Pharmacy Assistant - Dispensary

NHS; Gillingham; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

An established healthcare provider is seeking a dedicated Pharmacy Assistant to join their dynamic team. This role involves managing inventory, dispensing prescriptions, and supporting the Pharmacy Team in delivering exceptional patient care. Ideal candidates will possess strong communication and numeracy skills, along with a commitment to achieving a Level 2 qualification in Pharmacy Services. The organization is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring a supportive environment for all staff. If you are self-motivated and eager to contribute to a vital healthcare service, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• GCSE in English and Maths at grade C or above is required.
• NVQ2 in Pharmacy or willingness to achieve it within 6 months.

Responsibilities

• Dispense prescriptions accurately and promptly.
• Maintain stock and report discrepancies.
• Provide excellent customer service at all times.

Skills

Problem-solving

Self-motivation

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Numeracy skills

Education

GCSE (English & Maths C or above)

NVQ2 (pharmaceutical) or willingness to work towards

Job description

Division: Cancer and Core Clinical Services

Care Group: Diagnostics and Therapies

Band: 2

Interview Date: 13th May 2025

We are recruiting for a Pharmacy Assistant who shares our ambition and vision to deliver the Best of Care by the Best People and has the drive to take us forward, ensuring that the Trust continues to be the first choice for patients and staff.

Main duties of the job

As a Pharmacy Assistant, you will undertake general supply and inventory management duties within the Pharmacy Department. You will support and assist all members of the Pharmacy Team and work towards a Level 2 qualification in Pharmacy Services (with our support).

The role requires applicants to have (or be willing to undertake) General Pharmaceutical Council approved qualifications in Pharmacy Services or equivalent as a minimum. You should possess good communication, literacy, numeracy, and basic computer skills, along with a positive attitude to work. The successful applicant will participate in the late night, weekend, and bank holiday rota.

You should have strong problem-solving, self-motivation, and organizational skills to be part of our Pharmacy Team.

The successful candidate will be expected to work effectively both alone and as part of a team.

Our values are Bold, Every Person Counts, Sharing and Open, and Together. It is important that you understand and reflect these values in your application and throughout your employment with the Trust.

We are committed to diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion; our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly during the recruitment process.

To contribute to our exciting future and join our team, apply today.

About us

Do you have the ambition and vision to deliver our mission of theBest of Care by the Best of People providing excellent care, every time?

At Medway, we pride ourselves on working together as one to achieve our shared vision for our patients.

As a key partner in local healthcare, we aim to deliver this through our Trust-wide strategy - Patient First. Using Operational Excellence, we are over a year into our Patient First deployment. We seek creative, skilled individuals to join our Transformation Team and support this journey.

Our culture and values are central to who we are as an organization.

Our BEST values underpin Patient First and are core to our care, staff support, and leadership:

B - Bold

E - Every person counts

S - Sharing and open

T - Together

Our Trust offers a dynamic environment for career development, with flexible working options to suit individual and family needs.

Job responsibilities

• Dispense prescriptions accurately and promptly
• Maintain and process prescriptions for the Pharmacy virtual Outpatient clinic
• Assist in delivering dispensed items to wards and departments
• Ensure correct storage, stock rotation, and expiry monitoring of medications
• Report stock issues promptly to procurement and distribution managers
• Sort, file, and archive prescriptions as per SOPs
• Send out-of-stock items promptly and check discrepancies
• Ensure sufficient stock and consumables are available
• Answer phone queries and refer clinical questions to trained staff
• Maintain good customer service at all times
• Update manual and digital records for stock transfers and discrepancies
• Conduct daily stock checks and report discrepancies
• Record prescriptions on the tracking system and update outpatient waiting times

Note: While Covid-19 vaccination is recommended, it is no longer mandatory for applicants.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE (English & Maths C or above)
• NVQ2 (pharmaceutical) or willingness to work towards within 6 months

Knowledge

• Stock control and accurate dispensing standards
• Numeracy skills, including basic calculations without a calculator
• Familiarity with Pharmacy services

Experience

• Experience working within the NHS
• Understanding of multidisciplinary team working

Values-Based Question

• Provide an example demonstrating a 'can do' attitude, including the situation and outcome

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This role is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975). A DBS check will be required to verify any criminal convictions.