Job summary
- Main area
- 317 RVI Pharmacy
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 317-2025-48-39-DR
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Victoria Infirmary
- Town
- Newcastle Upon Tyne
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 14/12/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 08/01/2026
Employer heading
Dispensary Stock Control Lead
Band 4
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country. We have around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion.
With strong history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation regionally, nationally and internationally, we’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country.
As well as providing a wide range of hospital and community services, we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
We are seeking to employ a motivated and enthusiastic Pharmacy Assistant to join the dispensary team at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a high-performing, patient-focused pharmacy service.
The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the safe, efficient, and timely supply of medicines across the Trust, working in a fast-paced and technologically advanced environment.
In this role, you will be instrumental in managing the inpatient dispensary workflow and supporting the dispensary team to maintain high standards of service delivery.
You will also oversee the pharmacy tracking system, a critical tool for monitoring prescription progress and ensuring compliance with Trust performance targets. Your contribution will directly impact patient outcomes, discharge efficiency, and the overall quality of care.
- Interview date: Thursday 8 January 2026
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
As part of the dispensary team, this role involves taking a lead in coordinating the dispensary workflow to ensure prescriptions are processed promptly and in accordance with Trust Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Support for the dispensary management team includes supervising and guiding colleagues to foster a collaborative and responsive working environment that consistently delivers high standards of patient care.
A key responsibility is the monitoring and maintenance of the pharmacy tracking system, ensuring accurate recording and reporting of dispensing activity. Dispensing prescriptions must be carried out efficiently and in compliance with legal and professional standards, with close collaboration across the multidisciplinary team including pharmacists, technicians, assistants, and students, to ensure safe and effective pharmaceutical services.
Additional duties include contributing to stock management through the ordering, receipt, and appropriate storage of medicines. Participation in the seven-day pharmacy service may be required, including weekend, late, and bank holiday rotas, to support continuity of care. The role also involves active engagement in service improvement initiatives and supporting the implementation of new processes and technologies. A professional and flexible approach is essential, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and evolving service needs.
Working for our organisation
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
• Freeman Hospital
• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service
• Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• To support the dispensary management team in leading and coordinating dispensary workflow.
• To supervise and co-ordinate the day-to-day workload within the dispensary.
• To ensure the receipt of all goods received into the dispensary are in accordance with procedures.
• To ensure medicinal products and other products located in the dispensary are stored in a safe and secure manner in pre-agreed locations.
• Supervise daily stock checks and investigate discrepancies.
• To manage and monitor the Pharmacy Tracking System (PTS)
• Liaise with pharmacy stores and procurement office to co-ordinate stock availability.
• Under the direction of the dispensary manager, ensure stock levels in the dispensary are appropriate.
• Undertake the Accuracy Checking Dispensing Assistant course.
• Undertake appraisal training and complete annual appraisals for dispensary staff.
• Creating and demonstrating a positive and constructive environment within the Pharmacy Department, promoting a culture of openness and honesty in the interests of excellent service delivery.
• Performing informal performance management, referring to more senior staff when a more formal approach is required.
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
- CSE or GCSE in Maths or English
- NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services OR a training programme accredited by the GPhC to an equivalent level to Pharmacy Services Skills NVQ Level 2 (QCF)
Desirable criteria
- NVQ Level 3 in Management
- Accuracy checking dispensing assistant buttercups qualification or equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience of pharmacy stock control systems
- Significant experience of working within a dispensary environment
- Ability to deliver high quality work to deadline
- Demonstrate an understanding of pharmacy stock control systems
- Demonstrate a knowledge of drug names and differences in formulations / pack sizes.
- Knowledge and experience of a wide range of routine and nonroutine dispensary duties and practices
Desirable criteria
- Awareness of non-pharmaceutical legislation affecting role e.g., COSHH
- Knowledge of financial audit and its role in pharmacy stock control systems
- Demonstrate an awareness of pharmacy purchasing systems.
- Previous supervisory experience
- Ability to plan, organise and deliver service objectives
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Demonstrate good oral and written communication.
- Demonstrate planning and organisational skills
- Basic computer skills
Desirable criteria
- Appraisal skills
- Negotiating and influencing skills
- Microsoft office / Microsoft Outlook
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Christopher Conway
- Job title
- Dispensary Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 2824488
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