Senior Pharmacy Assistant Technical Services | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; Blackburn; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a Senior Pharmacy Assistant in Technical Services to join a busy acute pharmacy team. You will support aseptic production, manage stock, assist with cytotoxic reconstitution, and train junior staff in quality systems and procedures.

The role offers a structured training programme, shifts within core hours, and opportunities to work across Aseptic and Oncology units, with emphasis on safe and cost-efficient medicines management.

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills and teamwork are essential.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload.
• Willingness to train and develop junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate stock levels of medicines and consumables
• Receipt and return of cleanroom clothing, with some heavy lifting
• Stock replenishment for units within Technical Services
• Inputting orders into computer systems
• Answering telephones and dealing with simple queries
• Processing and disposing of medicinal waste
• Cleaning of Aseptic and Chemotherapy Units and Isolators
• Assembling ingredients for chemotherapy and intravenous medicines
• Production of Aseptically Manipulated Products including CIVAS/PN and chemotherapy medicines
• Training of domestic staff, assistants, technicians and pharmacists in cleaning and procedures
• Training of staff in 3-stage transfer decontamination in Aseptic and Chemotherapy Units
• Performing In Process Checks for Aseptically prepared products
• Dispensing outsourced specials medication
• Undertake cytotoxic reconstitution and dispensing under COSHH regulations
• Assist with training and supervision within aseptic services and oncology teams
• Ensure QA/QC and GMP principles are followed and stock is rotated
• Waste management and disposal of returned pharmaceutical products
• Coordinate with Pharmacy Portering and transport staff on procedures for delivering medicines
• Maintain shelves and storage areas and ensure stock rotation
• Adhere to working patterns with core hours 08:00-16:30; weekend day 09:00-16:00; 7.5 hour shifts

Skills

Strong communicator

Organised

Team player

Job description

Senior Pharmacy Assistant Technical Services | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Do you want to be an integral part of a thriving acute Trust that embraces transformation and is passionate about delivering safe, personal and effective care? If the answer is yes, we have the perfect opportunity for you to join our award-winning pharmacy team.

We are looking for a Senior Pharmacy Assistant who is keen to join our friendly team. The right candidate will benefit from a training programme that gives the variety of duties required within the Technical Services Department.

The right candidate will be a strong communicator, organised and a team player.

General duties of this post include:

• Maintaining accurate stock levels of medicines and consumables
• Receipt and Return of cleanroom clothing, with some heavy lifting and bending involved.
• Stock replenishment for both units within Technical Services
• Inputting orders into the computer systems
• Answering telephones and dealing with simple queries
• Processing and disposing of medicinal waste
• Cleaning of the Aseptic and Chemotherapy Units and the Isolators
• Assembling ingredients for the production of chemotherapy and intravenous medicines
• Production of Aseptically Manipulated Products including CIVAS/PN and Chemotherapy medicines
• Training of Domestic's, Assistants, Technician's and Pharmacists in the cleaning of the Technical Services Units
• Training of Assistants, Technician's and Pharmacists in 3 stage transfer decontamination in both Aseptic's and the Chemotherapy Units
• Performing In Process Checks for Aseptically prepared products
• Dispensing of Outsourced Special's medication

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

A rota is in place to cover Bank Holidays and we are a flexible and friendly team. Core hours of the service run from 08:00 - 16:30 with a weekend day 09:00 - 16:00 included in the working week. Staff work a 7.5 hour shift within these hours, there may be an option to work longer shifts . All working patterns can be discussed at interview.

General duties of this post include:

Deputise for other Senior Pharmacy Assistant colleagues as delegated and as designated in their absence.

Undertake cytotoxic reconstitution and dispensing in accordance with COSHH regulations and Regional and National standards, under direction of the Technical Services Manager.

Undertake special dispensing and preparation involving the use of aseptic techniques within a controlled environment in accordance with aseptic procedures under the direction of the Technical Services Manager, including Central Intravenous drugs and Parenteral Nutrition solutions.

Support the Lead Pharmacy Technician and Senior Pharmacy Technician in Aseptic Services and Oncology and assistant teams.

Act within the constraints of this role and consult and seek guidance from the Lead Pharmacy Technician and Senior Pharmacy Technician where issues and problems exceed this remit.

Ensure that the Lead Pharmacy Technician and Senior Pharmacy Technician are aware and informed in a timely way of any issues which may affect the running of the aseptic units, or the quality of products produced in it.

Ensure that all pharmacy assistants and technicians are aware of the principles of Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Good Manufacturing Practice, effective stock control and management and that this is carried out at all times.

Assist with the training of pharmacy assistants, domestic staff and pharmacy technicians including maintenance of training records and signing off competencies.

Act as a role model for the assistants and technicians and demonstrate the ability to provide safe, cost-efficient use of medicines.

Undertake waste management and disposal of returned pharmaceutical products which may include hazardous material, following standard operating procedures.

Ensure Pharmacy Portering and transport staff (including relief staff) are following current procedures when handling and delivering medicines.

Maintain the shelves and storage areas in a neat and tidy manner ensuring good stock rotation.

This advert closes on Thursday 29 Oct 2026