials service in liaison with other lead clinical trial technicians.
4. Supervise and participate in the dispensing of clinical trials prescriptions and requisitions.
5. Supervise and participate in the accuracy checking by pharmacy technicians of all dispensing where a pharmacist has previously professionally checked the prescription or where the professional check is not required.
6. Supervise and participate in the accurate and legible completion of Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) and Non-Investigational Medicinal Products (NIMPs) accountability documentation.
7. Review and update clinical trial documentation and procedures in liaison with the Production Department Management team, the Pharmacy Clinical Trial team and the Quality Control Department to ensure a consistent approach.
8. Assist the clinical trials pharmacists in the review and setup of new clinical trials; review amendments and updates to existing studies and disseminate to all relevant pharmacy staff to ensure compliance with protocols and procedures in line with GCP. This includes working with Sponsor representatives on how research can be delivered within the Trust, writing study-specific dispensing procedures, liaising with the Production Management team, research staff, and coordination with the ChemoCare team where necessary.
9. Alongside the Specialist Pharmacist lead on allocated clinical trials from a pharmacy perspective and ensure GCP compliance on clinical trial delivery.
10. Manage stock control of trial medicines in liaison with the Pharmacy Clinical Trial team, including ordering and receipt, monitoring of stock levels, reconciliation of returns, monitoring of expiry dates, investigation and rectification of discrepancies in accountability, and ensuring appropriate storage conditions. Lead in ensuring that correct trial medications are available for manufacture in the chemotherapy production unit in a timely manner, as required, and that other associated medicines are ordered.
11. Supervise the upkeep of dedicated clinical trial storage areas, including temperature control and monitoring.
12. Measure and monitor all aspects of the clinical trial service on a regular basis, liaising with IT and Finance administrators as needed.

Qualifications

• General Pharmaceutical Council Registered Pharmacy Technician.
• Extensive experience within hospital pharmacy.
• Evidence of or willingness to undergo training in pharmacy-related aspects of clinical research and of clinical trial legislation.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world-class healthcare to the patient populations we serve. We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we strive to be better represented at NUH.

Application Information

Applicants are kindly requested to refrain from using AI at any stage during the recruitment process.

Closing Dates: Please submit your application as soon as possible; we reserve the right to close vacancies prior to the published closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed applications.

Communication: All communication related to your application will be via the email address you provide. Check your email regularly, including junk folders.

Easy read application: if you have a disability and find it difficult to complete our online application form, you can apply via our easy-read application on the intranet: https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/easy-read-job-application

NUH offers application completion and interview preparation support. Please follow the link to book sessions: Support for NUH Job Applications.

Additional Information

• If you are aged 16 or 17 and applying for a role more than 20 hours per week, you will be asked to commence an Apprenticeship within the Trust alongside your role, as long as a suitable apprenticeship standard is available.
• Salary: The quoted salary will be pro rata for part-time workers.
• Disability Confidence: All applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria will be shortlisted.
• At Risk of Redundancy: NHS employees within the East Midlands who are at risk of redundancy will be given a preferential interview if they meet the essential criteria.
• International Recruitment: Guidance for applying from outside the UK can be found on the organization’s site.
• ID and Right to Work checks: NUH will verify ID and right-to-work documentation through the Trust ID system at the face-to-face appointment.
• Consent: Transfer of information, DBS checks (costs may be reimbursed by deduction from the first month’s pay), and data protection acknowledgments apply as part of pre-employment checks.
• For more information about the organization and career opportunities, visit the NUH website or follow on social media.