Pharmacy Technician - Rotational Band 4-5

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS discounts

Flexible working

35 days holiday pro rata

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is seeking registered pharmacy technicians for a rotational Band 4/5 post at Southampton General Hospital. You will train through a competency-based framework, dispensing meds and supporting a large pharmacy team across multiple sites.

The role offers development toward Band 5 with mentoring and cross-site experiences across SGH, RSH, and SCAS, with flexible working considerations and NHS benefits.

Qualifications

• Registered Pharmacy Technician with GPhC
• GCSE Maths and English at least grade C/4 or equivalent
• Willing to travel to RSH/SGH and other sites when required
• Experience dispensing medicines in hospital or community setting preferred

Responsibilities

• Dispensing and labeling medications with competency-based training
• Support cross-site working between SGH, RSH and SCAS
• Ward-based learning including medication histories and patient counseling
• Assist in aseptic units and IV antibiotic preparation where applicable

Skills

Adaptability

Communication

Teamwork

Time management

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

People management

Education

Registered Pharmacy Technician with GPhC

GCSE Maths & English or equivalent

Willingness to travel between sites

Tools

JAC or similar pharmacy IT systems

Job description

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for registered or soon-to-be registered pharmacy technicians to join our enthusiastic and motivated team based at Southampton General Hospital (SGH). These are progressive band 4 to 5 posts; however, applications from current band 5s are welcome.

This exciting, fully supported rotational post would be ideal for pharmacy technicians soon to qualify and register with the GPhC. You must be a team player, have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and be keen to develop yourself.

The role will take place in various areas of our versatile pharmacy department of over 300 staff and will include cross-site working with our partner sites, the Royal South Hants Hospital (RSH) and South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS).

Within the pharmacy department, we pride ourselves on the development of our staff. You will be supported to complete the band 4/5 progressive framework by collecting relevant evidence towards a set of core competencies. Once complete and signed off, your post will be upgraded to band 5.

Attached you will find the person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

• We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service.
• UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts.
• UHS employees are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata).
• We offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• Dispensary based training at Southampton General Hospital and The Royal South Hants Hospital where you will be trained through competency based learning to dispense and label accurately; issuing medications to patients will also be covered.
• Experience working with the team at South Central Ambulance Service, ensuring appropriate levels of medication for ambulances across the region are maintained and supervising junior staff to meet workload demands.
• Ward based learning where you will spend time with patients taking an accurate medication history, discussing the medications they have brought into hospital and offering advice.
• Experience in our large aseptic units learning how to produce IV antibiotics, Total Parental Nutrition (TPN) and Cytotoxic IV/Infusions.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for diligent, enthusiastic Pharmacy Technicians committed to improving patient care and working within the pharmacy and UHS teams in all areas of pharmacy and at ward level.

Applicants must be a Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council, and must possess the following: BTEC in Pharmaceutical Sciences or NVQ level 3 supported by appropriate underpinning knowledge e.g. BTEC in Pharmaceutical Sciences or NPA. Applicants working towards the relevant qualifications will be considered.

Informal enquiries are welcome please contact 02381 208726 or email [e-mail] for more information.

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience

Essential criteria

• Registered pharmacy technician in UK by GPhC or working towards qualifications suitable for registration as a pharmacy technician with the GPhC within the next six months.
• Numerate and literate e.g. GCSE in Maths and English A* to C or equivalent or IELTS test score 7 as required by GPhC if overseas candidate
• Accurate dispensing of medicines (in hospital or community pharmacy or aseptics)
• Maintaining continuous professional development requirements or training portfolio
• Dealing with customers and / or patients
• Able to use a range of information technology programmes
• Demonstrates being able to organise own and others workload and prioritise effectively
• Able to work antisocial hours, weekends and bank holidays as per rota.
• Able to travel to and work at RSH / SGH and other sites if required

Desirable criteria

• Additional pharmacy qualifications e.g. Completed APTUK Foundation Framework Management training Practice supervisor or TAQA Medicines Management qualification PIPC or ACPT
• Hospital pharmacy experience
• Stock control / ordering experience
• Providing a ward-based medicines management service
• Aseptic pharmacy experience
• Clinical trials or research experience
• Experience of using JAC or similar pharmacy based computer systems
• Experience of supervision of staff or trainees

Skills

Essential criteria

• Adaptability
• Analytical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Adaptability
• Communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Negotiation skills
• Microsoft Office skills
• Organisational skills
• People management
• Taking the initiative
• Time management
• Teamwork
• Working under pressure
• Working autonomously

Trust Values

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together