Pharmacy Assistant

Oxleas; West of England; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Pharmacy Assistant to join the team onsite in a prison setting. You will dispense clinically screened prescriptions, manage stock, and assist with drug alerts, recalls, and fridge temperature checks, while progressing NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services if needed.

The role requires knowledge of GDP practices, and handling of purchasing and supplier contracts. This NHS role offers exposure to diverse healthcare services within a secure environment.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services is preferred, otherwise healthcare experience with NVQ L2 support.
• Experience or willingness to undertake NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services via Oxleas.
• Knowledge of GMP/GDP and stock control procedures.
• Ability to work in a regulated prison healthcare environment.

Responsibilities

• Dispense medicines against prescriptions after pharmacist screening, following SOPs.
• Keep the dispensary clean and tidy at all times.
• Assist with drug alerts and recalls and fridge temperature checks.
• Record and report any issues to senior staff promptly.
• Support stock ordering, receiving, and updating the pharmacy system.
• Ensure medicines are sourced from reliable suppliers and manage stock control.

Skills

Stock control

Dispensing

Pharmacy IT system

Drug alerts & recalls

GDP knowledge

Education

NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services

Certificate in Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) Level 2

Tools

Pharmacy stock control systems

Job description

Are you ready to unlock your potential within a challenging, creative and fast paced work environment? Do you want work with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past?

This is an excellent opportunity for a pharmacy assistant to join our team of diverse, talented healthcare professionals to deliver care that is not only efficient but deeply centred on the patient.

Our healthcare team have a real impact on promoting health and well-being to those in prison and we pride ourselves on using skills and strategies that instil hope for patient’s future resettlement back into the community. We directly deliver Mental Health, Physical Health, Pharmacy and Clinical Substance Misuse in an integrated healthcare delivery model to provide effective and responsive care to improve wellbeing and support better outcomes in the future.

This position isn’t just a job; it’s a chance to blend your clinical knowledge, personal skills and a commitment to delivering the highest standards of care in an environment that is as rewarding as it is challenging.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

As a Pharmacy Assistant, you will contribute towards the smooth and efficient running of the pharmacy service on site within the prison. This will include all aspects of stock control (routine ordering, receipt of goods, computer input, storage of medicines), dispensing clinically screened prescriptions and dispensing weekly/monthly in possession medication to patients.

Ideally applicants will have an NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services, however we will accept applicants who have healthcare experience and are interested in being put through the NVQ L2 by Oxleas.

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We Listen
• We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To dispense, using the pharmacy IT system, medicines against prescriptions that have been clinically screened by a pharmacist, following the appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• To ensure that the dispensary is kept in a clean and tidy condition at all times.
• To assist pharmacists with the practicalities of dealing with drug alerts and recalls.
• To check and record fridge temperatures on a daily basis to ensure integrity of the cold chain.
• To report any errors or issues immediately to the senior pharmacy technician or the Responsible Pharmacist.
• If not already achieved, to work towards achieving the necessary NVQ level 2 modules in pharmacy services.
• To assist with departmental filing, photocopying and general office work as required. This includes the use of basic packages such as Word.
• To assist the pharmacy technician (ACT) in creating new drug files on the pharmacy computer system and updating the system when new contracts are issued by the CMU
• To be responsible for the day to day ordering, receiving and unpacking of pharmaceutical products from suppliers according to GDP and departmental SOPs
• To be an authorised signatory for placing of orders up to £1.5K in value.
• To ensure that medicines are sourced from credible and reliable suppliers, and purchasing contracts are adhered to.
• To accurately use the pharmacy computer system to receive goods into the pharmacy store according to departmental SOPs.
• To ensure that all goods received into pharmacy stores are kept under the appropriate storage conditions in accordance with GDP.
• To carry out regular stock checks, expiry date checks and other monitoring procedures such as logging fridge and ambient temperatures and dealing with any anomalies in accordance with GDP and departmental procedure.
• To ensure high standards and accuracy of work and to ensure all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are read and adhered to.
• To ensure medicines returned from clinical areas, are sorted and either returned to stock or disposed of safely and appropriately in accordance with GDP, Trust guidelines and departmental procedures.
• To ensure that all work carried out in procurement is done in accordance with current legislation, including GDP and departmental and Trust financial procedures.

(Full JD can be downloaded in supporting documents section)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

You will need to provide:

Proof of right to work documentation

Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographicID

Proof of address documentation

Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.

Address History:

5 years address history will be needed.

Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.

Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.

If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website ( http://www.fco.gov.uk/en ).

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• Certificate in purchasing and supply (CIPS) level 2 or equivalent experience
• NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services Certificate (or willingness to undertake via Oxleas)

Experience

• Previous experience of working within a pharmacy or healthcare
• Ability to work in all sections of medicines supply
• Experience of working with Pharmacy Stock control systems

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of Good Distribution Practices (GDP) (Requirements of WDL)
• Competent in co-ordinating and completing day-to-day workload with minimal supervision

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage: https://oxleas.nhs.uk/armed-forces-community/

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.