Pharmacy Support Worker

NHS National Services Scotland; Paisley; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

A major healthcare provider in Paisley is seeking a self-motivated Pharmacy Support Worker to join their Pharmacy Team. This role involves labeling and dispensing medicines, participating in stock management, and supporting nursing staff. Candidates should have basic education including English and Maths. Full training will be provided to successful applicants. The position is permanent with a working schedule from Monday to Friday, and some weekend work may be required.

Qualifications

• Must have general education with English and Maths.
• Comfortable in a patient-facing role.
• Able to work using own initiative.

Responsibilities

• Label and dispense medicines for inpatients and outpatients.
• Participate in stock checks and manage stock levels.
• Assist in emergency medical retrieval bag provision.

Skills

Numeracy skills

Ability to communicate in English

Basic IT skills

Organisational skills

Education

3 Standard Grade Qualifications including English and Maths

SVQ/NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy qualification (desirable)

Job description

Job Overview

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is one of the largest healthcare systems in the UK employing around 40,000 staff in a wide range of clinical and non‑clinical professions and job roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health care services to a population of over 1.15 million and a wider population of 2.2 million when our regional and national services are included.

NHS GGC Pharmacy Services – Pharmacy Support Worker – Royal Alexandra Hospital, Pharmacy Department, Band 3, Permanent 1wte (37 hours). The post holder will be based at the RAH working Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm (with a 4.30 pm finish one day per week to be agreed). You will also be required to participate in weekend working and public holiday rotas where applicable.

An opportunity has arisen for a self‑motivated and enthusiastic individual to join the friendly RAH Pharmacy Team where you will be integral to ensuring the safe and effective supply of medicines to patients.

Responsibilities

You will label and dispense medicines that have been clinically screened by a pharmacist for inpatients and outpatients. You will label and dispense controlled drugs prescriptions, ensuring that medicine balances are up to date and accurate. You will accurately input ward requisitions through the pharmacy stock control system and participate in stock checks, stock rotation and expiry date checks. You will also assist in the provision of emergency medical retrieval bags for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

You should be comfortable in a patient facing role in a ward‑based environment where you will co‑ordinate ward stock medicine top‑up services and support nursing staff with good housekeeping of medicines. You will advise on stock levels of medicines and make suggestions to either increase or decrease stock levels in accordance with usage figures. You will identify slow‑moving or static medicines on wards and take steps to minimise waste.

Qualifications

You must have general education, basic numeracy and literacy skills demonstrated by 3 Standard Grade Qualifications or equivalent which must include English and Maths and you must be able to communicate effectively using clear written and spoken English. Basic IT skills are essential. You must be able to work to set procedures, be willing to learn new skills and participate in training. You should have the ability to plan, organise and prioritise daily tasks using your own initiative to meet the demanding needs of the service.

Experience of training and supervising staff, stock management systems and working as part of a team in healthcare or a similar environment is desirable however full training will be provided. An SVQ/NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy qualification is desirable in addition to knowledge and appreciation for policies, standard operating procedures and legislation in relation to dispensing and supplying medicines, however this can be learned on the job. Successful candidates will undertake an SVQ in Pharmacy Services Group Award (at SCQF Level 6) as per the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC) requirements for the education and training of pharmacy support staff. Successful candidates will also complete a comprehensive on‑the‑job training programme which lasts on average 18 months to become fully proficient in the Pharmacy Support Worker role.

Contact Information

For further information or an informal discussion please contact:

• Adele Kennedy, Pharmacy Team Lead, Clyde and Mental Health – 0141-532-7584
• Emma Daly or Pauline Page, Higher Level Pharmacy Technicians, RAH Pharmacy – 0141-314-7070

Details on how to contact the Recruitment Service and the Recruitment Process: Information for candidates.

This post may close early to the volume of response. Please submit your application form as soon as possible.

Due to the volume of applications that we receive, we will not be able to provide shortlisting feedback.

Equality and Inclusion

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – NHS Scotland encourages applications from all sections of the community. We promote a culture of inclusion across the organisation and are proud of the diverse workforce we have.

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We support applications from across the Armed Forces Community, recognising military skills, experience and qualifications during the recruitment and selection process.

Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third‑party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.

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