Pharmacy Technician

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a qualified or soon‑to‑qualify Pharmacy Technician to develop clinically in an acute hospital pharmacy department. The post covers dispensaries (oncology, outpatients and inpatients) and ward‑level work at Colchester Hospital.

The role requires communication with patients and the MDT, ability to follow procedures, and flexibility. Fixed term to maternity leave until 19 October 2027.

Qualifications

• Qualified or due to qualify as a pharmacy technician in an acute hospital setting.
• Experience in dispensing, counselling and near patient services.
• Ability to supervise staff and participate in training.

Responsibilities

• Provide dispensing, counselling and near patient services in dispensaries including inpatient, oncology and outpatient.
• Accredited Checking Technician duties and error reporting with first-time accuracy.
• Rotate clinically at ward level with patient-centred medicines management.
• Support senior staff and lead on team initiatives when needed.
• Promote medicines safety and follow local and national guidance.

Skills

Proven experience as a pharmacy tech

Reflection and CPD

Supervision of staff

Hospital pharmacy

Education

B-Tech in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent

Registered pharmacy technician with the GPhC

Nationally recognised Accredited Checking Technician

Medicines Reconciliation (or working towards)

Medicines Management qualification

CMMPT or willingness to undertake

Job description

Go back East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Pharmacy Technician

The closing date is 27 September 2026

Have you got the enthusiasm and passion to take the next step in your career in an acute hospital pharmacy department?

We are looking for qualified, registered pharmacy technicians or those due to qualify this year, who wish to develop clinically in a patient focused role with opportunity to work within dispensaries (oncology, outpatients and in-patients) and at ward level at Colchester Hospital.

To provide a high quality service to our patients you will be a team player with the ability to work flexibly, react positively to change and know the limitations of the role. You will communicate effectively with patients, carers and the multi-disciplinary team. You must be able to follow written procedures, work under supervision and complete tasks accurately to set deadlines.

This post is fixed term to cover maternity leave until 19th October 2027. Internal applicants currently employed by ESNEFT will be offered on a secondment basis only, this will need to be discussed with your line manager.

We welcome calls to find out more information. Tours of the department available upon request.

Main duties of the job

As part of your role you will:

• Participate in providing supervision and training to other pharmacy department colleagues.
• Provide dispensing, counselling and near patient services in various dispensaries including the inpatient, oncology and outpatient dispensaries.
• Be an Accredited Checking Technician undertaking checking duties within the dispensary and recording dispensing errors using the right first time error reporting system.
• Work clinically on a rotational basis at ward level, providing a patient centred approach to medicines management and taking responsibility for the pharmaceutical care of patients.
• Minimise medicines-associated risk and ensure medication safety in accordance with local and national guidance.
• Proactively support senior pharmacy colleagues to ensure that all relevant dispensary or ward issues are highlighted to all appropriate departmental staff.
• Be given the opportunity to develop your leadership skills by undertaking a team leader role

Details about our pharmacy service - https://esneft.pagetiger.com/buqzfou/1

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Experience

• Proven experience as a pharmacy technician
• Reflection and CPD
• Supervision of staff
• Hospital pharmacy

Qualifications

• B-Tech in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
• Registered pharmacy technician with the GPhC
• Nationally recognised Accredited Checking Technician
• Medicines Reconciliation (or working towards)
• Medicines Management Qualification (local or national)
• CMMPT or willingness to undertake

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.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£32,073 to £39,043 a yearper annum pro rata