Pharmacy technicians

Dorset Healthcare; Poole; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Poole is seeking a Band 5 Pharmacy Technician focused on medicines optimisation in mental health settings. The role entails patient support, medication reviews, and working within multidisciplinary teams to enhance the quality of patient care. Benefits include flexible working, excellent NHS pension, and professional development opportunities. Interested candidates must have a valid Pharmacy Technician qualification and undergo a DBS check.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

Excellent NHS pension

Health and wellbeing services

Free training and career coaching

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in mental health settings or community care.
• Understanding of national prescribing policies.
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Undertake patient-facing roles and medicines optimisation.
• Support medication reviews and manage medicines reconciliation.
• Assist with clinical audits and quality improvement measures.

Skills

Medicines optimisation

Patient support

Clinical audits

Leadership in medicines management

Education

Qualified Pharmacy Technician

Enhanced DBS check

Job description

Job Overview

We have an exciting and innovative opportunity for a Band 5 Pharmacy Technician with an interest in supporting medicines optimisations within mental health community hospitals, domiciliary visits and virtual wards. You will join our existing team of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians based at St Ann's Hospital Pharmacy, Sandbanks – who provide pharmacy services to patients across Dorset both in a care setting or their own homes as well as working within a dispensary environment. This post will mainly be based at St Ann's and associated mental health inpatient units, with occasional travel to other sites across Dorset.

We will also take applications from Pre‑registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians due to qualify in February 2026.

The purpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost‑effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will help patients to get the best from their medicines by providing medicines optimisation either in community hospitals or the domiciliary setting. As part of this role you will also become part of the virtual ward MDT Team who aim to provide patients with hospital‑level care in their own homes.

As part of the role you may be required to enrol on the Pharmacy Medicines Optimisation Training programme. There may also be the opportunity to undertake ACT. Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.

Responsibilities

• Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles.
• Undertake medicines optimisation in community hospitals, virtual ward and domiciliary setting.
• Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation.
• Provide specialist expertise where competent.
• Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship.
• Work with the virtual ward MDT to ensure efficient medicines optimisation.
• Provide training/support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines.
• Develop relationships and work with practice teams and community pharmacies.
• Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance.
• Undertake clinical audits, support quality improvement measures and contribute to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services.
• Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation incentive schemes and patient safety audits.
• Provide leadership for medicines management systems across all services.

Eligibility & Conditions

Employment in this post requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of. Applicants who subscribe to the DBS update service are able to present a valid DBS certificate instead of requiring a new check.

Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.

Application Advice

We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over‑reliance on AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove the candidate’s individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.

What working for us will provide

At Dorset HealthCare we want to offer all our staff the opportunity to work flexibly, putting health and wellbeing first, whilst continuing the delivery of excellent patient care. Flexible working looks different for everyone and we welcome applicants to discuss flexible working opportunities with the recruiting manager. Our 7,000‑strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We are an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Benefits

• + 27 days of annual leave, rising to 33 over ten years (for staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions)
• + Excellent NHS pension scheme
• + Health and wellbeing services
• + Flexible working options, including family‑friendly hours
• + Free training and one‑to‑one career coaching to reach your career goals
• + Preceptorship programme for newly qualified nurses and AHPs
• + Access to nine staff networks – have a voice and transform our Trust
• + Relocation costs where applicable
• + Salary sacrifice scheme opportunities – including childcare vouchers, car lease and cycle scheme, home technology equipment, and buying annual leave
• + NHS discounts to save on your shopping, gym membership and more

What you need to do

Apply through our careers website to learn more about our culture, staff stories, benefits, development programmes and opportunities.