About
Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician Apprentice
Year 1 – 70% Band 4 / Year 2 – 75% Band 4
Main area: Pharmacy
Grade: Year 1 – 70% Band 4 / Year 2 – 75% Band 4
Contract: Fixed term: 24 months (Contract will run for the duration of the apprenticeship programme)
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Weekend and late shifts)
Job ref: 179-7265876-C
Site: West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Town: Bury St Edmunds
Salary: £26,530 - £29,114 Year 1 – 70% Band 4 / Year 2 – 75% Band 4 (matching NMW)
Closing: 13/07/2025 23:59
Interview date: 24/07/2025
Job overview
As an apprentice pharmacy technician, you will be trained across an acute care setting using both on and off the job learning. This will provide you with the underpinning knowledge and skill set necessary for you to dispense medications, receive and validate prescriptions, communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals and optimise patients’ use of medications.
As an apprentice working within a hospital setting under the supervision of pharmacists and qualified pharmacy technicians, you will be trained to work as part of a multi-professional team, checking patients own medications, suppling medications to individuals, obtaining accurate drug histories for individuals and counselling patients for best practice on the use of their medications.
You will complete a 2-year course provided by the University of East Anglia which includes:
• Attending at mixture of face to face and online study days
• Completing online assessments
• Completing an e-Portfolio of work-based assessments and other evidence designed to meet the GPhC standards of initial education and training of pharmacy technicians
To support you in completing this work you will be provided with study time during working hours but will also be expected to commit to at least 8-10 hours of study per week outside of the workplace.
You will be allocated an education supervisor who will support you in the workplace, and a UEA tutor who will support you with the course.
Main duties of the job
Pharmacy Technicians manage the supply of medicines and devices in pharmacy, assist Pharmacists with advisory services and are responsible for carrying out both routine and specialist services, including highly complex activities requiring them to use their professional judgement. They are expected to work both individually and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. They are able to work with minimum supervision, with a high degree of autonomy, taking responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the work that they have undertaken and that of others.
As a Pharmacy Technician Apprentice, you will be trained with the knowledge and skills to optimise patients’ use of medicines.
In the dispensary: Dispense medication, receive and validate prescriptions, communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals.
In the ward setting: Work as part of a multi-professional team to check patients own drugs and supply medications for individuals, take patient drug histories, undertake medicines reconciliation, counsel patients on the use of their medicines as required under supervision of a Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician.
Working for our organisation
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone's voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see Job Description and Personal Specification to view the main responsibilities of role.
This position is not covered by the health and Social Care Visa; and does not meet the requirements for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker (Tier 2) visa.
Applicants must have been ordinarily resident within the UK for 3 years as training is funded by the UK Apprenticeship scheme.
Person specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Four GCSEs grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent qualification), including Mathematics, English Language, Science and one other
Desirable criteria
• Level 2 in Pharmaceutical Science
• Two A levels (or working towards) or equivalent
• Experience of working in a Pharmacy or Healthcare environment
Experience & Knowledge
Essential criteria
• Good IT skills
• Ability to work as a team and under own initiative
Desirable criteria
• Leadership experience
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
• Expected to deal with members of the public and other health care workers in a professional manner
• Close liaison with co-workers in the department is vital
• Expected to participate on Saturday, Sunday, Bank holiday and late rotas
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
• Good team member
• Good communications skills (both verbal and written)
• Ability to work in an organised and calm fashion in a busy environment
• Flexibility to work in different sections of the department
• Ability to work to deadlines and to meet agreed objectives
• Ability to lift, using appropriate lifting aids if necessary
• High level of self-motivation
• Positive attitude towards personal / self-development
• Good time keeping
• Trustworthy and reliable
• Attention to detail
• Able to accept direction
• Able to demonstrate a commitment and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs Show professional attitude and demeanour including courteous interaction with team members, managers, other staff members and patients.
Closing Date
The closing date for this job offer is on 13/07/2025
Salary
£26,530 - £29,114 Year 1 – 70% Band 4 / Year 2 – 75% Band 4 (matching NMW)
Location
This job is located in Bury St Edmunds
More Information and How to Apply
About West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) provides hospital and community health care services to the population of west Suffolk. We are an associate teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge, serving a predominantly rural geographical area of roughly 60...
