Lead Pharmacy Technician - Quality Assurance

Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust is seeking an experienced Lead Pharmacy Technician - Quality Assurance to lead QA activities across the APU, ensuring GMP and QAAPS compliance and maintaining the quality management system. The role focuses on audits, CAPAs, change controls, and environmental monitoring to support safe aseptic and chemotherapy services.

The post requires excellent leadership, communication and problem-solving skills, with a commitment to patient safety and service

Qualifications

• Experience leading Quality Assurance activities in an APU.
• Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of GMP and QAAPS standards and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead QA activities within the APU ensuring GMP/QAAPS compliance.
• Develop and manage quality systems including deviations, CAPAs, change controls, audits.
• Oversee environmental monitoring and quality control programmes.
• Coordinate internal audits and support external inspections.
• Act as authorised product approver for aseptic products including chemotherapy.
• Provide QA advice to pharmacy, aseptic services and clinical trials teams.
• Support staff training and continuous quality improvement.
• Contribute to development of pharmacy technical services delivering safe patient care.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Job description

Following the successful move into our state-of-the-art facilities at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH), we are seeking an experienced, motivated, and forward-thinking Lead Pharmacy Technician - Quality Assurance to join our expanding Pharmacy team.

This is a highly specialised role with a key responsibility for leading and developing Quality Assurance activities across the Aseptic Preparation Unit (APU), ensuring compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), NHS Quality Assurance of Aseptic Preparation Services (QAAPS) standards and all relevant regulatory requirements. The post holder will play a pivotal role in maintaining and improving the Quality Management System, supporting environmental monitoring programmes, managing audits, investigations, CAPAs, change controls, and inspection readiness, while helping to ensure the safe delivery of aseptic and chemotherapy services.

We are looking for an individual with excellent leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.

We offer a supportive and innovative working environment, access to excellent training and development opportunities and the chance to influence and shape quality systems.

This is an exciting opportunity for a pharmacy technician who is passionate about quality, patient safety and service excellence to make a significant impact within a progressive and ambitious pharmacy team.

Main Duties Of The Job Are The Following

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of Quality Assurance activities within the APU, ensuring compliance with GMP, QAAPS standards and regulatory requirements.
• Manage and develop quality systems, including deviations, CAPAs, change controls, audits, validation, and risk management processes.
• Oversee environmental monitoring and quality control programmes, investigating trends and implementing corrective actions where required.
• Coordinate internal audits and support external inspections, ensuring the service remains inspection-ready at all times.
• Act as an authorised product approver for aseptic products, supporting the safe release of chemotherapy and other aseptically prepared medicines.
• Provide specialist quality assurance advice and support to pharmacy, aseptic services and clinical trials teams.
• Support staff training, competency assessment and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of pharmacy technical services, ensuring safe, efficient and patient-focused service delivery.

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) serves Birmingham and the Black Country – one of the country’s most culturally diverse areas. It’s a friendly and welcoming place – a place where you can belong, and a place where you can grow.

We care for our patients, we care about our population, and we care about our people.

Our values – Ambition, Respect and Compassion – are at the heart of who we are. They guide us every step of the way; how we work with each other, and how we look after our patients and their families; how we respect and value the rich diversity of our team and our community.

Our Trust has always aspired to be more than a hospital, more than a healthcare provider. Our purpose is to “Improve the Life Chances and Health Outcomes of our Population.” It is what inspires, drives, and unites us every day. It’s what makes us unique.

We want working at SWB to feel like more than just a job. We want our Trust to be a place where you can feel you belong. A place where you feel happy, safe, and rewarded. A place where you can develop your career in whatever way you choose. When we say we’re ‘with you all the way’ we want you to know that we mean it. Visit the SWB website to find out more about our ambitions and people plans.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Rhia Desai Job title: Principal Pharmacist - Quality Assurance Email address: [e-mail] Telephone number: 0121 507 3384

To arrange an informal visit or chat regarding the role please email Rhia Desai on [e-mail] or contact 0121 507 3384