Lead Pharmacy Technician - Virtual Wards, Hospital at Home and OPAT

NHS; United States; Remote; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An established healthcare provider is seeking a Lead Pharmacy Technician to enhance patient care through effective medicines management. This pivotal role involves working closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe medication use for patients receiving treatment at home. The ideal candidate will be proactive, organized, and possess strong communication and leadership skills. Join a friendly and high-performing Trust committed to delivering the best patient care and making a significant impact in innovative healthcare models. If you're passionate about improving patient outcomes, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Registered with GPhC and accredited accuracy checking technician required.
• Experience in ward-based Medicines Management is essential.

Responsibilities

• Conduct medicines reconciliation and resolve discrepancies.
• Support specialist nursing teams in medicines management.

Skills

Medicines Reconciliation

Clinical Pharmacy Services

Effective Communication

Leadership Skills

Education

Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

BTEC National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science

NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services

Job description

Job summary

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Lead Pharmacy Technician to support the Virtual Ward (VW), Hospital @ Home (H@H), and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services. This role offers an exciting opportunity to enhance patient care by ensuring the safe, effective, and efficient use of medicines for patients receiving treatment at home.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to conduct medicines reconciliation, identify and resolve discrepancies, and support specialist nursing teams in medication-related care. Effective communication with hospital teams, GPs, community pharmacies, and social care providers will be essential to ensure seamless transitions of care and accurate medication handovers. You will aim to reduce medication-related problems, prevent avoidable hospital admissions, and minimise medicine waste.

In addition to patient-focused responsibilities, you will contribute to policy development, medication safety governance, and cost-effective prescribing within the service.

We are looking for a highly organised and proactive pharmacy technician with excellent communication and leadership skills. Experience in medicines reconciliation, clinical pharmacy services, and multidisciplinary working is desirable. If you are passionate about improving patient care and supporting innovative healthcare models, we would love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

• To promote a high-quality approach to the reconciliation of medicines of patients admitted to the Virtual Ward (inc virtual ward (VW) step-up, VW step down, hospital at home (H@H) and OPAT services by effective communication with the hospital teams, patients/carers, colleagues in primary and social care and by promoting multidisciplinary and multi-way communications.

• Conduct medicines reconciliation for patients in the Virtual Ward (inc virtual ward (VW) step-up, VW step down, hospital at home (H@H) and OPAT services, identifying discrepancies and resolving them with appropriate clinicians.

• To pro-actively support the specialist nursing teams in planning and providing care in relation to medicines management for patients in the Virtual Ward (inc virtual ward (VW) step-up, VW step down, hospital at home (H@H) and OPAT services.

• To improve patient care, reduce medication related problems, avoidable hospital admissions and reduce drug costs and waste.

• To contribute to the strategic development of support for medicines management in the domiciliary setting in the context of the relationships between the Trust, hospital, other stakeholders and patients in the community.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Date posted

01 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

418-DTO6385-KA-A

Job locations

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road

Luton

LU4 0DZ

Job description Job responsibilities

Full a full breakdown of roles and responsibilities please refer the job description and person spec attached

Job description Job responsibilities

Full a full breakdown of roles and responsibilities please refer the job description and person spec attached

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• BTEC National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science, NVQ level 3 Pharmacy Services or equivalent
• Accredited accuracy checking technician

Desirable

• AIMM accreditation or relevant equivalent
• Train the Trainer qualification or relevant equivalent
• APTUK

Experience Essential

• Extensive experience as a ward-based Medicines Management Technician
• CPD portfolio demonstrating competent pharmacy practice as a senior pharmacy technician
• Customer orientated service
• Customer orientated experience
• Training, mentoring and supervision of staff
• Report writing

Desirable

• Experience of Team Leading
• Experience of participating in Quality Improvement work
• Experience of developing and delivering bite-sized staff education and training
• Experience of developing SOPs

Knowledge Essential

• Understanding of customer care
• Understanding of the need of Information Governance and confidentiality awareness at all times
• Good up to date knowledge of medicines use

Desirable

• Awareness of Quality Management Systems
• Confident use of standard Office IT programmes

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• BTEC National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science, NVQ level 3 Pharmacy Services or equivalent
• Accredited accuracy checking technician

Desirable

• AIMM accreditation or relevant equivalent
• Train the Trainer qualification or relevant equivalent
• APTUK

Experience Essential

• Extensive experience as a ward-based Medicines Management Technician
• CPD portfolio demonstrating competent pharmacy practice as a senior pharmacy technician
• Customer orientated service
• Customer orientated experience
• Training, mentoring and supervision of staff
• Report writing

Desirable

• Experience of Team Leading
• Experience of participating in Quality Improvement work
• Experience of developing and delivering bite-sized staff education and training
• Experience of developing SOPs

Knowledge Essential

• Understanding of customer care
• Understanding of the need of Information Governance and confidentiality awareness at all times
• Good up to date knowledge of medicines use

Desirable

• Awareness of Quality Management Systems
• Confident use of standard Office IT programmes

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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 (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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 (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road

Luton

LU4 0DZ

Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road

Luton

LU4 0DZ

Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)