Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate to join our busy and dynamic pharmacy team at Newham University Hospital in the position of Senior Pharmacy Assistant. You will support the operational and clinical pharmacy team to ensure provision of an efficient, economic, and timely dispensary, distribution and medicines management service allowing for delivery of quality care to patients at ward and dispensary level.
This post will be rotational throughout various areas on site including inpatient dispensary, stores, and on wards. There will be opportunities to create strong working relationships with members of the pharmacy team as well as working closely with nurses and other healthcare professionals including supporting with maintenance of effective stock control and promoting adherence to safe and secure handling of medicines.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidates will join a supportive, integrated pharmacy team, committed to delivering high quality patient care. You will have opportunities to gain new skills including good medicines management practice, working within pharmacy stores, inpatient dispensary and rotations through a variety of different clinical specialties.
Key responsibilities include maintaining the supply chain, managing stock and records, dispensing controlled drugs, and using systems like CMM and ePMA. You'll support audits, monitor fridge temperatures, ensure proper medicine recycling, and assist wards with stock and patient medications. You'll help deliver checked medicines to wards, handle medication transfers, and manage goods receipt and returns in the pharmacy stores.
The post holder will be expected to work with minimum day to day supervision and to use their initiative and be proactive when issues arise. Regular communication within the team needs to be maintained in relation to working practices, procedures and any changes. A good working relationship with colleagues and other healthcare staff needs to be fostered and maintained at all times.
About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For bothdocuments, please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For bothdocuments, please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ QCF level 2 in pharmacy services
- GCSE grades A-C or 4-9
- GCSE English
- GCSE Maths
- GCSE Double Science
Desirable
- oNHSE Medicines Optimisation programme or equivalent i.e., competent to assess PODs and transcribe and order from drug charts
Skills
Essential
- Able to plan own work and the supervision of others in a clear and organised way
- Able to work alone or as part of a team with different grades of staff.
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Able to work to policies and procedures.
- Able to perform calculations.
- Good time management skills
- Able to meet deadlines
- Able to communicate well with all members of the team (internal and external to Pharmacy) and externally with customers in a confident manner
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal, including on the telephone
- Able to prioritise own work
- Confident to work unsupervised, takes initiative and uses own judgement in anticipating and dealing with queries and problems
- To complete tasks to a consistently high standards
- Able to work calmly under pressure and to deadlines
- Able to move heavy loads
Desirable
- Manual handling skills
- Experience of training others
- IT skills; Able to use Excel and Word proficiently
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of Health and Safety regulations
- Knowledge of COSHH
- Awareness of Standard Operating Procedures
- Interested in and have knowledge of the use of medicines.
- Understand the importance of quality issues and customer care issues
- Understanding of relevant legislation, e.g. Health and Safety GDPR / Data protection, equality and diversity
Experience
Essential
- Labelling and dispensing experience
- Liaising with suppliers/customers
- Experience of dealing with telephone enquiries
- Experience in hospital pharmacy stock control systems including distribution and top-up services
- Working in a team
- Experience of working in a customer care environment
Desirable
- Experience of working in Pharmacy or Healthcare environment
- Experience of using healthcare computer systems, e.g. CMM & EPMA
- Experience in hospital pharmacy stock distribution and top-up services.
- Experience in working in a ward environment
Other
Essential
- Sufficient to perform the duties of the post with any aids and adaptations
- Shows enthusiasm and commitment towards learning new skills and self-development
- Friendly and approachable
- Able to work in a busy environment
- Able to meet deadlines
- Able to be flexible and participate in late duty and weekend working
- Specific interest in working within pharmacy
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ QCF level 2 in pharmacy services
- GCSE grades A-C or 4-9
- GCSE English
- GCSE Maths
- GCSE Double Science
Desirable
- oNHSE Medicines Optimisation programme or equivalent i.e., competent to assess PODs and transcribe and order from drug charts
Skills
Essential
- Able to plan own work and the supervision of others in a clear and organised way
- Able to work alone or as part of a team with different grades of staff.
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Able to work to policies and procedures.
- Able to perform calculations.
- Good time management skills
- Able to meet deadlines
- Able to communicate well with all members of the team (internal and external to Pharmacy) and externally with customers in a confident manner
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal, including on the telephone
- Able to prioritise own work
- Confident to work unsupervised, takes initiative and uses own judgement in anticipating and dealing with queries and problems
- To complete tasks to a consistently high standards
- Able to work calmly under pressure and to deadlines
- Able to move heavy loads
Desirable
- Manual handling skills
- Experience of training others
- IT skills; Able to use Excel and Word proficiently
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of Health and Safety regulations
- Knowledge of COSHH
- Awareness of Standard Operating Procedures
- Interested in and have knowledge of the use of medicines.
- Understand the importance of quality issues and customer care issues
- Understanding of relevant legislation, e.g. Health and Safety GDPR / Data protection, equality and diversity
Experience
Essential
- Labelling and dispensing experience
- Liaising with suppliers/customers
- Experience of dealing with telephone enquiries
- Experience in hospital pharmacy stock control systems including distribution and top-up services
- Working in a team
- Experience of working in a customer care environment
Desirable
- Experience of working in Pharmacy or Healthcare environment
- Experience of using healthcare computer systems, e.g. CMM & EPMA
- Experience in hospital pharmacy stock distribution and top-up services.
- Experience in working in a ward environment
Other
Essential
- Sufficient to perform the duties of the post with any aids and adaptations
- Shows enthusiasm and commitment towards learning new skills and self-development
- Friendly and approachable
- Able to work in a busy environment
- Able to meet deadlines
- Able to be flexible and participate in late duty and weekend working
- Specific interest in working within pharmacy
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.
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).
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.
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).
