Pharmacy Support Worker - Higher Level

NHS Scotland; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Lothian Pharmacy & Medicines Service at the Western General Hospital is seeking a Pharmacy Support Worker (Higher Level) to join the Viral Hepatitis team. You will help manage medicines, ensure timely ward orders, and support both inpatient and outpatient medication services.

We value learning, collaboration, and patient-focused care, offering structured training and development opportunities within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• National 4 (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics and a Science (Biology or Chemistry).
• Completion of Healthcare Support Workers induction standard.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Viral Hepatitis multidisciplinary team and lead medicines management for hepatitis B and C.
• Ensure ward orders are placed and received timely, rotate stock, and educate nurses on medication supply and storage.
• Check patients' own medicines for suitability, order medicines for inpatients, and support timely discharges.
• Support training and development within the team and assist in dispensary labelling and assembly.

Skills

English

Mathematics

Science

Education

SQA Pharmacy Services Group Award (GA) SCQF Level 6

Healthcare Support Workers induction standard

Job description

Western General Hospital

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

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NHS Lothian Pharmacy & Medicines Service

Western General Hospital

(Including weekend and public holidays commitment)

Are you looking to develop your career in pharmacy services? Join our supportive team and play an important role in delivering pharmacy services that directly support patient care. We are seeking an enthusiastic individual who is committed to learning, collaborative working, and achieving positive patient outcomes.

About the Role

As a Pharmacy Support Worker (Higher Level) based within the Viral Hepatitis team at the Western General Hospital, a renowned teaching hospital with a reputation for excellence, you will be an integral part of both the clinical and pharmacy teams. In this role, you will:

• Work closely with the Viral Hepatitis multidisciplinary team. Take a lead role in medicines management for patients with hepatitis B and C, ensuring medicine availability in both community and secondary care to promote seamless patient care.
• Spend time on the infectious diseases ward, ensuring ward orders are placed and received in a timely manner, rotating stock, providing nurse education on medication supply and storage issues, and ensuring medicines availability for inpatients.
• Carry out activities including the checking of patient’s own medicines to ensure suitability for use, ensuring continuation of medication supply, ordering medicines for inpatients, reducing missed doses and facilitating timely patient discharges.
• Support the training and development of others within the team, ensuring high standards of service delivery.
• Spend time with the pharmacy team in the dispensary labelling and assembling prescribed medicines for inpatients and outpatients.

Why Join Us?

When you join NHS Lothian’s Pharmacy & Medicines Service, you are joining a team that values professional growth, innovation, and collaboration. Here’s why this role could be perfect for you:

• Career progression: Gain advanced skills through structured training and expand your scope of practice.
• Supportive environment: Work with a friendly, professional team that values growth and is committed to helping you succeed.
• Impactful work: Contribute to the efficient supply of medicines, directly supporting high-quality patient care.

About you

• National 4 (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics and a Science (Biology or Chemistry)
• Educated to/or within 12 months following probationary period completion of:

SQA Pharmacy Services Group Award (GA) SCQF Level 6 and specific education requirements for specific areas within pharmacy

• Completion of Healthcare Support Workers induction standard
• Previous experience in healthcare or pharmacy is essential - we will provide any additional training you need.
• A passion for learning and development, with a professional attitude and commitment to providing exceptional patient care.
• Personal values aligned with NHS Lothian’s core values: quality, teamwork, care, compassion, dignity, respect, openness, honesty, and responsibility.

If you are enthusiastic, organised, and ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

About NHS Lothian

NHS Lothian is Scotland’s second-largest health system, serving a population of 900,000 across Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, and West Lothian. Our Pharmacy & Medicines Service is committed to delivering person-centred, clinically led care, ensuring patients benefit fully from their medicines. At the Western General Hospital, you will join a team dedicated to excellence in patient care and professional development. Flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a better work-life balance can be considered, where this meets the needs of the service.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

For further information on what is included in the role and the skills/experience we are looking for, please refer to the job description and person specification. We know that a job pack can only tell part of the story. To find out more about this exciting opportunity and how it could fit your career aspirations, we warmly invite you to contact:

Honoratha Massawe, Lead Clinical Pharmacy Technician
0131 537 1267| [e-mail]

Niketa Platt, Lead Viral Hepatitis Pharmacist
0131 537 2009 [e-mail]

Take the first step toward a rewarding career in pharmacy

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long‑term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post

- Urban Practice