Pharmacy Assistant – Dispensary & Digital Medicines

University Hospitals Dorset; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Dorset is recruiting a Pharmacy Assistant – Dispensary & Digital Medicines to support medicine supply across the hospitals and assist the Digital Medicines team. The role combines hospital pharmacy with EPMA and other digital system work, with opportunities to gain Level 2 in Pharmacy Services.

You will work across the Dispensary and Digital Medicines teams, provide training, handle queries, and participate in weekend and late rotas as required.

Qualifications

• GCSEs including Maths, English and Science at grade 4 or above.
• Level 2 in Pharmacy Services, or willingness to work towards.
• IT qualification and good IT skills are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Supply medicines across the hospital pharmacy and dispensary.
• Provide EPMA support and assist the Digital Medicines team.
• Deliver teaching and training to multidisciplinary staff.
• Work flexibly across UHD sites as service demands require.

Skills

Accurate, numerate

Good IT skills

Prioritise work

Verbal and written communication

Train other staff

Communicate to diverse audiences

Problem solving

Education

GCSEs including Maths English Science

Level 2 in Pharmacy Services

IT Qualification

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Pharmacy Assistant – Dispensary & Digital Medicines

Band 3

Main area Pharmacy Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (flexible working to facilitate any EPMA roll outs may be required) Job ref 153-SP06895

Department name 01. UHD - General Recruitment Site Bournemouth Hospital Town Bournemouth Salary £25,760 - £27,476 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 01/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 11/11/2026

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.

Job overview

An unique opportunity has arisen for a motivated, committed, and adaptable individual with an interest in working in Pharmacy. We are seeking a motivated, hardworking, and efficient person to join our pharmacy team.

You will play a crucial role in supporting the team with the supply of medicines throughout the hospitals and providing assistance to the Digital Medicines team.

This shared post will expose you to hospital pharmacy processes as well as acquiring additional digital knowledge and skills related to EPMA and other digital systems. If not already attained, you will also complete your Level 2 in Pharmacy Services. This role is perfect for anyone who enjoys combining pharmacy practice with digital skills to support and shape Digital Health initiatives.

Good communication skills, flexibility, commitment, and strong teamwork are essential qualities for this role. Your skills will be enhanced across various areas as you work in across both the Dispensary team and the Digital Medicines team, supplying medications, resolving queries, provide EPMA support, and deliver teaching and training to multidisciplinary staff across UHD.

We have ambitious plans to develop our sites, making even better use of our combined resources to serve our population most effectively.

Main duties of the job

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification.

When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

Cross Site Working - Base Location: Bournemouth Hospital

Interview date: Monday, 11th November 2026

Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

Working for our organisation

Workplace Testimony

"This unique split role across Pharmacy Dispensary and Digital Medicines gave me valuable insight into both frontline pharmacy practice and the digital systems that support it. Working in dispensary strengthened my medicines knowledge and understanding of pharmacy workflows, while my digital role developed my expertise in EPMA and EPR systems. Combining both perspectives enabled me to contribute to system improvements, provide practical user feedback, and support colleagues to build their digital confidence, helping to improve efficiency and patient care."

Julia Johns - UHD pharmacy

Transport links are excellent with Bournemouth International airport, Cross-channel ferry terminals at Poole and direct train access to London.

Please note all staff being recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across our new Trust sites when service demands require it.

You will be expected to participate in our weekend, bank holiday and late night rotas.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person specification

Education

• Minimum 4 GCSE’s including Maths, English & Science. Grade 4 (C) or above
• Level 2 in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent), or willing to work towards
• IT Qualification

Experience

• Stock control

Technical Skills

• Accurate, numerate
• Good IT skills (MS Office and internet as a minimum)
• Ability to prioritise work
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to train other staff
• Experience of communicating information to a wide variety of individuals with different levels of understanding
• Able to demonstrate problem solving

Knowledge

• Demonstrable knowledge of system management for specialised IT systems acquired through formal training or equivalent experience
• Understanding of what EPMA is and how it impacts healthcare.
• Understanding of the principles of Information Governance
• Understanding the role of a Hospital Pharmacy assistant

Other requirements specific to the role

• Must be prepared to complete the relevant Training
• Able to travel between sites

Personal Attributes

• Aware of own limitations / authority
• Team player with good working relationships and able to work across organisational boundaries

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.

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 Lisa Croft Job title Lead Pharmacy Technician - Digital Medicines Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 0300 019 2984 Additional information

Digital Medicines Team: 0300 019 2984

Dispensary Manager - Vicky Pidgley: 0300 019 6085