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Job overview
Are you an experienced Assistant Technical Officer who has completed NVQ level 2 in pharmacy services or equivalent Pharmacy qualification?
At LUFHT may have the perfect opportunity for you.
We are looking for a Senior Assistant Technical Officer (SATO) who can act as a great role model, provide excellent training and demonstrate our trust values. You will be based at Aintree University Hospital and will be providing stores and distribution services to Aintree and Walton centre sites. On a rota basis with other SATOs, you will be responsible for providing a stock distribution service , as well as supervising ATOs in our Pharmacy Store. You must be flexible to service demands and willing to work across the LUHFT sites.
You must be able to show great leadership qualities, a broad experience of working in a pharmacy and knowledge and understanding of working in a hospital. You must be able to manage and prioritise your own workload whilst delivering a safe and robust supply of medicines to the area you are responsible for.
We want to recruit a Senior Assistant Technical Officer who is enthusiastic, motivated who will work to our professional standards to provide an efficient and patient focused service.
Main duties of the job
In the role as a Rotational Senior Assistant Technical Officer you must have excellent communication skills, attention to detail and be flexible as you will you will work within our dispensaries, stores and on wards alongside pharmacy teams including, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists.
You will be required to supervise work of pharmacy assistants ensuring work is prioritised appropriately and play a key role in training and development of staff to maintain a quality and standards of work.
You will be required to participate in evening, weekend, and Bank Holiday working in keeping with the Pharmacy Directorate arrangements and the needs of the Trust.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
- Dispense and issue medicines from the Pharmacy Department including extemporaneously prepared products, controlled drugs, unlicensed medicines and clinical trials, in accordance with the policies, procedures and safe systems of work, which prevail in the department at the time. 2. Order and supply pharmaceuticals as part of the ward stock top-up service. 3. Load medicines received into the automated dispensing machine. 4. Take lead responsibility for reception duties and direct workload and queries in the most appropriate staff members within the department and escalate if required. 5. Input data into the Pharmacy computer system to ensure all appropriate records are made and kept up to date. 6. Receive medicines into the Pharmacy Department and ensure that documentation and computer entry is carried out in a timely and accurate manner. 7. Investigate and resolve delivery discrepancies, liaising with invoicing staff, and suppliers, making appropriate records of all investigations and outcomes keeping line manager fully briefed about key operational matters. 8. Ensure that all pharmaceutical preparations are stored appropriately. 9. Rotate stock at the point of goods receipt. 10. Deal with more complicated enquiries referring to line manager if they are not commensurate with role. 11. Ensure that all unused medicines (if appropriate) returned to the pharmacy are recycled in accordance with the safe systems of work and always participate in the safe disposal of medicines in accordance with departmental procedures. 12. Manually handle IV fluids, bulk feed deliveries and manoeuvre cages and tote boxes for delivery towards/departments, outside clinics 13. Deliver medicines to ward and departments as required. 14. Deal with frequent interruptions eg telephone enquiries from internal and external customers. 15. Fix the robot when basic errors occur. 16. Participate in daily stock count 17. Issue medicines which are on “To-Follows” list 18. Participate in development and project work in line with the objectives of the Trust and Pharmacy Directorate 19. Check picked stock items to ensure accuracy of medicines supplies on top up. 20. Train, supervise and assess support workers. 21. Deliver robot error training for pharmacy assistants and other staff who are new to the department in line with standard training plan. 22. Deliver training to pharmacy assistants and other staff as they rotate through areas of practice . 23. Deal with ad hoc stock requests as they arise (by telephone or portal) from wards/departments and outside clinics. These may be urgent and will need to be prioritised appropriately. 24. Supply emergency orders 25. Support pharmacy assistants with NVQ level 2 training where appropriate. 26. Prioritise work so that services meet their objectives. 27. Together with other members of staff to ensure that procedures are carried out in accordance with current legislation and regulations in respect of the Health and Safety at Work Act, COSHH and that other pertinent recommendations and standards are complied with. 28. Participate and co-operate in weekend, Bank Holiday, Statutory Holiday, early morning and evening services as per departmental arrangements. 29. Undertake other reasonable duties commensurate with this role as required. This may be subject to change to meet the needs of our patients. 30. Work across site where required. 31. The post holder will be expected to adapt to changes that may occur, which may affect the current practices within the Pharmacy Department, such as the introduction of new equipment, procedures, policies, and hours of working.
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.
Person specification
Other
Essential
- Enthusiasm for the position
- Can use own initiative and shows attention to deta
- Interest in pharmacy service provision
- Proactive
- Friendly, empathetic and reliable team worker able to relate to all grades of staff
- Willingness to learn
- Commitment to work
- Reliable and flexible to the needs of the service
- Self-motivated and ability to motivate others
- Ability to work as per departmental weekend, evening and bank holiday rotas
Skills
Essential
- Clear and accurate written communication skills
- Clear and accurate verbal communication skills
- Ability to use different IT applications
- Ability to work in a busy environment to meet deadlines whilst paying attention to detail
- Ability to work alone or part of a team
- Methodical with attention to detail
- Ability to adapt to change
- Ability to show initiative and work efficiently
- Able to supervise and prioritise tasks for others and prioritise team workflow
- Ability to set routines and implement new working procedures
- Ability to train others
- Ability to respond to non-routine queries and escalate when outside limitations
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of procedures for own pharmacy area – on the job training, experience to NVQ3 or equivalent level
- Knowledge of stock control systems and storage of medication
Desirable
- Knowledge of hospital pharmacy supply and discharge planning
- Able to relate to all grades of staff within a multidisciplinary team
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience working in a pharmacy environment
- Experience of working in a team
- Experience of dispensing prescriptions OR the preparation of aseptic products
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services or Pharmacy equivalent
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior Assistant Technical Officer - Stores and Distribution with Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 3 Estates and facilities role. The advertised salary is £25,760 - £27,476 per annum. The contract type is Permanent: Lates, Weekends and Bank Holidays as per additional rotas. The application deadline is 17 Aug 2026.
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