Job summary
We're seeking a skilled and motivated Specialist Pharmacy Assistant to join our dynamic pharmacy team at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. This is an exciting opportunity to join a department where you'll make a real difference to patient outcomes every single day.
What makes this role special?
You'll be working across both dispensary and clinical settings, giving you diverse experience and the chance to develop specialist skills. Unlike traditional pharmacy assistant roles, you'll have direct patient contact, conducting medication reconciliation on wards, providing advice to patients and carers, and working alongside our clinical pharmacy team to deliver personalised care packages.
We're committed to your professional development -- this role offers clear progression pathways with comprehensive training programmes and opportunities to expand your clinical pharmacy skills. You'll be involved in service development, attending team meetings and helping shape how we deliver pharmaceutical care to our patients.
Why join us?
Our supportive, collaborative environment values innovation and continuous improvement. You'll work with pharmacy systems, participate in audit activities, and have the autonomy to use your initiative while being part of a connected team. We live by our values: being Kind, Connected and Bold in everything we do.
If you're ready to take your pharmacy career to the next level and be part of building healthier lives, we'd love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
As a Specialist Pharmacy Assistant, you'll be an integral part of our multidisciplinary team, splitting your time between dispensary duties and ward-based clinical activities.
You will:
*Accurately dispense and check prescriptions, ensuring safe and timely medication supply
*Conduct medication reconciliation on admission, gathering medication histories from multiple sources including GP records and patient interviews
*Provide medication advice to patients, carers and ward staff
*Support ward stock management, maintaining appropriate supply levels and minimising waste
*Handle controlled drugs accurately, maintaining records in line with legislation
*Fast-track urgent medication requests and TTOs, delivering directly to wards when needed
*Participate in medicines optimisation initiatives and audits
What We're Looking For:
The ideal candidate will have excellent attention to detail and strong numeracy skills, essential for accurate dispensing under pressure. You'll be an effective communicator who can adapt your approach for different audiences -- from distressed patients to busy clinical teams.
We need someone who can work independently, prioritise multiple tasks and remain calm during frequent interruptions. You'll recognise your professional limitations and know when to escalate appropriately. You'll participate in late, weekend, and bank holiday rosters.
Most importantly, you'll be reliable, proactive and committed to delivering patient-centred care.
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
- *GCSE grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English (or equivalent)
- *NVQ level 2 Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills (QCF), BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science
- or
- *Accredited Dispensing Assistants Course (NPA)
- *National Level 3 qualification (e.g. ILM Level 3 or similar) or hold equivalent experience
- *Completion of the 'West Midlands Dispensing Accuracy Assessment Programme' to demonstrate competency in dispensing accurately and safely or equivalent.
- *Post NVQ level 2 qualification developmental experience of a range of dispensing with formal training and annual revalidated accreditation as a dispenser
- *Have or be working towards a Controlled Drug dispensing competency
Desirable
- *Accuracy Checking For Dispensing Assistants (National framework)
Experience
Essential
- *Understanding of pharmacy related computer systems
- *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
- *Previous experience within a hospital pharmacy setting
- *Experience in staff training
- *Working Knowledge of JAC pharmacy system
- *Knowledge of drugs, side effects & where to find further information
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Able to reflect on own practice and learn from experience
- *Able to identify customer needs and deliver services to the required level
- *Able to communicate at an appropriate level complex information verbally, written and electronically as required
- *Demonstrates ability to work to set procedures
- *Takes responsibility for own work and actions and contributes to the team success
- *Demonstrates I.T and keyboard skills
- *Demonstrates ability to recognise professional and personal limitations referring to appropriate person when necessary
- *Demonstrates ability to undertake a variety of tasks
- *Demonstrates numeracy skills
- *Demonstrates ability to work independently
- *Demonstrates ability to maintain accuracy under pressure
- *Demonstrates ability to deal with frequent interruptions e.g. bleeps/pagers
- *Able to maintain confidentiality of information
- *Able to adapt to change
- *Demonstrates ability to prioritise and organise daily tasks using own initiative
- *Good time management
- *Able to demonstrate discretion and diplomacy
- * Strong attention to detail
- *Reliable
- *Ability to travel to all UHB sites
- *Flexible to work in accordance with service needs
- *Committed to abide by the Trust vision and values
- *Able to lift moderate weights (up to 15kg)
Desirable
- *Demonstrates ability to guide and train others
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *GCSE grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English (or equivalent)
- *NVQ level 2 Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills (QCF), BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science
- or
- *Accredited Dispensing Assistants Course (NPA)
- *National Level 3 qualification (e.g. ILM Level 3 or similar) or hold equivalent experience
- *Completion of the 'West Midlands Dispensing Accuracy Assessment Programme' to demonstrate competency in dispensing accurately and safely or equivalent.
- *Post NVQ level 2 qualification developmental experience of a range of dispensing with formal training and annual revalidated accreditation as a dispenser
- *Have or be working towards a Controlled Drug dispensing competency
Desirable
- *Accuracy Checking For Dispensing Assistants (National framework)
Experience
Essential
- *Understanding of pharmacy related computer systems
- *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
- *Previous experience within a hospital pharmacy setting
- *Experience in staff training
- *Working Knowledge of JAC pharmacy system
- *Knowledge of drugs, side effects & where to find further information
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Able to reflect on own practice and learn from experience
- *Able to identify customer needs and deliver services to the required level
- *Able to communicate at an appropriate level complex information verbally, written and electronically as required
- *Demonstrates ability to work to set procedures
- *Takes responsibility for own work and actions and contributes to the team success
- *Demonstrates I.T and keyboard skills
- *Demonstrates ability to recognise professional and personal limitations referring to appropriate person when necessary
- *Demonstrates ability to undertake a variety of tasks
- *Demonstrates numeracy skills
- *Demonstrates ability to work independently
- *Demonstrates ability to maintain accuracy under pressure
- *Demonstrates ability to deal with frequent interruptions e.g. bleeps/pagers
- *Able to maintain confidentiality of information
- *Able to adapt to change
- *Demonstrates ability to prioritise and organise daily tasks using own initiative
- *Good time management
- *Able to demonstrate discretion and diplomacy
- * Strong attention to detail
- *Reliable
- *Ability to travel to all UHB sites
- *Flexible to work in accordance with service needs
- *Committed to abide by the Trust vision and values
- *Able to lift moderate weights (up to 15kg)
Desirable
- *Demonstrates ability to guide and train others
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.
