Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician, Band 4 (Annex 21)

Job summary

As a Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician you'll develop the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Working within the team to gain hands-on experience across the pharmacy. Under supervision and through structured training and assessment, you'll build the competence and confidence to perform a wide range of duties essential to the pharmacy service.

Pharmacy Technicians provide both routine and specialist services that demand professional judgement, accuracy, and attention to detail. You'll work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, communicating effectively with patients, carers, and healthcare professionals while upholding confidentiality and professionalism.

Duties include supplying medicines and medical devices, assembling and labelling prescriptions, managing stock, supporting dispensary operations, and offering advice to patients and colleagues, referring queries to pharmacists when needed.

This two-year, split-site training programme alternates between Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital. You'll follow a structured plan while completing the Advanced Pharmacy Technician (Integrated) Level 3 Apprenticeship with an approved training provider. Supported by induction, ongoing training, and regular feedback, you'll gain the skills needed to succeed. Upon completion and passing the End Point Assessment, you'll be eligible for GPhC registration.

Main duties of the job

Dispensary Responsibilities

Assist with dispensing prescriptions ensuring accuracy and adherence to procedures. Prepare compliance aid packs and provide basic medicine information to patients, referring complex queries when needed. Process prescriptions, payments, and private sales via the pharmacy system. Support controlled drug processes including register entries, stock checks, and discrepancy reporting, and occasionally help prepare simple extemporaneous medicines.

Telephone & Reception Duties

Respond to calls and enquiries handling questions about prescriptions, availability, and missing charts. Escalate complex issues to pharmacists or departments as appropriate. Take verbal orders from authorised staff, record details accurately, and prioritise urgent or discharge-related requests.

Ward-Based Duties

Work with Medicines Optimisation Technicians and pharmacists to deliver patient-focused care. Communicate with patients and carers, assess patients' own medicines, reconcile medication histories, and process supply needs. Support efficient discharge planning by ensuring timely medicine provision.

Distribution Duties

Assist with ward stock top-ups management and storage. Promote efficient medicine use and manage returns or disposals. Support order processing, data entry, and delivery receipt checks.

General & Rotational Responsibilities

Attend all required training and undertake rotations across specialist areas to gain pharmacy experience.

About us

We take pride in placing people at the centre of everything we do, working together as a united team. Driven by a shared ambition to continually grow, develop, and learn, we recognise and value every contribution. By combining our experience and skills, we not only support our vibrant, diverse communities, but also support one another.

With a team of over 9,000 employees, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire and rank among the top 10 largest Trusts in the South West region. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from an excellent package that includes exclusive benefits, flexible working opportunities and the chance to gain valuable experience in one or both of our innovative hospitals.

As well as generous annual leave allowance, you will have access to the excellent NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, access to two on-site nurseries, discounted public transport, reward and recognition and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.