Lead Pharmacy Technician (Medicines Effectiveness)

NHS; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent medical institution in the UK is seeking an enthusiastic Advanced Medicines Optimisation Technician. This role involves leading operational issues within the Pharmacy Medicines Effectiveness team, managing formulary introduction, and supporting medicines optimisation at ward levels. The ideal candidate should be a registered Pharmacy Technician with strong leadership and communication skills. Salary ranges from £38,682 to £46,580 annually for full-time roles.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior operational leadership and manage day-to-day operational issues.
• Manage the introduction of new formulary medicines to the Trust.
• Provide training and monitor mitigations relating to non-formulary prescribing.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Time management

Education

Registered Pharmacy Technician

NVQ / QCF Level 3 in Pharmacy Services

Accredited Checking Technician qualification

Accredited Medicines Management qualification

Job description

Overview

We are delighted to share this exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Advanced Medicines Optimisation Technician to join our Pharmacy Medicines Effectiveness (PME) team.

This post is pivotal to the smooth running of the PME team, responsible for ensuring access to NICE TA approved and new formulary medicines across the Trust, managing formulary exceptions and unlicensed medicines processes, and allocating relevant tasks to other team members to facilitate this.

The postholder will maintain their competency as an Advanced Medicines Optimisation Technician and Accredited Checking Technician by contributing to the Medicines Optimisation Service at ward level and undertaking final checking and other Dispensary duties as per rota.

The successful candidate will join a team committed to improving together, inspiring others, and embracing change, with a focus on safety, outcomes and experiences of patients in our care. We will support you in developing medicines effectiveness, medicines optimisation and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Management

• Provide senior operational leadership and manage day-to-day operational issues across the team, service and department as required (e.g. staff shortages, complaints, clinical emergencies and other urgent or unplanned events), ensuring continuity of service. Negotiate with other service managers and agree plans to ensure adequate staff/resource provision.

Medicines Effectiveness

• Manage the introduction of new formulary medicines to the Trust (including medicines with positive NICE TAs and PBR-excluded medicines), organise the creation of new drug profiles, ensure medicines can be prescribed electronically, and liaise with Medicines Effectiveness pharmacists, Pharmacy Stores, Pharmacy Homecare, specialist clinical pharmacists and specialty clinicians as necessary.
• Collaborate with Medicines Effectiveness pharmacists to provide information to pharmacy staff, nursing staff and prescribers to facilitate introduction of new formulary medicines.
• Publicise key formulary changes, including changes to prescribing guidance, to healthcare professionals across the Trust.
• Oversee and coordinate the pharmacy aspects of the Unlicensed Medicines process and Formulary Exceptions process.
• Organise and analyse storage, security and record-keeping audits of unlicensed medicines and non-formulary prescribing. Develop action plans and maintain links with ward/department managers.
• Provide training and monitor mitigations relating to non-formulary prescribing and unlicensed medicines with ward-based staff.
• Work with Pharmacy colleagues to reduce medication errors associated with unlicensed medicines and improve formulary adherence.
• Identify themes from audits and implement mitigation and learning interventions in relation to unlicensed medicines and formulary adherence.
• Support the Lead Pharmacist (Clinical Commissioning & Medicines Value) to write and disseminate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when necessary and monitor key performance indicators for the Medicines Effectiveness team.
• Oversee the day-to-day work of the Pharmacy Assistant (Medicines Effectiveness).

Medicines Optimisation

• Undertake the role and duties of an Advanced Medicines Optimisation technician at ward level, as part of the Medicines Optimisation service, and within the Dispensary as an Accredited Checking Technician.

Please see Job Description for full details.

About us

Our STAR values - Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect - guide our work and our vision of delivering joined-up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or in the hospital, we aim to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.

Details

• Date posted: 27 October 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum, pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working
• Reference number: 249-7511997
• Job locations: Great Western Hospital, Marlborough Road, Swindon, SN3 6BB

Person Specification

Education, qualifications & training

• Essential: Registered as a Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Essential: NVQ / QCF Level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent plus accredited underpinning knowledge (BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent)
• Essential: Accredited Checking Technician qualification or eligible and willing to work towards accreditation within 12 months
• Essential: Accredited Medicines Management qualification or eligible and willing to work towards accreditation within 12 months

Desirable

• Project management qualification
• Staff/team Management qualification

Experience

• Essential: Significant broad experience in a hospital pharmacy with leadership and management of teams
• Essential: Experience managing own workload to meet service needs
• Essential: Experience with multi-disciplinary communication
• Essential: Experience developing & training staff
• Essential: Experience managing meetings
• Desirable: Experience of audit/research implementation
• Desirable: Successful project or change management
• Desirable: Experience developing policies, procedures or guidance
• Desirable: Experience preparing memoranda/newsletters or other communications
• Desirable: Experience in staff recruitment and selection
• Desirable: Experience conducting staff appraisal, objective setting and/or line management

Knowledge & Skills

• Essential: Good knowledge of legal requirements for dispensing and supplying medicines, with focus on unlicensed medicines
• Essential: Excellent leadership, motivation and inspiration skills
• Essential: Clear communication and interpersonal skills to pass on complex information
• Essential: Ability to handle conflict professionally
• Essential: Constructive feedback delivery and sensitive handling of performance
• Essential: Ability to deal with complaints appropriately
• Essential: Excellent time management, organisational and IT skills
• Essential: Strong problem solving and decision making
• Essential: Ability to prioritise, meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Essential: Ability to discuss prescribed medication clearly with patients and professionals
• Essential: Good clinical knowledge

Other

• Essential: Self-starter, self-motivated with ability to progress service and motivate team
• Essential: Positive, confident and supportive of staff
• Essential: Professional integrity and adherence to General Pharmaceutical Council guidelines
• Essential: Commitment to continuing professional development (CPD)
• Desirable: Willing to work in other teams within Pharmacy or Trust as needed

Compliance

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a Disclosure to the DBS will be required to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship will be considered. For information, visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. Guidance on overseas criminal records checks is available.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Great Western Hospital, Marlborough Road, Swindon, SN3 6BB