Pharmacy Technician - Medicines Optimisation

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

Join University Hospitals Plymouth as a Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician. You will enhance patient care through proficient medicines management and support the development of fellow staff. This role offers a chance to grow within a supportive and innovative environment dedicated to putting people first.

Qualifications

• 5 GCSE grade C/4 or above including English & Math.
• City & Guilds, BTEC or NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services required.
• Registered Pharmacy Technician with GPhC is essential.

Responsibilities

• Improve patient care via efficient medicines management service.
• Complete medicines reconciliations on patients admitted.
• Supervise and mentor junior staff in the pharmacy team.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Attention to Detail

Education

GCSE grade C/4 or above in English, Maths, Science

BTEC or NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services

Registered Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC

Tools

Pharmacy computer system

Job description

This is an exciting time to join University Hospitals Plymouth.

Following significant investment by the Trust board as part of a 5-year workforce plan, we are able to offer at least three Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician posts.

Working as part of our current team of Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technicians, the successful applicant(s) will have the opportunity to improve the quality of care of patients in a clinical area (Medicine, Surgery, Women's & Children's & Urgent and Emergency Care) through the provision of ward-based pharmacy services.

Applications are open to current pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians and demonstrably experienced pharmacy technicians or those in their early years of career with the necessary medicines management qualifications.

Demonstrably experienced pharmacy technicians who have their ACPT and MMT Qualifications and proven post-registration experience in a hospital pharmacy will commence in post as Band 5.

Newly qualified pharmacy technicians without demonstrable post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy will be appointed at Band 4 and supported to achieve a framework of competency objectives within the first 6 months before progressing to Band 5.

If you are an enthusiastic and motivated pharmacy technician, who would like the opportunity to develop their skills in an innovative department, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

1. To improve the quality of care of patients in a clinical area by provision of an efficient medicines management service. This will include drug history taking and medicines reconciliation, facilitation of the use of patients' own drugs, one-stop dispensing, clinical prioritisation, counselling patients about their medicines and discharge co-ordination/processing.
2. Provide operational support to the dispensary, undertaking a wide range of dispensing and checking duties for inpatients, outpatient and discharge medication.
3. Supervise, mentor and coach junior staff in the pharmacy team.

About Us

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS is the largest hospital on the Southwest Peninsula providing comprehensive secondary and tertiary care to a population of around 2,000,000 people who can access our specialist services including cardiothoracic surgery, kidney transplantation, neurosurgery, and the regional trauma Centre. Our specialist cancer treatments include bone marrow transplant, sarcoma surgery and hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer surgery (not exhaustive). We work closely with our community partners in delivering comprehensive health and social care.

In Plymouth we are undergoing an exciting transformation which is seeing the continuous development of career opportunities for the right candidate. As one of seven NHS Trusts nationally to be hosting the 'People First' pilot our team are continuously identifying innovative ways to improve their own practice and in doing so improving our patient's experience.

We are a team who are truly committed to the development of our staff both personally and professionally and would support you to attain your goals. You will be working with a Chief Pharmacist who is committed to you as an individual.

We are steadfast in our values: putting people first, taking ownership, respecting others, being positive and to listen, learn and continuously improve. If you can relate to and embody these values then we would very much like to work with you.

Details

Date posted: 11 June 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 4

Salary: £26,530 to £36,483 a year Per Annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number: 216-CB-C7153588-A

Job location: University Hospital Plymouth Trust, Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8DH

Job Responsibilities

• To complete medicines reconciliations on patients admitted ensuring discrepancies are identified, resolved or escalated appropriately to Clinical teams.
• To liaise with patients, their representatives, care homes and onward care and community pharmacies to ensure medicines optimisation upon discharge and continuity of supply.
• To assist in monitoring and developing the current ward-based technician service.
• To assist in the training of all staff involved with the ward-based technician service.

Qualifications

Essential

• 5 GCSE grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) in English, Maths, Science and 2 others
• City & Guilds, BTEC or NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services
• Registered Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC
• Accredited final accuracy checking qualification or Accredited Medicines Management (Managing patient medication & Medicines Reconciliation) qualification

Desirable

• Educational supervisor training
• Accredited Medicines Management (Clinical Prioritisation) qualification (training will be provided if not accredited)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Proven post-registration demonstrable experience in a hospital pharmacy
• Current evidence of CPD
• Recent demonstrable experience/practice within pharmacy
• Ability to accurately input data and generate labels using the pharmacy computer system

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience of hospital ward based pharmacy services
• Counselling skills

Additional Information

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will be necessary to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information, visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found at the UK government website.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further details, see NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

Employer: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address: Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8DH

Website: https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/