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Job summary

Main area
Pharmacy
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
249-8111748
Employer
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Great Western Hospital
Town
Swindon
Salary
£25,760 - £27,476 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
22/07/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Rotational Pharmacy Assistant

Band 3

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital. 

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, we are unable to sponsor anyone for a skilled worker visa for this role. We are happy to accept applications from candidates who can prove their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes. Such applications will be considered alongside all other applications.

Are you passionate about patient care and ready to take the next step in your career? Our friendly and forward-thinking Pharmacy Department is looking for an exceptional individual to join our dynamic team.

Working alongside a supportive multidisciplinary group, including Pharmacy Technicians, Assistants, Pharmacists, Nurses, and Clerical staff, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines across our service. In this varied and rewarding role, you’ll develop your dispensing skills within the Dispensary, work with Stores & Distribution areas and engage directly with patients on wards, contributing to Medicines Optimisation and Discharge Services to enhance patient care and experience.

If you’re enthusiastic, motivated, and eager to grow in a collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

You will undertake general pharmaceutical duties under the supervision of a Section Manager or deputy, assisting in the provision of a safe and effective Pharmacy service in line with current policies, procedures and legal requirements.

Work in the dispensary dispensing prescriptions and provide support to the dispensary manager and lead technician in the day to day running of the dispensary. You will also;

  • Work as part of the pharmacy stores team monitoring and maintaining ward stock levels.
  • Work within patient services undertaking medicines optimisation duties on the wards, improving the quality of care to patients in a clinical area by means of an efficient medicines optimisation system. This will include assessing patients own medicines ensuring they are suitable for use in hospital and maintaining and ordering non-stock medicines for patients.

All Pharmacy staff involved in all aspects of Good Distribution Practice (EU GDP 2013/C 343/01) have a personal responsibility to ensure that all activities undertaken within our hospital Pharmacy are compliant with Good Distribution Practice (EU GDP 2013/C 343/01) and all relevant department procedures are followed effectively.

Working for our organisation

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group – a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people. We are creating a heath and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Perform general pharmaceutical duties under the supervision of a Section Manager or deputy, supporting the safe and effective delivery of Pharmacy services in compliance with policies, procedures, and legal standards. Complete in-depth training and achieve a QCF Level 2 in Pharmacy Services unless already qualified. Dispense prescriptions in the dispensary and support the Dispensary Manager and Lead Technician in daily operations. Assist with medicines optimisation on the wards, including assessing patients' own medicines for hospital use and managing non-stock medication orders to enhance patient care. Contribute to the pharmacy stores team by handling heavy lifting, stock movement, and maintaining ward stock levels.

Please see attached the full Job Description 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • QCF level 2 in Pharmacy services – or willing and able to work towards
  • GCSE or equivalent in Maths and English grade C or above
  • Knowledge of procedures for Pharmacy Services – on the job training, experience to NVQ3 or equivalent
Desirable criteria
  • Previous training in the Pharmacy services with a good education and understanding of GDP

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Working within a team
  • Managing own workload to meet the needs of a service
  • Previous pharmacy experience
Desirable criteria
  • Previous hospital pharmacy experience

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderInvestors in People: GoldCare Leaver CovenantStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Stacey Guilor
Job title
Dispensary Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01793 605194
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