Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer - In-Patient Services

DenialHost; Gateshead; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Gateshead is seeking a full-time pharmacy assistant to join their dedicated team. The successful candidate will assist with pharmacy services and contribute to patient care while working in a dynamic environment. Applicants must hold an NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services and have experience in pharmacy settings. Flexibility for weekends and nights is essential. This role offers diverse experiences within the pharmacy department, fostering professional growth and development.

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Opportunities for professional growth

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate dispensary skills and effective communication.
• Prior experience in pharmacy environment required.
• Ability to work weekends and flexible hours.

Responsibilities

• Assist with receipt and documentation of pharmaceutical items.
• Order and supply pharmaceutical items to departments.
• Maintain good stock management and handle recalls.
• Use JAC to accurately dispense prescriptions.
• Keep areas clean and complete required checks.

Skills

Dispensary skills

Excellent IT skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Initiative

Education

NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services

Maths GCSE Grade C or equivalent

English GCSE Grade C or equivalent

Tools

JAC (Pharmacy Stock Management System)

Job description

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join our caring team of pharmacy assistants, technicians and pharmacists, to help deliver pharmacy services to the Trust. Full time posts are available. Successful applicants will be rotational between ward services, in‑patient dispensary and the pharmacy store, to support the delivery of a high quality service to our patients and customers. This role is an opportunity for a pharmacy assistant qualified to NVQ Level 2 (or equiv.) in pharmacy services who has experience of working in a pharmacy environment (either community or hospital), and who is looking for a role which will challenge and develop their knowledge and skills in a hospital environment. The successful candidate must also have a good basic education including GCSE grade C (or equivalent) in Maths and English. The Pharmacy department operates a 7 day service so all applicants must be prepared to work weekends, late nights and Bank Holiday on rotation, and to be flexible to support the requirements of the team.

About Us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead. Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients. We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region. Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement. We have a number of staff networks including the BAME network, D‑Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our armed forces network is one of our emerging networks. The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Details

Date posted: 22 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 3

Salary: £24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full‑time

Reference number: 297-7655048

Job locations: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, NE9 6SX

Job Description

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate a wide range of dispensary skills, have excellent IT and communication skills. They must be able to work as part of team and also under their own initiative.

Key Duties

• Assist in the receipt of delivered pharmaceutical and non‑pharmaceutical items; ensuring all items received are processed correctly. The accurate and timely completion of any supporting documentation along with receipt of goods on to JAC (Pharmacy Stock Management System) and systems to support FMD.
• Participate in the ordering, supply and replenishment of pharmaceutical items to wards, departments and clinic. This will be via either a top‑up service, requisitions received into the department or Omnicell cabinet orders.
• Maintain good stock management, handling and rotation practices in all areas of pharmacy and ward areas. Assist with drug re‑calls and alerts.
• Participate in the day to day maintenance and effective use of Robotic Dispensing Systems and Omnicell Cabinets, this will include addressing failures, restarts, re‑stocking and counts.
• Re‑stock the dispensary, as required, with all consumables / disposables used in the dispensing process.
• Manage and dispose pharmaceutical waste.
• Assist with reception duties such as receipt of orders and prescriptions, use of PTS (Prescription tracking), preparing completed orders and prescriptions ready for collection by delivery staff.
• Use JAC to accurately dispense a range of prescriptions and orders to include In‑Patient discharge and Out‑Patient prescriptions, temporary stock requisitions, controlled drugs orders, clinical trial and unlicensed medication, in accordance with agreed safe systems of work practice in safe and timely manner.
• Maintain all areas of work, keeping areas clean and tidy (not general domestic duties). Complete and record environmental checks such as fridge and room temperatures.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external customers including pharmacy staff, health care professionals and delivery personnel.
• Ensure that Local Record Management is followed; storing, filing and maintaining all associated paperwork.

Person Specification

Essential

• NVQ level 2 Pharmacy Services and Skills
• Maths GCSE Grade C or equiv.
• English GCSE Grade C or equiv.
• 1 years pharmacy dispensing experience

Desirable

• Hospital pharmacy experience

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. 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.

Employer details

Employer name: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, NE9 6SX

Employer's website: https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk