Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer (ATO)
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Stand out for this role — generate a tailored resume and cover letter in about a minute.
Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer to support dispensary, ward and community services across the Trust. You will work under supervision to dispense medicines and handle stock, while maintaining high standards of customer care and professionalism.
The role offers training, supportive line managers, flexible working opportunities and a generous leave allowance.
Qualifications
- GCSEs including Maths and English are required.
- NVQ2 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent is expected.
- Proficient with standard office software and pharmacy systems.
Responsibilities
- Assist with dispensing medicines under supervision, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
- Support reception duties and respond to patient and staff inquiries professionally.
- Maintain stock, perform stock checks and assist with ordering and receiving items.
- Ensure clean, safe working environment and follow SOPs and policies.
- Collaborate with pharmacy team across wards and deliveries to support services.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
The closing date is 15 October 2026
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. If it is identified that you require sponsorship to undertake this role your application may be withdrawn
You will support the provision of the dispensary, ward and community based services to enable the smooth, seamless and efficient supply of medicines across the Trust. You will work under the supervision of the Senior Assistant Technical Officer, Dispensary Manager, Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacists.
The Pharmacy & Medicines Optimisation Team is a diverse and exciting team providing pharmacy services to our 3 main sites; Haywood, St Georges and Redwoods along with a number of community based hubs.
We value our staff and aim to support them in their Pharmacy journey.
- Your work life balance is important to us, so you will be required to only work a maximum of 2 Bank holidays per year, with currently no weekend or late night working.
- Training, education and support provided.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
To assist the pharmacy team (under the supervision of a pharmacy registered professional) in providing a high quality service to patients, customers and pharmacy staff in the dispensaries and within the Trust, by promoting a positive and professional image of pharmacy and demonstrating good customer care skills.
Take an active role in accurately dispensing medicines to provide an efficient and timely service and participate in reception duties. Take part in the management of stock, including ordering, receiving, and storing of stock and actively participate in routine stock checks. Ensure the working environment is kept clean and tidy and to support pharmacy professionals in the delivery of an effective, efficient pharmacy service.
By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by;
- Supporting your career development and progression
- Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
- Options for flexible working
- Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days)
- Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
- If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
- Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
- Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
- Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
- Free car parking at all trust sites
- Free flu vaccinations every year
- Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)
We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.
Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.
Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications
- To interpret and accurately dispense requests for medication for in-patients, outpatients and clinical trials in accordance with department SOPs under the supervision of a pharmacy professional (excluding Controlled Drugs).
- To assist with general reception duties including receiving prescriptions from patients and members of staff, answering the telephone and dealing with enquires where appropriate whilst ensuring a positive and professional image is displayed in keeping with the Trust values.
- Working with customers in a polite and efficient manner - face to face, over the phone, or by electronic methods, to deal with enquiries of a routine nature and referring appropriate queries to the relevant member of the pharmacy team.
- To take part in departmental stock takes and stock maintenance including: expiry date checking ensuring any short-dated / expired items are quarantined. Ordering of stock, checking of orders received against delivery notes and restocking of shelves ensuring good stock rotation is maintained. This will involve the completion of all the necessary documentation and stock transfer using the pharmacy computer system.
- To support with raising orders for external suppliers and homecare. Orders raised will require sign off by a pharmacy technician or pharmacist.
- Undertake the temperature monitoring of the refrigerators and room environments and alert an appropriate senior member of staff of any excursions outside of the normal range.
- To participate in the management of medication returns ensuring recycling and destruction is carried out which will contribute to maximising drug usage and financial resources.
- To liaise with portering and transport services to ensure an adequate service is provided and elevate any failures as appropriate.
- To maintain accurate computer records which include the accurate use of pharmacy computer systems, patients records, the issue and costing of medication being issued to all areas of pharmacy, wards, departments and individual patients.
- Support the team in maintaining the safe storage and security of medicines, prescriptions, confidential information etc.
- To participate in the topping-up of ward/ department stock medication and re-order as necessary.
- To participate in the topping-up of stock medicines in the emergency medicines cupboard, ensuring that short-dated drugs are removed and replaced as appropriate.
- To occasionally deliver medication to wards including cytotoxic/cytostatic medicines.
- To support the day-to-day provision of the dispensary service to ensure smooth running of dispensary services e.g.: looking after documentation, liaising with patients/service users and troubleshooting problems and queries.
- Support with the procurement of medicines.
- Arrange transport for collection and delivery of urgent items. Pack medicines securely, ready for delivery to wards /departments /clinics. Identify fridge items and pack separately, to ensure that they are kept in the refrigerator until collection.
- Contact wards /departments to advise that prescriptions are ready for collection.
- To monitor the fax and scanner for any prescriptions or orders sent to pharmacy and undertake photocopying, filing and faxing of documents.
- To undertake and participate in audits and to actively participate in the end of year stock take as necessary.
- To support the department in delivering efficiency schemes.
- To attend pharmacy staff meetings and build efficient communication between members of the pharmacy team.
- Follow all departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- To undertake specific duties agreed with the Chief Technicians and line manager in line with the grade and scope of the post.
- Complete mandatory training as required by the Trust.
- Participate in working towards their Personal Development Plan.
- Attend such training courses and meetings as are necessary to achieve personal departmental objectives as agreed with the line manager.
- Take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve knowledge and competence.
- The pharmacy department is currently open Monday to Friday but may be subject to change.
- When necessary you may be required to participate in weekend /Bank holiday working to support the provision of pharmacy services across the Trust.
- On occasions you may be required to work at another site to cover staffshortages.
- To provide excellent communication with: Pharmacy staff, Clinical and managerial staff (irrespective of profession or grade), Patient/ Service users and carers, Couriers and porters, Trust partners e.g. external suppliers, delivery drivers.
- Standard keyboard skills are required to use the dispensary computer system for producing dispensary labels and stock sheets using the pharmacy ascribe system.
- Computer skills involving the use of email, word, internet etc.
- Applies general knowledge effectively to the benefit of service delivery.
- To work across a large Trust, which may, on occasions involve travel from one site to another.
- High levels of concentration and the fine manipulation associated with dispensing, picking and checking stock against delivery/order documents, alongside dealing with interruptions such as attending to drivers, porters, patients.
- To visit clinic/team bases off-site.
- Occasional exposure to unpleasant conditions.
- To carry and pack pharmaceutical supplies and move pharmaceutical goods as appropriate.
- Requirement for frequent concentration whilst processing prescriptions, stock requests and checking off wholesaler orders.
- Dexterity, coordination, for keyboard and telephony skills.
- Use of a VDU for significant proportions of the day.
- The post-holder may experience emotional, distressing situations and have to deal with irate patients/service users e.g. complaints about waiting times, unavailable drugs or general anti-social behaviours.
- Follows Trust/department Policies/Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as appropriate.
- May be asked to contribute to the development of SOPs.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Required to complete appropriate training and support required for the role.
- To undertake and participate in audits and surveys as necessary.
- 4 GCSE including Maths and English.
- NVQ2 (or equivalent level) in Pharmacy Services.
- Computer literate Good numerical skills Has sound knowledge of record keeping Experience in dealing with queries Experience of working with members of the public
- Experienced as a pharmacy assistant (or related pharmacy experience) Experience of working within the NHS. Experience of working in pharmaceutical environment
- Ability to work as part of a team Ability to act on own initiative Ability to communicate orally and in writing (e.g. good telephone manner, excellent face to face communicator) Keyboard & data handling skills Ability to work in a busy environment and to meet deadlines. Ability to work with sensitive financial data and generate reports. Understands limits of responsibility
- Microsoft Word and internet knowledge Ability to prioritise work
- Ability to travel across trust sites Polite Punctual, honest and trustworthy Flexible approach to duties, to meet deadlines Reliable Treats others with respect & dignity Ability to overcome barriers to change Ability to exercise tact and sensitivity
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.
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M101.744%2012.4726L102.894%2016.1947L99.0021%2013.2201L101.744%2012.4726ZM105.3%208.40937H100.488L99.0026%203.59473L97.5116%208.41047L92.7%208.40385L96.5965%2011.3834L95.1055%2016.1942L99.0021%2013.2196L101.408%2011.3834L105.3%208.40992V8.40937Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_5593_1381'%20x1='90'%20y1='9.44471'%20x2='99'%20y2='9.44471'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2300AD70'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.998594'%20stop-color='%2300B67A'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%23DCDCE6'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
