Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Solihull Hospital Pharmacy Department as a Specialist Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer -- Stores, Distribution and Pre-Packing Services. This Band 4 role is vital to the smooth and safe operation of our pharmacy services, ensuring the accurate and timely supply of medicines across the hospital.
You will coordinate daily workflow in the stores and pre-packing areas, support the provision of ward stock medication, and dispense and final check emergency boxes. The role also involves supervising and supporting pharmacy assistants, contributing to training, and helping to implement service improvements.
We are looking for a proactive and organised individual with strong communication skills and attention to detail. Experience in hospital pharmacy is essential, along with a commitment to high standards of patient care and safety.
If you thrive in a busy, collaborative environment and are passionate about making a difference in patient services, we would love to hear from you.
For more information please reach out to Linda Northall (Linda.Northall@uhb.nhs.uk)
Main duties of the job
The main duties of the job include:
- Coordinate daily workflow in Stores, Distribution, and Pre-Packing Services.
- Ensure timely processing of pre-packing orders and emergency drug boxes.
- Support stock management, including ordering, rotation, and expiry checks.
- Dispense and accuracy-check inpatient, discharge, and outpatient prescriptions.
- Provide basic medication advice and ensure patient understanding.
- Handle controlled drugs in line with legal and departmental requirements.
- Support ward stock top-ups and emergency out-of-hours supply.
- Supervise, train, and support staff in technical roles.
- Assist in developing SOPs and training materials.
- Maintain accurate records, including computer stock systems.
- Liaise with procurement, portering, and clinical teams to resolve queries.
- Participate in audits, meetings, and continuous service improvement.
- Adhere to Trust policies, including health & safety and confidentiality.
- Contribute to weekend, late-night, and bank holiday rotas.
Please refer to the attached job description for a full list of roles and responsibilities.
About us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *GCSEs: Mathematics, English and Science (Grade C/4 or equivalent) and two other GCSEs (Grade C/4)
- *NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills/Support Staff or equivalent
- *Have or are willing to work towards National Level 3 qualification (e.g. ILM Level 3 or similar) or hold equivalent experience
- *Have or are working towards evidence of working accurately, such the West Midlands Dispensing Accuracy Assessment or equivalent
- *Have or are working towards a Controlled Drug dispensing competency
Desirable
- *Accuracy Checking For Dispensing Assistants (National framework)
Experience
Essential
- *Previous recent experience working in hospital pharmacy
- *Experience in dealing with patients, healthcare professionals at all levels, the general public and challenging situations
- *Understanding of Health and Safety at Work, manual handling and COSHH
- *Understanding of dispensing, stock control and supply systems and processes
- *Knowledge of stock control systems
- *Knowledge of code of practice/customer care
- *Understands the need for delivering a cost effective service and the required work practices to reduce waste
Desirable
- *Experience of managing and leading a team
- *Experience in staff training
- *Working Knowledge of JAC pharmacy system
- *Knowledge of drugs, side effects & where to find further information
- *Understanding of pharmacy related computer systems
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Excellent team player but also able to work alone
- *Ability to manage, supervise, train and motivate others
- *Excellent IT skills covering a range of systems such as Microsoft Office, Excel, and pharmacy related systems such as JAC, Omnicell and PTS
- *Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to a range of people
- *Ability to manage own work and prioritise effectively
- *Excellent attention to detail and ability to work safely and accurately under pressure
- *Ability to make decisions in the best interest of the service
- *Ability to reflect on own practice and learn from experience
- *Ability to identify customer needs and deliver services to the required level
- *Ability to work to set procedures and relevant guidance
- *Ability to recognise professional and personal limitations referring to appropriate person when necessary
- *Ability to maintain confidentiality of information
- *Ability to prioritise and organise daily tasks using own initiative
- *Ability to travel to all UHB sites
- *Flexible to work in accordance with service needs
- *Able to lift moderate weights (up to 15kg)
- *Committed to abide by the Trust Vision and Values
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *GCSEs: Mathematics, English and Science (Grade C/4 or equivalent) and two other GCSEs (Grade C/4)
- *NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills/Support Staff or equivalent
- *Have or are willing to work towards National Level 3 qualification (e.g. ILM Level 3 or similar) or hold equivalent experience
- *Have or are working towards evidence of working accurately, such the West Midlands Dispensing Accuracy Assessment or equivalent
- *Have or are working towards a Controlled Drug dispensing competency
Desirable
- *Accuracy Checking For Dispensing Assistants (National framework)
Experience
Essential
- *Previous recent experience working in hospital pharmacy
- *Experience in dealing with patients, healthcare professionals at all levels, the general public and challenging situations
- *Understanding of Health and Safety at Work, manual handling and COSHH
- *Understanding of dispensing, stock control and supply systems and processes
- *Knowledge of stock control systems
- *Knowledge of code of practice/customer care
- *Understands the need for delivering a cost effective service and the required work practices to reduce waste
Desirable
- *Experience of managing and leading a team
- *Experience in staff training
- *Working Knowledge of JAC pharmacy system
- *Knowledge of drugs, side effects & where to find further information
- *Understanding of pharmacy related computer systems
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Excellent team player but also able to work alone
- *Ability to manage, supervise, train and motivate others
- *Excellent IT skills covering a range of systems such as Microsoft Office, Excel, and pharmacy related systems such as JAC, Omnicell and PTS
- *Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to a range of people
- *Ability to manage own work and prioritise effectively
- *Excellent attention to detail and ability to work safely and accurately under pressure
- *Ability to make decisions in the best interest of the service
- *Ability to reflect on own practice and learn from experience
- *Ability to identify customer needs and deliver services to the required level
- *Ability to work to set procedures and relevant guidance
- *Ability to recognise professional and personal limitations referring to appropriate person when necessary
- *Ability to maintain confidentiality of information
- *Ability to prioritise and organise daily tasks using own initiative
- *Ability to travel to all UHB sites
- *Flexible to work in accordance with service needs
- *Able to lift moderate weights (up to 15kg)
- *Committed to abide by the Trust Vision and Values
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.
