University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Pharmacy Technician - Medicines Optimisation

The closing date is 19 January 2026

Job summary

This is an exciting time to join University Hospitals Plymouth.

Following significant investment by the Trust board as part of a 5-year workforce plan, we are able to offer at least three Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician posts.

Working as part of our current team of Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technicians, thesuccessful applicant(s) will have the opportunity to improve the quality of care of patients in a clinical area (Medicine, Surgery, Women's & Children & Urgent and Emergency Care) through the provision of ward based pharmacy services.

Applications are open to current pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians and demonstrably experienced pharmacy technicians or those in their early years of career with the necessary medicines management qualifications.

Demonstrably experienced pharmacy technicians who have their ACPT and MMT Qualifications and provendemonstrable post-registration experience in a hospital pharmacy will commence in post as Band 5.

Newly qualified pharmacy technicians without demonstrable post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy will be appointed at Band 4 and supported to achieve a framework of competency objectives within the first 6 months before progressing to Band 5.

Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.

Main duties of the job

o To improve the quality of care of patients in a clinical area by provision of an efficient medicines management service. This will include drug history taking and medicines reconciliation, facilitation of the use of patients' own drugs, one-stop dispensing, clinical prioritisation, counselling patients about their medicines and discharge co-ordination/processing.

o Provide operational support to the dispensary, undertaking a wide range of dispensing and checking duties for inpatients, outpatient and discharge medication.

o Supervise, mentor and coach junior staff in the pharmacy team.

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Details

Date posted

05 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £37,796 a year £27,485 - £37,796 Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

216-NB-CO7680731

Job locations

University Hospital Plymouth Trust

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Working alongside the Clinical Pharmacy Team, to undertake patient centred ward duties in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures and the legal framework for the supply of medicines:

2. Medication histories take accurate medication histories from newly admitted patients.

3. Medicines reconciliation to resolve queries from medicine histories and work with patients and healthcare professionals to ensure optimisation of the patient medicines.

4. Medication assessment assess the suitability for use of medicines bought into the hospital by patients of their relatives.

5. Clinical prioritisation identify and prioritise those patients who require the most clinical input with regards to their medication, ensuring the most effective use of the Clinical Pharmacy Team.

6. Supply medicines to be responsible for the ordering and supply of medicines during a patients stay in hospital.

7. Discharge planning ensure and organise the efficient supply of medicines for patients being discharged from hospital and perform a final accuracy check on patients own drugs and items dispensed by other members of the pharmacy team.

8. Patient counselling counsel patients and patient representatives as appropriate to ensure maximum benefit is gained from their medicines, taking into consideration the level of understanding and emotional wellbeing.

9. Assist with the review of ward stock lists to reduce risk and wastage.

10. Support compliance to Trust prescribing formulary, identifying and relaying non-formulary and unlicensed medicines to Pharmacist(s) where appropriate.

For further details please see attached JD and PS

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Working alongside the Clinical Pharmacy Team, to undertake patient centred ward duties in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures and the legal framework for the supply of medicines:

2. Medication histories take accurate medication histories from newly admitted patients.

3. Medicines reconciliation to resolve queries from medicine histories and work with patients and healthcare professionals to ensure optimisation of the patient medicines.

4. Medication assessment assess the suitability for use of medicines bought into the hospital by patients of their relatives.

5. Clinical prioritisation identify and prioritise those patients who require the most clinical input with regards to their medication, ensuring the most effective use of the Clinical Pharmacy Team.

6. Supply medicines to be responsible for the ordering and supply of medicines during a patients stay in hospital.

7. Discharge planning ensure and organise the efficient supply of medicines for patients being discharged from hospital and perform a final accuracy check on patients own drugs and items dispensed by other members of the pharmacy team.

8. Patient counselling counsel patients and patient representatives as appropriate to ensure maximum benefit is gained from their medicines, taking into consideration the level of understanding and emotional wellbeing.

9. Assist with the review of ward stock lists to reduce risk and wastage.

10. Support compliance to Trust prescribing formulary, identifying and relaying non-formulary and unlicensed medicines to Pharmacist(s) where appropriate.

For further details please see attached JD and PS

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • 5 GCSE grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) in English, Maths, Science and 2 others. City & Guilds, BTEC or NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services
  • Registered Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC
  • Accredited final accuracy checking qualification or Accredited Medicines Management (Managing patient medication & Medicines Reconciliation) qualification

Desirable

  • Educational supervisor training
  • Accredited Medicines Management (Clinical Prioritisation) qualification (training will be provided if not accredited)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Proven post-registration demonstrable experience in a hospital pharmacy (Band 5)
  • Qualified pharmacy technicians without demonstrable post-registration experience will initially be recruited to Band 4 post and supported to achieve a framework of competency objectives within the first 6 months before progressing to Band 5
  • Current, proven evidence of CPD.
  • Recent demonstrable experience/practice within pharmacy.
  • Proven ability to accurately input data and generate labels using the pharmacy computer system

Desirable

  • Demonstrable experience of hospital ward based pharmacy services
  • Counselling skills

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

  • Good communication skills; written and verbal
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to prioritise workload
  • Ability to accurately deal with figures
  • Self motivated

Desirable

  • Teaching and tutoring skills
  • Mentoring skills
  • Coaching skills
  • Ability to supervise others
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • 5 GCSE grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) in English, Maths, Science and 2 others. City & Guilds, BTEC or NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services
  • Registered Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC
  • Accredited final accuracy checking qualification or Accredited Medicines Management (Managing patient medication & Medicines Reconciliation) qualification

Desirable

  • Educational supervisor training
  • Accredited Medicines Management (Clinical Prioritisation) qualification (training will be provided if not accredited)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Proven post-registration demonstrable experience in a hospital pharmacy (Band 5)
  • Qualified pharmacy technicians without demonstrable post-registration experience will initially be recruited to Band 4 post and supported to achieve a framework of competency objectives within the first 6 months before progressing to Band 5
  • Current, proven evidence of CPD.
  • Recent demonstrable experience/practice within pharmacy.
  • Proven ability to accurately input data and generate labels using the pharmacy computer system

Desirable

  • Demonstrable experience of hospital ward based pharmacy services
  • Counselling skills

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

  • Good communication skills; written and verbal
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to prioritise workload
  • Ability to accurately deal with figures
  • Self motivated

Desirable

  • Teaching and tutoring skills
  • Mentoring skills
  • Coaching skills
  • Ability to supervise 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.

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

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Plymouth Trust

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Plymouth Trust

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Pharmacy Technician Medicines Optimisation

Suzanne Bhagwanji

suzanne.bhagwanji@nhs.net

01752437457

Details

Date posted

05 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £37,796 a year £27,485 - £37,796 Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

216-NB-CO7680731

Job locations

University Hospital Plymouth Trust

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Supporting documents

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