Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dispensary and Controlled Drugs Pharmacy Technician

The closing date is 05 September 2025

Job summary

Hello!

My name is Alice Smilie, I am the Operational Manager of the John Radcliffe Pharmacy. I am privileged to lead our very hardworking, friendly, and committed Dispensary team in providing a dispensary service, supplying inpatient, outpatient, and discharge medication to Patients of the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

This post offers a rare and exciting opportunity to provide technical support to the JR Dispensary, as well as being responsible for the management of Controlled Drugs. You will need to be experienced in providing Dispensary Services, including dispensing of Controlled Drugs.

We are looking for a candidate with a positive and responsible attitude to work who can demonstrate good time management and flexibility in their work. Good written and verbal communication skills are a must, alongside the confidence and assertiveness required in a training environment.

Successful applicants meeting the essential criteria will be offered a band 5 post. We welcome applications from candidates working towards the essential criteria. Such applicants, if successful, will be offered a band 4 post, with progression to band 5 on meeting the remaining essential criteria.

Main duties of the job

The post is ideally suited to a qualified and registered Technician with a Dispensary background, looking to progress their career, with a keen interest in the management of Controlled Drugs. The candidate will be required to work jointly within the Pharmacy Operational team, in the following key areas:

Providing regular dispensing/checking duties as directed by the Senior Technicians.
Assisting and planning training and providing Controlled Drug inductions. To be involved in updating training materials relating to these inductions.
Team leader responsibilities within the dispensary, together with the Senior Technicians, or in the absence of Senior Technicians, or at weekends.
Maintain and coordinate rotas relating to Controlled Drug returns.
To be responsible for keeping Controlled Drug databases up to date.
Investigating of Controlled Drug discrepancies and reporting via the Trust incident reporting system
Audits and Quality improvement projects to support efficiency in relation to Controlled Drug processes.

The ideal candidate will require good IT skills, particularly in the use of Pharmacy IT systems, excel and databases. Team working and positivity are essential for this role, particularly in dealing with a changing work environment and processes, with the ideal candidate able to utilise their skills and experiences across all areas of the role.

About us

The dispensary team is a friendly and hardworking team of 28 staff ranging from band 2 Assistants through to band 7 Technicians. This role is ideal for gaining that experience to progress further in your career, many of our dispensary based Technicians later go on take other roles within the wider Pharmacy team.

This is a full-time dispensary based position, 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday, with working hours of 9:00-17:15, however flexible working options would also be considered. You will also be required to participate in weekend working on a 1:6 rota basis, bank holiday, early and late duty rotas as per rota.

If you are interested in an informal discussion about this role, we would be very happy to hear from you. You are welcome to call the number below, or to make an appointment so that we can show you around and answer your questions.

This post will be subject to criminal records bureau checks.

Equality of opportunity is assured and we are committed to improving your working life.

Our no smoking policy advances a healthier environment.

Date posted

22 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £37,796 a year per annum / pro rata

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

321-CSS-7373468-B5-PUB

Job locations

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description for further detailed information regarding the role and main responsibilities.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description for further detailed information regarding the role and main responsibilities.

Person Specification

Essential and Desirable

Essential

Qualified Pharmacy Technician, registered with the GPhC holding an NVQ Level 3 or other relevant qualification.
Relevant post qualification experience.
Demonstrable time management, organisational, written and oral communication skills.
Accredited Checking Technician or willing to undertake training
Knowledge of current Controlled Drug Regulations and NICE guidelines relating to safe use and management of Controlled Drugs, through undertaking relevant training course(s)
Good IT skills including keyboard, databases, Excel etc
Appropriately assertive and confident.
Responsive to direction and constructive feedback.
Basic all round knowledge of Pharmacy Department.
Enthusiastic, adaptable, flexible and able to demonstrate an ability to work independently and as part of a team under pressure.
Tidy and professional appearance and adherence to dress code.
Ability to plan and direct own work, use initiative and attention to detail.

Desirable

Team player also able to use own initiative and can work alone.
Good all round understanding of medicines information and the Pharmacy Service.
Experience of data analysis and able to interpret and present data clearly using appropriate media,
Experience of report and procedure writing.
Ability to teach staff of all levels.

Person Specification

Essential and Desirable

Essential

Qualified Pharmacy Technician, registered with the GPhC holding an NVQ Level 3 or other relevant qualification.
Relevant post qualification experience.
Demonstrable time management, organisational, written and oral communication skills.
Accredited Checking Technician or willing to undertake training
Knowledge of current Controlled Drug Regulations and NICE guidelines relating to safe use and management of Controlled Drugs, through undertaking relevant training course(s)
Good IT skills including keyboard, databases, Excel etc
Appropriately assertive and confident.
Responsive to direction and constructive feedback.
Basic all round knowledge of Pharmacy Department.
Enthusiastic, adaptable, flexible and able to demonstrate an ability to work independently and as part of a team under pressure.
Tidy and professional appearance and adherence to dress code.
Ability to plan and direct own work, use initiative and attention to detail.

Desirable

Team player also able to use own initiative and can work alone.
Good all round understanding of medicines information and the Pharmacy Service.
Experience of data analysis and able to interpret and present data clearly using appropriate media,
Experience of report and procedure writing.
Ability to teach staff of all levels.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

Certificate of Sponsorship

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU

Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Headington, Oxford

OX3 9DU

Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)