Outpatient Pharmacy - Medication purchasing Pharmacy assistant

Whittington Health; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Whittington Health seeks a full-time Medication Purchasing Pharmacy Assistant to support the Outpatient Pharmacy team. The role involves managing medication supplies, ensuring efficient patient care, and requires relevant qualifications like NVQ2 in Pharmacy Services along with experience in pharmacy settings.

Qualifications

• Must be qualified to NVQ2 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent.
• At least two years of UK community pharmacy or hospital pharmacy experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Managing Pharmacy stock and navigating medication supply problems.
• Processing medication orders and liaising with suppliers.
• Completing regular stock checks and maintaining the medication robot.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

NVQ2 in Pharmacy Services

5 GCSEs at Grade C (4) and above including Mathematics, English and Science

Job description

Outpatient Pharmacy - Medication purchasing Pharmacy assistant

Non-AFC (equivalent to Band 2/3)

Main area Pharmacy Grade Non-AFC (equivalent to Band 2/3) Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 40 hours per week (Monday to Friday (9am-5:30pm) - some weekend and bank holiday working required) Job ref 220-WHT-3147

Employer Whittington Health NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Whittington Pharmacy CIC - Outpatient Pharmacy Town London Salary £30,888 - £34,257 Depend on experience - JOB NOT UNDER AGENDA FOR CHANGE Salary period Yearly Closing 23/06/2025 23:59

We’re Hiring – Full time (40 hours per week) Medication purchasing Pharmacy assistant

We are seeking applicants to join our Outpatient Pharmacy team. Whether purchasing medication, managing Pharmacy stock, navigating mediation supply problems, dispensing medication or providing pharmacy services - you will be providing personalised solutions to help people lead healthier lives – this is work with real purpose.

The Pharmacy medication purchasing assistant plays a key role in ensuring safe and efficient patient care is maintained. Applicants must be qualified to NVQ2 in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent) or working towards this qualification and must have a good working knowledge of medication and Pharmaceutical goods in the UK. This role is perfect for a Pharmacy assistant with excellent Microsoft office skills and at least two years of UK community pharmacy or UK hospital pharmacy experience.

Accuracy, excellent written and verbal communication skills are key to undertaking the role. Applicants will need to use their initiative in resolving problems and be prepared to change priorities to ensure patients receive the right medications in a timely manner.

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

• Processing POM, OTC and Pharmacy stationary orders
• Liaise with suppliers, Pharmacy colleagues and other hospitals to obtain urgent medication
• Liaise with Pharmacy stores staff to ensure orders are received accurately and in time
• Complete regular stock check, stock rotation, date checking and maintenance of the medication robot
• Review and resolve medication stock shortages by liaising with manufacturers and suppliers as well as the Outpatient Pharmacy clinical colleagues
• Process medication MHRA alerts, stock returns and claims in a timely manner.
• Process Pharmacy invoices and credits in a timely manner to ensure good medication account position
• Participate in the annual stock check day
• Support the Pharmacy dispensary by assisting with dispensing and healthcare counter cover

Working for our organisation

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be a vital part of the Outpatient Pharmacy team in procuring medicines and identifying alternatives for items that are on shortage.

You will need to liaise with suppliers and become familiar with using a variety of online catalogues. Full training will be provided.

An accurate eye for detail in checking prices and investigating invoicing discrepancies is needed.

Person specification

• Ability to efficiently learn and navigate new digital software and online platforms
• Ability to efficiently learn new digital software for processing invoice payments
• Investigating stock or accounting discrepancies
• Microsoft office proficiency
• Strong communication and English language skills
• Good UK Pharmacy and medication knowledge
• Dispensing Medication and counselling patients

Education

• 5 GCSE passes Grade C (4) and above including Mathematics, English and a Science
• BTEC /NVQ L2 Certificate in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Support Staff (or equivalent)

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of working in a pharmacy department
• Knowledge of procurement and relevant medicines legislation
• Clear understanding of procurement processes
• Excellent computer literacy of Microsoft office suite
• Good command of both written and spoken English Language
• Clear and concise telephone manner
• Ability to investigate and resolve ordering and payment queries
• Good organisational, time management and workload prioritisation skills
• Good team working and interpersonal skills.
• Able to make critical decisions in the absence of the Procurement and Stores Manager.
• Logical problem-solving skills
• Hardworking and reliable
• Flexible, enthusiastic approach
• Able to deal with changing priorities whilst completing planned workload.
• Ability to work accurately under pressure and able to meet multiple deadlines whilst dealing with stressful situations.
• Knowledge of working in a Pharmacy

Knowledge and Experience

• Knowledge of the principles of efficient stock control e.g. stock rotation, expiry dates, minimum stock-levels and re-order levels
• Awareness of the need for patient confidentiality
• Experience of working in an environment requiring working with attention to detail and to pre-determined deadlines
• Experience of using Microsoft office excel, work, outlook
• Use of a Pharmacy Stock Control System and medicine/medical terminology
• Experience with CMM (JAC) pharmacy stock control system
• Experience of working in a hospital environment or a community pharmacy
• Experience working as a pharmacy assistant

Personal Qualities

• Ability to work autonomously with minimum required supervision
• Demonstrates patience, empathy and calm nature in a busy environment
• Demonstrates reliability and good time keeping
• A positive can-do attitude and a positive attitude to change
• Able to cope with moderate physical exertion and heavy lifting of pharmaceutical supplies
• Able to confidently communicate with senior members of staff regarding the need to follow due processes
• Assertive and quick to respond to urgent issues

Other

• Ability to do Late Duty, Weekend Duties + Bank Holidays according to a rota
• Awareness of Equal Opportunities
• Ability to support with the receipt and checking of deliveries

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Name Delaram Salehifard Job title Superintendent Pharmacist Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 020 7288 3387 Additional information

For further information or an informal chat about this opportunity, please contact Superintendent Pharmacist by email [e-mail] or 0207 288 3387.