East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Apprentice Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician

The closing date is 11 June 2025

Job summary

Are you an enthusiastic motivated individual looking for a future career as a qualified Pharmacy Technician? These training posts include an apprenticeship and start on 15 September 2025 ending 21 September 2027 with posts at both Ipswich and Colchester Hospitals. You would be based at one site.

Applicants must meet Apprenticeship criteria and have a minimum of 4 GCSEs or equivalent at Grade 9-4 or A*-C (Maths, English and Chemistry or Biology).

You must be self-directed to meet deadlines, committed to self-study and effectively use study time given by the department to complete the course and be eligible to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician. You must demonstrate an understanding and compliance with the values and behaviours expected of NHS staff and the Standards for Pharmacy Professionals.

Pharmacies are busy departments covering a diverse range of activities and functions including: dispensary, logistics, quality control, manufacture/preparation of medicines/products including chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition, clinical trials, ward based/clinical activities, medicines information and community services. We have an automated robotic dispensing and stock supply system. This course places emphasis on clinical ward based and dispensary work.

You will be required to participate in our 7 day service including lates, weekends and bank holidays

Main duties of the job

Salary will be Band 4 Annex 21: Year 1 (£21,113) 70% top Band 4 and Year 2 (£22,621) 75% top Band 4. Internal applicants will be via Annex 30.

Ipswich contact Sally Rogers Sally.Rogers@esneft.nhs.uk 01473 704432

Colchester contact Amanda Callander Amanda.Callander@esneft.nhs.uk 01206 742823

You will undertake a Certificate of Higher Education, in Pharmacy Technician Practice delivered by the School of Pharmacy at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. The course has a blended learning approach using e-learning, classroom tutorials, practical sessions and portfolio building. There will be on-going assessments, observations with mandatory study days and forums.

This course places emphasis on clinical ward based and dispensary work. You will communicate and work effectively with patients, ward based teams and multi-disciplinary staff to provide a safe, timely and efficient patient-centred service aiding supply, patient compliance and discharges. The course also includes Accredited Checking, Medicines Management and Medicines Reconciliation.

You must be able to attend mandatory study days, follow procedures, apply theory to practice and have an interest in a career as a hospital based Pharmacy Technician. Appropriate supervision and training will be provided throughout.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Details

Date posted

29 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£21,113 to £22,621 a year Annex 21 Year 1 70% top Band 4, Year 2 75% top Band 4

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR302-25

Job locations

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Working effectively as part of a team under supervision
  • Applying theory to practice
  • Able to prioritise/organise own work/study to achieve deadlines
  • Good IT skills
  • Using own initiative
  • Interacting and communicating confidently and effectively with patients/people
  • Attention to detail
  • Accuracy
  • Work calmly under pressure and meet deadlines

Desirable

  • Working in a pharmacy
  • Stock control
  • Accurate record keeping
  • Moving and handling loads

Qualifications

Essential

  • At least 4 GCSEs (or equivalent) Grade A* - C or new GCSEs Grades 9 - 4 including Maths, English and at least one Science that includes chemistry or biology

Desirable

  • NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills/individual units or equivalent
  • Any other relevant qualification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of research into the undertaking required for an Apprentice Pre-registration (trainee) Pharmacy Technician
  • Evidence of research into the role of the Pharmacy Technician
  • Standards for Pharmacy Professionals (May 2017)
  • Awareness of Trust's values and expected behaviours
  • Stock control & stock rotation

Desirable

  • Aspects of hospital pharmacy
  • Role related interests

Personal Skills

Essential

  • Motivated and enthusiastic for a career as a pharmacy technician and dedicated to the undertaking required for the course
  • Ability to attend the required study days
  • Commitment to self-study (home and off the job learning) to enable sufficient learning to complete course
  • Demonstrate Trust values and behaviours
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Working effectively as part of a team under supervision
  • Applying theory to practice
  • Able to prioritise/organise own work/study to achieve deadlines
  • Good IT skills
  • Using own initiative
  • Interacting and communicating confidently and effectively with patients/people
  • Attention to detail
  • Accuracy
  • Work calmly under pressure and meet deadlines

Desirable

  • Working in a pharmacy
  • Stock control
  • Accurate record keeping
  • Moving and handling loads

Qualifications

Essential

  • At least 4 GCSEs (or equivalent) Grade A* - C or new GCSEs Grades 9 - 4 including Maths, English and at least one Science that includes chemistry or biology

Desirable

  • NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills/individual units or equivalent
  • Any other relevant qualification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Evidence of research into the undertaking required for an Apprentice Pre-registration (trainee) Pharmacy Technician
  • Evidence of research into the role of the Pharmacy Technician
  • Standards for Pharmacy Professionals (May 2017)
  • Awareness of Trust's values and expected behaviours
  • Stock control & stock rotation

Desirable

  • Aspects of hospital pharmacy
  • Role related interests

Personal Skills

Essential

  • Motivated and enthusiastic for a career as a pharmacy technician and dedicated to the undertaking required for the course
  • Ability to attend the required study days
  • Commitment to self-study (home and off the job learning) to enable sufficient learning to complete course
  • Demonstrate Trust values and behaviours

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.

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Technician Services Manager

Sally Rogers

sally.rogers@esneft.nhs.uk

01473704432

Details

Date posted

29 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£21,113 to £22,621 a year Annex 21 Year 1 70% top Band 4, Year 2 75% top Band 4

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR302-25

Job locations

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Supporting documents

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