Band 7 Operations Chief Technician - Pharmacy Production Services

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 23 March 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced aseptic services pharmacy technician to lead and manage the preparation and delivery of safe and high quality Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy from Barnet Hospital Production Unit. The role will also involve implementation of new regulatory guidance as well as national agenda items that concern pharmacy aseptic services.

The role will involve managing the Pharmaceutical Quality System to ensure that controlled documentation is updated to ensure safe and consistent practice, as well as managing Deviations effectively and any associated Change Controls which may arise from them. They will also have significant involvement with self-inspection of the department to ensure continuing compliance with QAAPS standards and ensure that the contamination control strategy for the facility is implemented and risks identified and safely mitigated.

The postholder will also work closely with the Education and Training coordinator to ensure that team accreditations and validations are undertaken in a timely manner to ensure safe preparation and delivery of treatment, as well as manage validation activities to provide assurance of safe and consistent processes, equipment and operator technique. They will also be involved with periodic review of Key Performance Indicators as well as oversee the environmental monitoring programme.

Main duties of the job

  • To manage and be responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day delivery of the production service at Barnet Hospital, ensuring that the service complies with all current regulatory requirements of Section 10 pharmacy aseptic preparation, and operating within the bounds of COSHH, Health and Safety, GMP, GCP and QA regulations.
  • To develop and maintain all controlled documentation such as worksheets and standard operating procedures, in liaison with the Operational Lead Pharmacist and RFH Quality Assurance. To ensure that all relevant documentation is reviewed on a regular basis, updated as necessary and all out-of-date documentation is taken out of circulation.
  • To ensure all quality exceptions and deviations from SOPs are reported to Quality Assurance via the EQMS quality management system, are appropriately documented and that resolution of problems are undertaken in a timely fashion.
  • To ensure that all environmental monitoring is carried out at the required time and frequency, by appropriately trained staff.
  • To ensure that the clean rooms are operating within specification prior to manufacture.
  • The post-holder may need to work cross-site between Barnet and Hampstead sites and in future any other NHS hospitals that joins the Group Model. If in future the services are rationalised to one site then the post holder will be expected to work from that base.

About us

Our trust has around 10,000 staff serving 1.6 million patients. It comprises Barnet, Chase Farm and Royal Free Hospitals and more than 30 services in the community. Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers' money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

The Pharmacy department is a friendly, progressive, and expanding unit dedicated to providing the highest standards of pharmaceutical care and service in this internationally renowned teaching hospital.

Date posted

10 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£51,883 to £58,544 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-RFL-6931426-A

Job locations

Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane, Barnet

London

EN5 3DJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will also work closely with the Education and Training coordinator to ensure that team accreditations and validations are undertaken in a timely manner to ensure safe preparation and delivery of treatment, as well as manage validation activities to provide assurance of safe and consistent processes, equipment and operator technique. They will also be involved with periodic review of Key Performance Indicators as well as oversee the environmental monitoring programme.

Potential candidates should have significant experience of working in aseptic services and be able to confidently lead, motivate and manage a team of pharmacy technicians, pharmacy support workers and rotational staff members. They will also exhibit high standards of professionalism when engaging with stakeholders involved with Barnet Production Unit.

The post holder should also be willing to enhance their professional expertise and become the departments first accredited technician product approver after completion of the national accreditation framework.

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will also work closely with the Education and Training coordinator to ensure that team accreditations and validations are undertaken in a timely manner to ensure safe preparation and delivery of treatment, as well as manage validation activities to provide assurance of safe and consistent processes, equipment and operator technique. They will also be involved with periodic review of Key Performance Indicators as well as oversee the environmental monitoring programme.

Potential candidates should have significant experience of working in aseptic services and be able to confidently lead, motivate and manage a team of pharmacy technicians, pharmacy support workers and rotational staff members. They will also exhibit high standards of professionalism when engaging with stakeholders involved with Barnet Production Unit.

The post holder should also be willing to enhance their professional expertise and become the departments first accredited technician product approver after completion of the national accreditation framework.

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Person Specification

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential

  • Current registered pharmacy technician with GPhC or registered with relevant professional body.
  • NVQ Pharmacy Services Level 3, BTEC or relevant Pharmaceutical Science Degree (BSc, MSc) or equivalent.
  • Evidence of ongoing CPD

Desirable

  • Post graduate Diploma level qualification in Management studies or equivalent
  • Willingness to undertake further training to advance skills and knowledge in preparation for development

Experience

Essential

  • Relevant and proven pharmaceutical manufacturing experience or relevant experience in a production unit.
  • Experience of managing staff in a hospital environment.
  • Proven competence of supervising staff and workload on a day to day basis
  • Demonstrate evidence of project management, human resource management and service experience.

Desirable

  • Attending service group meetings .
  • Knowledge of the pharmacy stock .
  • Work within a licensed Hospital manufacturing unit

Skills and aptitudes

Essential

  • Demonstrate a good working knowledge of windows based systems and be capable of using all Microsoft offic
  • Ability to prioritise and organise routine daily tasks using own initiative, whilst supervising and leading a team.
  • Ability to train and assess others
  • Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, have a logical approach to problem solving and to form and maintain good working relationships.
  • Willingness to participate in and promote effective team working (key to working on a rotational basis).
  • Demonstrated ability to work under pressure accurately.
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems
  • Be focused on patient care and the efficient and effective service delivery
  • Demonstrated ability to clearly and accurately complete complex documents.
  • Demonstrated ability to work to set procedures
  • Demonstrated knowledge of aspects of a GMP and QA system, including principles of validation
  • Ability to manufacture a wide range of sterile, aseptic and non -sterile products
  • Knowledge of how to use wide range of equipment for pharmaceutical production.
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain quality standards.
  • Good general understanding of GCP .
  • Ability to critically appraise national initiatives in the profession and their influences on service delivery
Person Specification

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential

  • Current registered pharmacy technician with GPhC or registered with relevant professional body.
  • NVQ Pharmacy Services Level 3, BTEC or relevant Pharmaceutical Science Degree (BSc, MSc) or equivalent.
  • Evidence of ongoing CPD

Desirable

  • Post graduate Diploma level qualification in Management studies or equivalent
  • Willingness to undertake further training to advance skills and knowledge in preparation for development

Experience

Essential

  • Relevant and proven pharmaceutical manufacturing experience or relevant experience in a production unit.
  • Experience of managing staff in a hospital environment.
  • Proven competence of supervising staff and workload on a day to day basis
  • Demonstrate evidence of project management, human resource management and service experience.

Desirable

  • Attending service group meetings .
  • Knowledge of the pharmacy stock .
  • Work within a licensed Hospital manufacturing unit

Skills and aptitudes

Essential

  • Demonstrate a good working knowledge of windows based systems and be capable of using all Microsoft offic
  • Ability to prioritise and organise routine daily tasks using own initiative, whilst supervising and leading a team.
  • Ability to train and assess others
  • Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, have a logical approach to problem solving and to form and maintain good working relationships.
  • Willingness to participate in and promote effective team working (key to working on a rotational basis).
  • Demonstrated ability to work under pressure accurately.
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems
  • Be focused on patient care and the efficient and effective service delivery
  • Demonstrated ability to clearly and accurately complete complex documents.
  • Demonstrated ability to work to set procedures
  • Demonstrated knowledge of aspects of a GMP and QA system, including principles of validation
  • Ability to manufacture a wide range of sterile, aseptic and non -sterile products
  • Knowledge of how to use wide range of equipment for pharmaceutical production.
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain quality standards.
  • Good general understanding of GCP .
  • Ability to critically appraise national initiatives in the profession and their influences on service delivery

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).

Additional information

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane, Barnet

London

EN5 3DJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane, Barnet

London

EN5 3DJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Lead Pharmacist

Nitin Patel

nitin.patel2@nhs.net

02082164747

Date posted

10 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£51,883 to £58,544 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-RFL-6931426-A

Job locations

Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane, Barnet

London

EN5 3DJ


Supporting documents

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