Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Pharmacy and Ward Based Assistant

The closing date is 28 April 2026

Job summary

I am very keen to hear from you if you are an experienced Pharmacy Assistant looking to expand your skillset with a move from Community into Hospital Pharmacy, or are looking to progress further in your career within a Hospital setting.

You will have obtained your Specialist BTEC Level 2 Principles and Practices for Pharmacy Support Staff Pharmacy Service Skills NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent GPhC recognised qualification).

Many of our staff progress from this level to become Pharmacy Technicians or take other roles within the wider Pharmacy team. This position is a blended role involving both the dispensary, and multidisciplinary working with various clinical teams on a rotational basis.

The Dispensary team are supported by ever evolving Technology, with electronic prescribing and a robot to support the labelling and dispensing of medications. The successful applicant will be trained in the full use of the robotic system. Key duties of this role include dispensing medicines according to procedure, using the Pharmacy computer system to produce dispensing labels, preparation of emergency drug boxes, maintaining accurate medication records and assisting in efficient stock control management.

Main duties of the job

Key roles include:

  • Opportunity to work in both ward and dispensary area.
  • Work in reception area taking in prescriptions
  • Delivery of high-quality pharmacy services for out-patients
  • Labelling and dispensing prescriptions
  • To be aware of and be involved in customer service
  • Working as part of a team
  • Returning ward stock.
  • Assisting the wards with stock management
  • Relocation of patients own medication.

About you:

  • You will respond to enquiries and requests from staff, patients and carers and ensure appropriate and accurate information is readily available, and to escalate questions and problems to other members of the pharmacy team when needed. You will be expected to form good working relationships with staff from all the different groups within the Clinical and Pharmacy team.
  • You should ideally have experience of working as a qualified Pharmacy Dispensing Assistant, using computer systems for dispensing and stock control and have good communication, be well organised and able to use your own initiative.
  • This post would suit somebody with either a hospital pharmacy background, or with community pharmacy experience wishing to make a change into the hospital environment, for which appropriate training will be provided. You must have successfully achieved the relevant units of pharmacy services skills NVQ level 2 (QCF) or an equivalent GPhC accredited training programme.

About us

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. For more information on OUH please view OUH At a Glance by OUHospitals - Issuu

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

Details

Date posted

14 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

321-CSS-7846625-B6-PUB

Job locations

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX3 6DP


Job description

Job responsibilities

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

The dispensary team is a friendly and hardworking team of 28 staff ranging from Apprentice Assistants, to band 7 Technicians, this role is ideal for gaining that experience to progress further in your career.

You will also be required to participate in weekend working on a 1:6 rota basis, bank holiday, early and late duty rotas as per rota

Job description

Job responsibilities

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

The dispensary team is a friendly and hardworking team of 28 staff ranging from Apprentice Assistants, to band 7 Technicians, this role is ideal for gaining that experience to progress further in your career.

You will also be required to participate in weekend working on a 1:6 rota basis, bank holiday, early and late duty rotas as per rota

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Essential

  • NVQ2 in pharmaceutical sciences
  • Experienced dispenser
  • Experience of stock management
  • Able to work as part of a team and independently
  • Proven time management skills
  • Able to use own initiative appropriately
  • Good verbal communication skills
  • Willing to travel between sites
  • Enthusiastic and responsible attitude
  • Ability to work well under pressure
  • Adaptable to change
  • Respectful towards colleagues and patients
  • Willing to work in clinical areas with infectious diseases patients

Desirable

  • Previous NHS experience
  • Experience of using the local pharmacy computer system
  • Experience of hospital pharmacy
  • Well organised
  • A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs
  • Experience of a changing work environment
Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Essential

  • NVQ2 in pharmaceutical sciences
  • Experienced dispenser
  • Experience of stock management
  • Able to work as part of a team and independently
  • Proven time management skills
  • Able to use own initiative appropriately
  • Good verbal communication skills
  • Willing to travel between sites
  • Enthusiastic and responsible attitude
  • Ability to work well under pressure
  • Adaptable to change
  • Respectful towards colleagues and patients
  • Willing to work in clinical areas with infectious diseases patients

Desirable

  • Previous NHS experience
  • Experience of using the local pharmacy computer system
  • Experience of hospital pharmacy
  • Well organised
  • A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs
  • Experience of a changing work environment

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX3 6DP


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX3 6DP


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Technician , JR Dispensary

Rebecca Webb

rebecca.webb@ouh.nhs.uk

01865221502

Details

Date posted

14 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

321-CSS-7846625-B6-PUB

Job locations

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX3 6DP


Supporting documents

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