Senior Pharmacy Technician - Procurement

Job overview

The Senior Pharmacy Procurement Technician supports the day-to-day management of medicines procurement services within the Pharmacy Department at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, primarily based at Luton, but cross site days maybe required. The role ensures the safe, efficient, and cost-effective supply of medicines across the Trust while maintaining compliance with medicines legislation, national standards, and Good Distribution Practice (GDP).

Key responsibilities include sourcing and purchasing pharmaceuticals, unlicensed medicines, managing stock levels, maintaining procurement records and electronic purchasing systems such as EDI and e-commerce platforms, and responding to medicine shortages. The post holder also supports cost-saving initiatives through effective purchasing strategies and therapeutic rationalisation.

The role involves working closely with pharmacy, clinical, and procurement teams to ensure continuity of supply and appropriate use of off-contract purchasing procedures. Additional duties include supplier and contract support, stock control, audit participation, SOP development, and assisting with recruitment activities.

The role supervises pharmacy clerks and student technicians, provides training on procurement systems and procedures, This post also includes participation in dispensary services, weekend and late shifts, and duties as an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT).

Main duties of the job

• To support in the management of the day to day running and provision of the medicines procurement service, in line with national standards, guidelines, local policy and procedures ensuring compliance with medicines legislation and GDP
• To support with the management of drug shortages
• To develop and maintain the e-commerce functionality and to take responsibility for the maintenance of the Powergate EDI system
• To undertake day-to-day supervision of pharmacy clerks and student technicians.
• To support Departmental drug expenditure reduction projects through purchasing and therapeutic rationalisation initiatives
• To provide training in purchasing procedures and EDI systems use to staff
• To provide advice to pharmacy and non-pharmacy colleagues on pharmaceutical supply issues
• Support the Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the Principal Procurement Technician in ensuring relevant Service level agreements and any other contractual agreements are up to date and in place.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

PROCUREMENT

• To provide professional leadership to all staff working within the Procurement and the wider department
• Working with internal and external colleagues to ensure that service level agreements and operational partnership arrangements are negotiated and delivered effectively to ensure best value for money for the Trust
• To maintain close links with the East of England (EoE) Procurement Hub in areas of mutual interest and to represent the Pharmacy department at East Anglia and Shires Pharmacy Consortium meetings.
• To proactively identify potential issues arising from medicines supply chain problems ensuring clinical staff are kept aware of the situation via the relevant sub groups.
• To determine pharmacy stockholding requirements and to place and authorise orders for pharmaceuticals in accordance with contractual arrangements and local purchasing policies.
• To be responsible for sourcing and ordering of unlicensed medication, completing risk assessments and quotes for all new items for the approval by the Lead Pharmacist – QA or the Principal Procurement Technician
• To provide assurance that systems are in place to ensure that all off contract purchases are appropriate, recorded and excess costs are claimed back where possible.
• Support the Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the Principal Procurement Pharmacy Technician in the management of the stock control system to input correct information onto the relevant IT systems for new drug lines, supplier, CMU contract updates, drug shortages and amendments in a timely manner.

MANAGEMENT

• To help writing policies and SOPs in conjunction with the Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the
• To support and manage MHRA and manufacturer drug alerts, liaising with senior members of the Pharmacy team where appropriate, to ensure all actions are completed, documented and signed off.
• To assist Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the Principal Procurement Pharmacy Technician in the induction and training of Student Technicians, Pharmacy Assistants and other staff as appropriate. This will include supporting NVQ assessment for both Level 2 and 3 awards.
• To play an active role in pharmacy recruitment.

OTHER

• To participate in dispensary duties as required, maintaining a working knowledge in current drug usage and dispensary procedures. This will include receiving prescriptions into dispensary and ensuring prescription charges are collected where appropriate, accurately labelling, assembling and dispensing individual in-patient, out-patient and discharge prescriptions including cytotoxic medicines, according to departmental policies and standard operating procedures. This may also involve solving problems arising from these procedures, including contacting other healthcare professionals
• To provide professional leadership to all staff working within the Pharmacy Department
• To offer support and guidance to junior members of staff working in all areas of the Pharmacy department.
• To work as an Accredited Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) as part of the department’s ACPT rota.
• To participate in departmental audit programmes
• To participate in the weekend, bank holiday and late dispensary shifts in accordance with departmental rotas.
• To liaise with colleagues and professional staff in other disciplines.
• To maintain an active CPD portfolio and to participate in departmental and regional education and training.
• To participate fully in the Individual Performance Review and objective setting process of the Trust.

To undertake other duties as reasonably requested by the Chief Pharmacist

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.