BHSCT Lead Pharmacy Technician Band 6

Job details

• Branch: Belfast HSCT
• Location: MUSGRAVE PARK HOSPITAL
• Salary: Band 6 (£38,682 - £46,580)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 23/06/26
• Closes: Tue, 07 July 2026 @ 4:30 PM
• Interview Dates: To be confirmed.

Notes

We accept online applications only. “A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026”. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week.” Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST: Lead Pharmacy Technician: Patient Services

LOCATION: Pharmacy Services, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust – Musgrave Park Hospital

BAND: Band 6

REPORTS TO: Clinical Pharmacy Lead / Pharmacy Site Lead

RESPONSIBLE TO: Professional Manager Pharmacy Services, Specialist and Community Services

Job Summary / Main Purpose

The post holder will lead the pharmacy technician and support staff teams and manage dispensary and distribution and procurement services in conjunction with the patient services pharmacist and senior technicians.

To manage the technical aspects of service provision through leading, directing and coordinating pharmacy technicians and support staff. To train and assess technical competency of pharmacy technicians, student pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support workers working within the area

The post holder will provide day-to-day management for a group of staff including coordinating training, attendance management, managing performance, undertaking staff development reviews, participating in recruitment and selection, staff supervision and allocation of duties.

Periodically for business continuity purposes and ensuring service delivery you will be required to work, within your sphere of competence, on other pharmacy sites within the Trust.

Main Duties / Responsibilities

Leadership

Lead, motivate, manage and develop technical and support staff in the delivery of pharmacy dispensing & distribution services ensuring that the teams and team members are aware of the expectations of them, actively and effectively contribute to the aims of the service and are trained to enable them to do so. Distribution services includes purchasing.

Proactively develop technicians and support staff in line with local, regional and national objectives.

Act as a mentor and role model, providing support and guidance to all team members, showing leadership in the absence of other lead technicians as required

Recognise and utilise innovative practice.

Work collaboratively with the Patient Services Pharmacist and Clinical Pharmacy Lead Pharmacist and other pharmacy team leads.

To lead by example, setting high standards.

Management

Manage the technical aspects of dispensing & distribution service provision through leading, directing and coordinating technicians and pharmacy support staff.

Manage the technical aspects of dispensing & distribution services including prescriptions, in-basket requests, inventory requests, controlled drugs, extemporaneous dispensing, clinical trials, returns, purchasing, goods inwards, top-ups and community clinics.

Ensure dispensing & distribution environment, facilities and equipment are maintained to the required standards.

Ensure the safe and secure storage of medicines in accordance with all medicine legislation and Trust security policies

Coordinate the activities of the pharmacy dispensing & distribution service to ensure efficient use of technical and support staff in conjunction with senior technicians.

Contribute to and implement planned service developments effectively.

Supervise technical and support staff involved in daily work ensuring that procedures are followed and records maintained.

Direct line manager for senior technicians within the dispensing & distribution team.

To arrange relevant team meetings with senior technicians to enable staff to be updated with current issues and to address staff development needs with regard to dispensing & distribution services

Delegate authority appropriately to junior staff to develop individuals in their roles and enable them to realise their potential.

Develop and implement the pharmacy technician and support staff rota in conjunction with other lead technicians.

Undertake all HR related processes for recruitment, management of leave, attendance management, managing performance, undertaking staff development reviews, disciplinary issues etc.

Provide technical staff with ongoing feedback on performance, and effectively manage poor performance in accordance with Trust policies.

Liaise with BHSCT Clinical Trials Lead pharmacist to ensure technical aspects of service priorities are being met.

Patient care (direct and indirect)

To provide a final check of medication dispensed against clinically verified prescriptions and in- basket requests for accuracy before release according to the ACPT (Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician) scheme

To undertake or maintain competency, as an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) and to develop competencies in line with the services provided.

Assess and dispense prescriptions, in-basket requests, inventory requests and controlled drugs in a timely and accurate manner for patients on wards and departments in the Belfast Trust, ensuring SOP’s are followed to maintain high standards and keep errors to a minimum.

To participate in the dispensing and checking of clinical trials in accordance with SOP’s.

To be aware of the clinical verification procedures and ensure that they are followed accurately on each prescription/ in-basket request that is presented for checking.

The timely and accurate dispensing of outpatient prescriptions and associated patient counselling, ensuring patient understanding of when and how to take their medication and to provide any further information when required to patients.

To ensure all computer transactions relating to patients details and medications are accurate and in accordance with dispensary SOPs and BHSCT labelling standards.

To answer technical queries from nursing and medical staff, patients and their carers

Contribute to the maintenance and development of the Labelling Standards for BHSCT Dispensaries and other BHSCT standardized SOPs.

Ensure that dispensing & distribution staff maintain high professional and technical standards by adopting and enforcing good dispensing practice and by implementing and monitoring safe systems of work.

Ensure that dispensing & distribution staff support the efficient running of pharmacy services and participate in routine dispensing & distribution activities

Ensure that changes in dispensing & distribution work practices are effectively communicated to the team

Ensure the timely and accurate dispensing and release of prescriptions (including any associated patient counselling as necessary), in-basket requests, inventor

y requests and controlled drugs.

Ensure the safe and effective management of a controlled drugs distribution service

Work alongside the Patient Services Pharmacist in ensuring the safe and efficient dispensing of extemporaneous medicines.

Policy and service development

Ensure a safe, efficient and quality dispensing & distribution service to patients and service users through the development, implementation and regular review of procedures.

Responsible for proposing changes to working practices/ procedures in accordance with Medicines Legislation, Professional Standards and good practice, monitoring and ensuring compliance

Develop, update and implement changes to pharmacy procedures, processes, equipment and practice as necessary, including the approval of SOPs within own area of responsibility

Contribute to the drafting of new policies including those that impact outside of Pharmacy services.

Ensure that performance indicators for the dispensing service are collected and collated including workload data, error rates and service quality information.

Address poor service performance identified through audit, performance indicator data or by complaint from service users, developing action plans to address deficiencies and demonstrating necessary improvement.

Clinical governance

Contribute to the development and implementation of internal audits, including the Belfast Risk Assessment and Audit Tool (BRAAT), and assist with external audits.

Work alongside the Patient Services Pharmacist in the development and management of the Quality Management System (QMS)

Ensure a safe, efficient and quality dispensing service to patients and staff by the provision and maintenance of procedures

Work alongside the Patient Services Pharmacist in the implementation of changes to Trust policies and risk management information, such as contained in Learning Letters, Rapid Response Reports etc.

Ensure that all practices conform to health and safety, COSHH, medicines Act and other relevant legislations.

Undertake health and safety risk assessments

Ensure that all areas of the dispensing & distribution service are maintained in a clean and orderly manner.

Maintain records, both electronic and manual, relating to equipment and products used in the Dispensing.

Contribute to records management and data security and co-ordinate the archiving of records in accordance with local and regionally agreed guidelines.

Education and Training

Provide induction training to senior technicians, pharmacy technicians, student pharmacy technicians, pharmacy support workers, rotational and new staff, ensuring that individualised induction plans are created and implemented.

Identify training needs of staff in order to undertake the roles required.

Develop, manage and review competency-based training for Dispensing services and identify non-conformance through audit. Maintain appropriate records of such training/ audit.

Coach individuals and teams to perform to the best of their ability.

Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff.

Undertake appropriate training in support of line management function e.g. Management ILM certificate in first line management or equivalent qualification.

To support the Vocational Training programmes operational within the various staff groups in the Patient Services Team.

To undertake and maintain CPD to ensure knowledge and skills are up-to-date.

Communication

Communicate with staff both within and outside the Pharmacy Department regarding service operational issues to ensure that a safe and effective service is maintained.

Liaise with other senior staff within the Pharmacy Department to promote efficient use of staff and ensure the smooth running of the Department.

Communicate with other healthcare professionals regarding the application of pharmacy procedures.

Attend departmental meetings, taking the lead as required and delivering key pharmacy messages even when these are outside own area of expertise.

Deal with complaints from Patients and other departments in an appropriate and professional way.

Actively listen to comments/challenges and respond constructively

To be competent in the routine operation of pharmacy IT systems and robotics e.g. EPIC, JAC Pharmacy and Medicines Management System, robotics system, including ARiM database.

Other

Participate in extended hours service if requested

Participate in the Saturday and Bank Holiday Rota.

Pharmacy Services are provided from a number of locations across the Belfast Trust and you will be required to work from any of those Trust sites during the Saturday, EHS or On-call service

Support the Trust in its drive for seven day working to best suit the needs of our patients.

To perform any other duties as assigned to you by the Patient Services Pharmacist

The post holder will be expected to participate in life-long learning, maintain awareness of current practice and attend such courses and training as may be deemed necessary by the Patient Services Pharmacist. They will additionally support the learning and pharmacist development of junior staff through participation in the Trust’s staff development review to ensure individual and team objectives are achieved.

General Responsibilities

Employees of the Trust are required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:

At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner.

Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them.

Comply with the Trust’s Smoke Free Policy.

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with the Health and Safety Policies and Statutory Regulations.

Adhere to Equality and Good Relations duties throughout the course of their employment.

Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in-service provision.

Maintain high standards of personal accountability.

Comply with the HPSS Code of Conduct.

Information Governance

All employees of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant and to comply with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust policies on Information Governance including for example the ICT Security Policy, Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and to seek advice if in doubt.

For further information on how we use your personal data within HR, please refer to the Privacy Notice available on the HUB or Your HR

Environmental Cleaning Strategy

The Trusts Environmental Cleaning Strategy recognizes the key principle that “Cleanliness matters is everyone’s responsibility, not just the cleaners” Whilst there are staff employed who are responsible for cleaning services, all Trust staff have a responsibility to ensure a clean, comfortable, safe environment for patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and members of the general public.

Infection Prevention and Control

The Belfast Trust is committed to reducing Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and all staff have a part to play in making this happen. Staff must comply with all policies in relation to Infection Prevention and Control and with ongoing reduction strategies. Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions must be used at all times to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

This includes:-

Cleaning hands either with soap and water or a hand sanitiser at the appropriate times (WHO ‘5 moments’);

Using the correct ‘7 step’ hand hygiene technique;

Being ‘bare below the elbows’ when in a clinical environment;

Following Trust policies and the Regional Infection Control Manual (found on intranet);

Wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);

Ensuring correct handling and disposal of waste (including sharps) and laundry;

Ensuring all medical devices (equipment) are decontaminated appropriately i.e. cleaned, disinfected and/or sterilised;

Ensuring compliance with High Impact Interventions.

Values

The Belfast Trust aims to recruit staff not only with the right skills but also with the right values to ensure the delivery of excellent patient care and experience. Staff will be expected to be committed to provide safe, effective, compassionate and person centered care by:-

Treating Everyone with Dignity and Respect

Displaying Openness and Trust

Being Accountable

Being Leading Edge

Maximising Learning and Development

By embedding the above values we will make a significant contribution to the delivery of the Trust’s Vision.

Personal Public Involvement

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community where relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/PPI_leaflet.pdf

Clause: This job description is not meant to be definitive and may be amended to meet the changing needs of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

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PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE / BAND: Lead Pharmacy Technician: Patient Services

Band 6

DEPT / DIRECTORATE: Pharmacy Services BHSCT

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined below at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Ideally no more than 6-8 criteria in this section

Method of Assessment

Experience

Qualifications

Registration

Skills / Abilities

Two years in hospital as Band 5 or above

Experience in the area of pharmacy relevant to this post - Patient Services

Experience of leading a team

NVQ Pharmacy Service Level 3 with accredited underpinning knowledge (BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science)

a) If qualified after June 2009

BTEC Level 3 Diploma and NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent knowledge and competency based qualifications in pharmacy (see below equivalent qualifications) plus a minimum of 18 months relevant work-based experience in the UK under the supervision, direction of a pharmacist for not less than 14 hours per week, OR

Technicians holding a BTEC qualification (or equivalent knowledge based qualification) and willing to undertake NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy services plus a minimum of 18 months relevant work-based experience in the UK under the supervision, direction of a pharmacist for not less than 14 hours per week

b) If qualified before June 2009

BTEC level 3 National certificate in Pharmacy Services or equivalent knowledge based qualification in pharmacy (see below equivalent qualifications¹) plus a minimum of 18 months relevant work-based experience in the UK under the supervision, direction of a pharmacist for not less than 14 hours per week.

5. Hold an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) certificate and actively practicing as an ACPT and eligible for reaccreditation.

6. Be willing to undertake a post-graduate diploma or equivalent qualification in a relevant area.

Shortlisting by Application Form / Interview

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Qualifications

Registration

Be able to communicate effectively.

Have basic keyboard and computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, report generation and presentations).

Ability to use initiative, problem solve and troubleshoot

NVQ assessor

Shortlisting by Application Form

Equivalent Qualifications

¹Equivalent qualifications in accordance with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Accredited qualifications

Equivalent knowledge based qualifications include

City and Guilds Level 3 Cert In Pharmacy Services (100/5845/X)

SQA level 3 Cert in Pharmacy Services (G753 04 or GA6P46)

NPA Level 3 Underpinning knowledge programme

Buttercups Level3 knowledge based programme

Dispensing Certificate of the Royal Army Medical Corps or the Royal Air Force

NPA 2-year Dispensing Technicians correspondence course completed prior to 1998

Boots 2-year dispenser training course completed prior to 1993

Boots 1 year dispenser training course completed after 1993 but before March 2005 plus accredited top-up training module plus assessment of competence

Equivalent NVQ3 qualifications include

City and Guilds NVQ3 Pharmacy services (100/2201/6 or 500/0576/6)

Edexcel NVQ3 Pharmacy services (100/2615/0 or 500/9578/X)

SQA Level 3 Pharmacy Services (G759 23 or GA08 23)

NOTE

Where educational/professional qualifications form part of the criteria you will be required, if shortlisted for interview, to produce original certificates, and one photocopy of same, issued by the appropriate authority. Only those certificates relevant to the shortlisting criteria should be produced. If educational certificates are not available an original letter and photocopy of same detailing examination results from your school or college will be accepted as an alternative.

If successful you will be required to produce documentary evidence that you are legally entitled to live and work in the United Kingdom. This documentation can be a P45, Payslip, National Insurance Card or a Birth Certificate confirming birth in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. Failure to produce evidence will result in a non-appointment.

VALUE BASED RECRUITMENT

* Values Based Recruitment is a process adopted by the Belfast Trust to attract and select employees on the basis that their individual values and behaviours align with those of the Trust and incorporating the Healthcare Leadership Model.

It focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ people do what they do.

Candidates who are short-listed for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required knowledge, skills, competencies and values to be effective in this new role.

In answering the value based questions you have the opportunity to share examples of when you have demonstrated values relevant to the Belfast Trust.