Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer

Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Nhs Trust

Knowsley

On-site

GBP 23,000 - 28,000

Part time

9 days ago

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Job summary

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a flexible Pharmacy Support Assistant to join our pharmacy team at Whiston and St Helens sites. You will rotate across stores and dispensaries and participate in evening, weekend, and bank holiday rotas.

Role responsibilities include receiving prescriptions, storing and distributing medicines, stock control, and assisting in ward services with modern pharmacy software. Training on offer; GCSE level qualifications desirable.

Qualifications

NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Service skills or GPhC recognised equivalent; willing to undertake qualification within 18 months.
Training can be provided on the job.
GCSE level education would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

Participate in the ATO rota across stores, dispensaries and wards.
Assist in receipt of prescriptions and stock handling.
Support pharmacy services to wards and clinics to maintain medicines.
Assist in booking in and auditing prescriptions using the latest software.
Prepare and assemble medicines for delivery to wards and departments.
Maintain stock records and undertake ward topping up weekly.
Support staff rotation between sites and participate in on-call rotas.

Skills

Good communication skills

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Organisational skills

Travel between sites

Evenings/weekends rotas

Computer systems experience

Manual handling

Self-motivation

Education

NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Service skills or GPhC equivalent

GCSE level education advantageous

Tools

JAC Pharmacy system

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible and well-motivated individual to join our existing Pharmacy team.

The successful candidate will rotate between Pharmacy stores and Whiston and St Helens Hospital dispensaries, and participate in our evening, weekend and bank holiday rotas.

Your duties will include receiving prescription from patients and Hospital staff, booking in orders as well assembling stock medicines for distribution to wards and departments.

A strong attention to detail is essential, as is an ability to work accurately in a fast-paced environment with other members of the Pharmacy team.

Good communication skills and a willingness to learn is important.

Candidates ideally should possess NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Service skills or a GPhC recognised equivalent qualification, However training can be provided. A good standard of education (to GCSE level) would be advantageous.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and are subject to change.

Main duties of the job

To participate in the ATO rota through areas of the stores dispensaries and wards.
To assist in the receipt of prescriptions.
To participate in pharmacy services to wards and clinics primarily to maintain and control medicines.
To assist in booking in and auditing prescriptions, using the latest software.
To prepare and assemble supplies of medicines for delivery to wards and departments.
To assist in the receipt, storage and issue of stock including the maintenance of manual and computerised records.
To assist in the provision of a ward topping up service, supplying stock medication to wards on a weekly basis.
To co-operate with the provision of necessary staffing within the pharmaceutical service and participate in staff rotation to other sites e.g. St Helens.
To assist in the preparation and assembly of resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
To participate in stock control of medicines within the pharmacy department under the supervision of the dispensary manager or senior technician.
Regularly handle or process cash or cheques when dealing with outpatients prescriptions.
To comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs both within the Pharmacy and in all other areas of the Trust.
To participate in the Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday rotas.
To participate in evening and on‑call rotas in response to the changing needs of the service.

About us

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Job responsibilities

To participate in the ATO rota through areas of the stores dispensaries and wards.
To assist in the receipt of prescriptions.
To participate in pharmacy services to wards and clinics primarily to maintain and control medicines.
To assist in booking in and auditing prescriptions, using the latest software.
To prepare and assemble supplies of medicines for delivery to wards and departments.
To assist in the receipt, storage and issue of stock including the maintenance of manual and computerised records.
To assist in the provision of a ward topping up service, supplying stock medication to wards on a weekly basis.
To co-operate with the provision of necessary staffing within the pharmaceutical service and participate in staff rotation to other sites e.g. St Helens.
To assist in the preparation and assembly of resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
To participate in stock control of medicines within the pharmacy department under the supervision of the dispensary manager or senior technician.
Regularly handle or process cash or cheques when dealing with outpatients prescriptions.
To comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs both within the Pharmacy and in all other areas of the Trust.
To comply with and ensure that all other pharmacy staff under his / her control comply with the Health and Safety at work act, COSHH Regulations, Display Screen Equipment Regulations, Data Protection Act and other appropriate legislation during daily activities.
To participate in the Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday rotas.
To participate in evening and on‑call rotas in response to the changing needs of the service.
To assist with basic counselling of outpatients in accordance with pharmacy procedures and under the supervision of a pharmacist or Pharmacy technician.
To answer telephone and face to face queries of a routine or basic technical nature from a wide range of staff groups, patients and the public, either in the pharmacy or on the ward, and refer appropriate queries to the relevant member of the pharmacy team when necessary.
To liaise with various members of the Pharmacy team and ward staff when solving supply problems and ensuring the best service to patients.
To ensure safety of drugs awaiting collection by nursing staff and other responsible persons
To participate in individual performance review and continuing education programmes in order to maintain and improve standards of service.
To maintain continuing professional development.
To be responsible for the accurate input of data into the Pharmacy JAC computer system for all duties requiring its use e.g. Ordering and stock control.
To assist in the completion and filing of departmental documents.
To record any information and assist in the compilation of any data necessary.
To act as a role model and assist in the training and induction of other members of the technical staff.
To undertake and achieve the NVQ level 2 Pharmacy service skills qualification in accordance with GPhC guidance.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NVQ level 2 Pharmacy service skills - or GPhC recognised equivalent, or must be willing to undertake qualification and complete within 18 months of commencing employment

Our Values

Essential

We are Kind
We are Open
We are Inclusive

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

Experience of working with Computer systems

Desirable

Experience of working in a Hospital pharmacy
Experience in using the CMM (JAC) Pharmacy system

Skills

Essential

Good communication skills oAbility to talk to patients, staff and other Health care professionals. oAbility to express items clearly, both face to face and using telephones
Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
Good administration skills including record keeping
Understand importance and context of role
Self‑motivated with the ability to motivate others
Ability to work under pressure
Works well as part of a team
Presents a professional image / appearance
Supportive of colleagues of all grades
Good physical fitness for duties including manual handling, (items up to approx 15kg) standing and walking
Good organisational skills with the ability to prioritise

Other

Essential

Ability to travel between sites
Able to participate in the evening and weekend rotas

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address: Whiston Hospital, Warrington Road, Prescot, L35 5DR, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Team Manager

Gill Eddleston

gillian.eddleston@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk

01512904289

Details

Date posted: 06 October 2026