Rotational Pharmacy Technician

NHS; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Lease car & home electronics scheme

Generous leave and pension

Staff health and well-being programmes

Job summary

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool is seeking Pharmacy Technicians to provide dispensing, checks and ward-based support across paediatric services. The role rotates through areas with a focus on development toward Band 5, while maintaining high standards of accuracy and patient care.

The post supports induction and training for new staff, with core hours 8:45am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday, in a busy paediatric hospital environment.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services or equivalent qualification.
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council is required.
• Experience in hospital pharmacy and ward-based dispensing is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Dispense and final accuracy check prescriptions in inpatient, outpatient and ward areas.
• Supervise and train staff, coordinating day-to-day workload.
• Rotate through department areas to develop knowledge for progression to Band 5.
• Support Near Patient Pharmacy ward-based service and final accuracy checking.
• Counsel patients on safe and effective use of medicines.

Skills

Dispensing accuracy

Patient communication

Staff supervision

Ward-based pharmacy

Hospital pharmacy experience

Education

NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services

BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science

Tools

Pharmacy computer systems

Job description

Main area Pharmacy Grade Band 4-5 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday core hours 8.45am - 5:00pm also late, weekends and bank holiday working) Job ref 411-DIA-26-8282976

Employer Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Alder Hey Children's Hospital Town Liverpool Salary £28,392 - £39,043 Per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 09/10/2026 23:59

Band 4-5

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care and has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

• Great flexible working opportunities
• Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
• Generous annual leave and pension scheme
• Extensive staff health and well-being programmes

Job overview

Pharmacy Technicians play an integral role within the pharmacy department supporting the safe and effective use of medicines, using their knowledge and skills to manufacture, prepare , supply and final check medicines in the in-patient, out-patient dispensary and at ward level.

The successful candidate will rotate through different areas of the department and will need to be self motivated and capable of working methodically and accurately with the desire to further develop their knowledge and skills.

Candidates must be patient focused and passionate about upholding Trust values in order to provide the best possible service.

Candidates will be recruited at Band 4 unless they hold a BTEC Professional Diploma in Dispensing Checking /Cheshire and Merseyside checking framework and can demonstrate their experience to fulfill other competency based requirements.

Candidates should preferably have recent hospital experience although previous paediatric experience is not essential, as a full induction and training programme will be made available from experienced mentors.

Our normal working hours are between 8:45am - 5:00pm Mon - Fri.

Main duties of the job

Accurately dispense , final accuracy check and issue prescriptions in a designated area of work, providing a robust and efficient technical service to the in-patient, out-patient, Oncology satellite and ward based services.
Effectively communicating and engage with patients and colleagues to support the correct use and administration of medicines

Supporting managers in the supervision and training and co-ordination of staff on a day to day basis

Our Band 4 Technicians rotate through various areas of the department, offering the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills to aid their development and progression to the Band 5 role

Our Band 5 Technicians support the Near Patient Pharmacy ward based service and participate in Final Accuracy checking.

Working for our organisation

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a stand alone paediatric hospital located on the outskirts of Liverpool with a national reputation for excellence. It recently featured in the award winning BBC documentary “Hospital”. A brilliant team of pharmacist and technicians provide pharmacy services to a wide range of paediatric surgical and medical specialties. The pharmacy teams are innovative, caring and compassionate and work well together.

We are committed to staff development and value our Technician’s dedication and hard work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To safely and accurately carry out and monitor the dispensing and issuing of prescriptions, including in-patients, outpatients, discharge, unlicensed and controlled drugs in accordance with the safe systems of work procedures within the department.

To carry out the final accuracy check of clinically screened complex paediatric prescriptions dispensed by others in accordance with safe systems of work practice ensuring the maintenance of records and information.

To use the pharmacy computer system to dispense and label pharmaceuticals, produce stock reports, extemporaneous worksheets and audit trails in accordance with the level of training provided

To supervise and participate in the maintenance of stock control systems within the dispensary dealing with any discrepancies, reporting these and action taken to the Chief Pharmacy Technician – Patient Services.

To assist in the provision of service quality and cost effectiveness of medicines identifying any improvements to senior pharmacy staff.

To organise and supervise the day to day workload and problems that may arise within the designated area of work ensuring the implementation of department rotas and planning and referring any issues to relevant senior pharmacy staff.

To supervise and participate in the assembly and preparation of extemporaneous products demonstrating Good Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practice and adhering to Health and Safety and COSHH requirements.

To support the training of student pharmacy technicians, pharmacy technicians, Pre - registration pharmacists and pharmacy assistants in accordance with departmental training
packages.

To dispense clinical trials in accordance with the dispensing protocol, ensuring the
maintenance of records and information.

To accurately carry out formula and measurement checks on extemporaneous products following set procedures to ensure quality and safety standards are met.

To support the replacement of and accurately check the dispensing of the Hospital Emergency Drug Boxes to ensure a safe and effective service.

To carry out label checks for Accident and Emergency out of hour dispensing packs, ensuring information is clear and correct and that item is labelled appropriately.

To provide support to all areas of the pharmacy department as and when required.
To answer queries of a complex technical nature from a wide range of staff groups, either in the pharmacy or on the ward. To answer queries from the public referring appropriate queries to a senior member of the pharmacy team.

To undertake patient counselling, providing clear and concise information to patients/carers regarding the safe and effective use of their medication to ensure understanding and compliance. This will include providing information of a more complex nature and providing demonstrations where applicable, both in the dispensary and on the wards.

To participate in the ‘Near Patient Pharmacy’ scheme on assigned wards. This will include daily patient medication reviews, medicines reconciliation, assessment of patients own drugs (PODS), discussing any clinical problems with the ward pharmacist and arranging for appropriate supplies of medications.

To undertake Continuing Professional Development in order to keep pharmaceutical clinical and technical knowledge current, ensure best practice and comply with requirements for entry on the pharmacy technician register.

Person specification

Proof of registration with General Pharmaceutical Council

• NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services & BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science
• Registered with the Pharmaceutical Council
• Good working knowledge of safe dispensing practices and responsible attitude to quality and accuracy
• Demonstrated experience of delivering staff training
• Demonstrated experience of supervising pharmacy technicians and assistants
• Previous experience of ‘Near Patient Pharmacy’ and POD’s
• Good understanding of the job description and expectations of the role
• Ability to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with patients and staff
• Ability to work effectively within various teams
• Ability to solve complex technical problemsExperience of working within a hospital pharmacy setting
• Ability to adapt to different computer packages
• Knowledge and expertise in extemporaneous manufacture of medicines and Good Pharmacy Manufacturing Practice
• Pro-active approach to the extended roles for technicians
• In-house NPP ward-based / Medicines Reconciliation training
• Demonstrated experience of maintaining stock control systems
• Previous experience of completing department projects and audits

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Kirsty Roscoe Job title Senior Pharmacy Technician - Inpatient Lead Email address [emailprotected] Telephone number 01512525669 Additional information