Job Description

An opportunity has arisen for a qualified Pharmacy Technician to join a developing team of pharmacy staff serving Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.



The post will be based at either Southport District General or Ormskirk District General but the ability to travel to all hospitals within the Trust is essential. Duties will include inpatient, out-patient and ward-based dispensing, stock control, Aseptic preparation, ordering and supply of medicines.



Advert Closes 27th July



Shortlisting 28th July



Interviews 7th August, 2025



The post holder will participate with other team members of the pharmacy staff aiming to provide an efficient and comprehensive pharmaceutical service within the pharmacy departments of Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust, under the direction of the Chief Pharmacist.



Duties will include labelling, dispensing, stock rotation, storage and dealing with dispensary queries, ward-based discharge, and patient counselling. Extended duties will include the preparation of Intravenous and other Aseptically prepared products including cytotoxics.



Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.



We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Our Services:

Acute Care



Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.



Primary Care



Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.



Community Services



Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.



Specialist Regional Services



We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018 Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal) National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

KEY DUTIES



To be a member of the Pharmaceutical Service team as required at Southport District General, or Ormskirk District General Hospitals.

To participate in inpatient, outpatient and discharge dispensing including extemporaneous, unlicensed, controlled drugs & Clozaril within the guidelines of the GPhC Standards for Pharmacy Professionals.

To undertake cytotoxic dispensing in accordance with departmental procedures and the criteria set out under COSHH Regulations and Regional and National Standards.

To undertake specialist dispensing involving the use of aseptic technique to a suitable standard in preparation of sterile products in accordance with Aseptic Procedures and under the direction of the Senior Technician and Aseptic Services Manager.

To undertake cytotoxic reconstitution and dispensing in accordance with the recommendations contained in the aseptic production manual and in accordance with the criteria set out under COSHH Regulations and Regional and National Standards.

To be an active member on the Trust's Intrathecal Registering enabling the preparation of Intrathecal cytotoxic Injections in accordance with Trust and Departmental Procedures.

To participate in Annual Performance Appraisal Reviews, setting joint objectives in relation to the Trust set objectives.

To co-operate in the operation and development of the ASCribe Pharmacy computer system under the direction of the Computer Services Manager.

In the absence of the Dispensary, Stores and Purchasing and Computer Services Manager's raise and release orders internally and to external wholesalers after appropriate, documented training and in line with departmental procedures.

To participate in the physical receipt of medicines and sundries, including signing for delivery and put away such items in the appropriate location ensuring stock rotation. To assist in the maintenance of stock levels and stock storage ensuring efficient turnover whilst maintaining quality and potency.

To participate in ward "topping-up" for individual patient and stock drug supplies service under the supervision of the Stores and Purchasing Manager in accordance with departmental procedures.

To participate in extemporaneous dispensing in line with the "Guide to the Preparation of non-sterile extemporaneous products in NHS Hospitals" and departmental procedures under the guidance of the Responsible Pharmacist.

To raise orders through the ASCribe computer system for wards and departments as per approved stock order sheets.

To answer telephone and face to face queries of a routine or technical nature from a wide range of staff groups, either in the Pharmacy or on the wards. Refer appropriate queries to the relevant member of the Pharmacy team when necessary.

To liaise with various members of the Pharmacy team and ward staff when solving supply problems and ensuring the best service to patients.

To undertake Patient Counseling in the Out-patient area taking into account difficult situations which can arise with aggressive, elderly, terminally ill patients and/or complex medication regimes.

To participate in the assessment of patients' own medicines at ward level, to record and act on interventions where appropriate and counsel patients on the use of their discharge medication.

To participate in ward-based discharge.

To assemble stocks of medicines for wards, departments, and associated hospitals.

To accuracy check orders of stock medicines for wards, departments, and associated hospitals.

To check expiry dates on stock items on a regular basis, no less than monthly.

To re-issue returned drugs in accordance with local procedures.

To participate with Saturday, Sunday, and Bank Holiday duties on a Rota basis.

To participate on the late-night rota duties as considered appropriate by the Technical Services Manager or other supervising pharmacists or senior technical staff.

To participate in appropriate training schemes for pharmaceutical staff. To keep relevant pharmaceutical clinical and technical knowledge up to date.

To comply with Health and Safety at work regulations, safe systems of work including COSHH requirements and the Data Protection Act.

To ensure compliance to all Trust Risk Management, Research Governance and Infection Control Policies and Procedures and abide by the Standards for Better Health'.

Take responsibility for managing their own health and wellbeing.



CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES



Maintain Professional Registration with the GPhC

To undertake Continuing Professional Development in order to keep pharmaceutical clinical and technical knowledge current to ensure best practice and comply with requirements for entry on the GPhC Pharmacy Technician Register.

Adhere to the Standards for Pharmacy Professionals as set out by the GPhC.



ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES



To provide accurate record keeping of CDs kept in the Pharmacy including supplies to wards and departments, orders received into the Pharmacy and regular Audits of the accuracy of the computer and paper records.

Input and maintain data ensuring the Patient Medication Record is accurate and up to date.



TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES



To provide mentoring, induction and training of student technician's, pre-registration pharmacists, dispensary ATOs, summer placement and work experience students and any other relevant members of Trust staff.



FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES



In the absence of the Dispensary, Stores and Purchasing and Computer Services Manager's raise and release orders internally and to external wholesalers after appropriate, documented training and in line with departmental procedures.

To participate in the physical receipt of medicines and sundries, including signing for delivery and put away such items in the appropriate location ensuring stock rotation. To assist in the maintenance of stock levels and stock storage ensuring efficient turnover whilst maintaining quality and potency.



RESEARCH & AUDIT



To dispense clinical trials in accordance with the dispensing protocol, ICH GCP Guidelines and European Directive under supervision of the Clinical Trial Pharmacist.

To participate in ward based SSHM Audits under the direction of the Technical Services Manager on a quarterly basis.