Job Advert
Job Title: Technical Apprenticeship – Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technician
Contract: Permanent
Salary: Band 4 £23,709 - £25, 982 - As this is an Annex 21 training post, successful candidates will receive National Living Wage for the duration of their education. On completion they will move to the full salary scale at the first point.
Employer: NHS Lothian
Location: Various across Lothian
Specialties: Acute Services, Primary Care and Community Pharmacy
Positions: Various
This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join our Pharmacy Services within NHS Lothian on a 2-year education programme, which will result in you being eligible to apply to the General Pharmaceutical Council to become a registered Pharmacy Technician.
As a pharmacy technician, you’ll prepare and dispense medicines safely and carry out accuracy checking to guarantee they are safe to take. You’ll also speak with patients and manage their supply of medicines, while keeping a record of their medicine history.
Your role may vary depending on where you work.
Community pharmacy
In community pharmacy, pharmacy technicians are trained to give advice to members of the community on the aspects of over-the-counter medicines, living a healthy lifestyle, and managing minor ailments. You will also carry out other pharmacy duties such as labeling and distributing prescribed medicine and giving information and counsel to patients with regards to how to make use of their medicines.
Hospital pharmacy
If you’re in a hospital, you may be involved in reviewing medicines, counseling, and giving advice on different treatment options. You’ll be expected to provide a link between wards, patients and the pharmacy. You could also be involved in aseptic work, such as preparing feeds or chemotherapy medicines for patients.
Primary care
If you are in primary care, you might be working in a GP practice. You will support medication reviews and you will liaise with other healthcare professionals to provide effective patient care.
What you’ll do
Your main tasks include:
- reviewing and recording medicines
- providing advice on how to take and store medicines safely
- monitoring, ordering and taking stock of medicines received from pharmacy suppliers
- interpreting prescriptions, creating labels and supplying the appropriate medication
- recording, analysing and interpreting data
What might a day in this job look like?
As part of the Pharmacy Services team, depending on where you are working, you will:
- Undertake assembly of medicines and supplies and perform in process accuracy checks to ensure the correct item is supplied e.g. assembly of aseptic product trays, selection and preparation of prescribed medicines.
- Participate in the issue of medicines and supplies including accurate completion of documentation as required ensuring special storage and transport requirements are adhered to e.g. appropriate packaging is used, transport schedules are adhered to.
- Input and process orders and prescriptions using the relevant pharmacy computer systems.
- Participate in the routine ordering of stationery and supplies as part of an approved scheme of delegation; undertake general housekeeping duties e.g. specific cleaning programmes, environmental monitoring, management of paperwork.
- Assist in the safe and appropriate disposal of waste materials according to legal requirements.
- Identify and report to supervisor any discrepancies with prescriptions, orders or supplies received to enable these to be rectified.
- Provide information and advice to patients on how to use their medication.
- Advise members of the public about over the counter medicines and management of minor ailments.
- Sell over-the-counter medicines and other items stocked by the chemist.
- Stock procurement and control.
- Maintain individual records of patient’s prescriptions, usually using the pharmacy computer system
- Liaise with GPs, Practice nurses, local community pharmacists, community nurses and
Care home staff to ensure accurate exchange of information.
- Run electronic searches to gather information for key performance indicators.
- Utilise GP practice clinical systems to participate in audits
- Participate in medicines reconciliation when patients are discharged from hospital
- Assist in the management of annual prescribing efficiencies work and to support provision of feedback to practices on a regular basis, using PRISMS/STU data, databases and spreadsheets
What will I learn?
- Gain Diploma Pharmacy Services SCQF Level 8
- Establish a rapport with the multidisciplinary team and gain the confidence of the patients and their families.
- Managing self within a complex dynamic clinical environment.
- Maintaining skill and knowledge level in clinical competencies and core skills.
- How to address the equality and diversity needs of patients and staff.
- Key employability skills
What Qualifications / Qualities are required?
- National 5 (Grade A-C) or above in English, Maths, Chemistry and Biology SCQF Level 5 or Completion of Access to Pharmacy Services (SCQF Level 5), NC Pharmacy Services or and NC Applied Science (Biology or Chemistry).
- If English is not first language - International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7 across all 4 areas at one sitting* or equivalent– essential for registration with GPhC
- Age 16 and above, no higher age limit
- Effective team player
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Passion for working in a healthcare environment ·
- Understand and possess the NHS Lothian Values: NHS Lothian Values
- Good interpersonal skills
- Commitment to completing the Technical Apprenticeship Programme
- Ability to carry out delegated responsibilities within a dynamic clinical environment.
You must have eligibility to work within the UK, including UK citizen, EU settled or those who have right to remain. Due to the nature of the apprenticeship we can not support visa applications for these positions.
GPhC guidance document - https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/standards/guidance
The recruitment process will consist of various stages, all of which are mandatory, and will all be undertaken on-line and via MSTeams:
13th June 2023 | Information Session to be held via MSTeams 1400-1600 |
15th June 2023 | Group Interview via MSTeams |
13th June 2023 | Online Assessment |
Week commencing 19th June 2023 | Face to Face Interview |
Candidates who are successful in interview will be expected to start in NHS Lothian on Monday 31st July and we are not able to alter this date.