Chief Pharmacy Technician - Medicines Safety

Transformationunitgm; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000

Job description

Employer Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Employer type NHS

Site Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queens Medical Centre

Town Nottingham

Salary £37,338 - £44,962 PA

Salary period Yearly

Closing 10/04/2025 23:59

Band 6

Job overview

Are you passionate about improving medication safety and making a difference in patient care? If so, an exciting new role has been created within the Medicines Safety Team for a Chief Pharmacy Technician - Medicines Safety.

This role is central to ensuring the safe prescribing and administration of medicines across the Trust. You will lead initiatives that enhance medication safety, contribute to policy development and support in investigation medication related incidents to drive system-wide improvements.

At Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) we are committed to delivering outstanding patient outcomes, and this role offers an exciting chance to shape best practices in medication safety. As one of the largest and busiest NHS Trusts in the UK, NUH provides a supportive and forward-thinking environment with exceptional career development opportunities.

If you thrive in a role that blends leadership, governance, and quality improvement, while working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, then we want you to be part of our journey towards excellence in medication safety.

Main duties of the job

As the Chief Pharmacy Technician - Medicines Safety, you will play a key role in enhancing patient safety through robust medication safety initiatives. Your responsibilities will include:

• Investigate medication errors, identify learning opportunities and support in reviewing policies to improve safe medicines use
• Support the Medication Safety officer in implementing national safety initiatives
• Participate in medication safety committees, preparing agendas, minutes and action plans
• Contribute to the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) supporting root cause analyses and action plans
• Review and manage the Medication Safety Risk Register to identify and mitigate risks effectively
• Oversee Medication Safety Audits ensuring results inform safe practice changes

In addition to your medicines safety responsibilities, you will be required to provide direct support on the wards as a medicines management pharmacy technician, ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines in clinical areas.

Working for our organisation

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world-class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As the Chief Pharmacy Technician - Medicines Safety, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the safe prescribing and administration of medicines across NUH. Working closely with the Medication Safety Officer, you will support the development, implementation and monitoring of medicines safety policies, investigating medication-related incidents and ensuring compliance with national safety guidelines, including NHS England guidance, National Patient Safety Alerts, MHRA Drug Safety Updates, and CQC standards. You will actively contribute to the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) participating in root cause analyses and the development of action plans to address medication safety concerns.

You will take a lead role in overseeing the medication safety risk register and support in medicines related audits and quality improvement projects.

Beyond medication safety and governance work, you will provide direct ward-based clinical support, ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines in patient care. This will include taking medication histories, checking patient's own medicines for suitability, assisting with the transcription of discharge prescriptions and conducting final accuracy checks. Your role will involve working closely with clinical teams, Pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare professionals to promote safe prescribing and administration practices.

As part of your leadership responsibilities, you will line manage designated staff, conducting personal development reviews, performance management, and recruitment processes.

You will be required to work across both City Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) sites, participating in the 7-day shifted rota, including weekend and bank holiday duties, to ensure continuous support for safe medication practices across the Trust.

This is a highly rewarding role for a dedicated and proactive pharmacy professional who is passionate about medicines safety, patient care and driving quality improvement initiatives. If you are looking for an opportunity to make a real impact in medication safety, we encourage you to apply.

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

• BTEC / NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent
• Registered pharmacy technician with the GPhC.
• Management qualification or equivalent relevant experience demonstrated by acting in a senior role responsible for managing staff (equivalent to degree level of knowledge)
• Current checking validation / qualification
• Evidence of continuing personal development services or resources
• NVQ Assessing Vocational Achievement and Internal Quality Assurance qualifications

Experience

• Worked in supervisory capacity within hospital pharmacy and has understanding and wide knowledge of the pharmacy environment (to a post-qualification level)
• Report writing or similar equivalent experience
• Managing change
• Dealing with difficult and complex situations
• Performance management, motivating individuals and groups of staff to improve performance
• Use of risk assessments and managing risks
• Computer literate in use of databases
• Project management
• Knowledge of Patient Partnership Initiatives and Care Quality Commission outcomes.
• Knowledge of NHS policy and drivers for change.
• Investigating errors and incidents, monitoring performance , supportively counselling individuals who have made errors
• Experience of design, data collection analysis of results and completing action plans for audits.

Communication and Relationship Skills

• High level of verbal and written communication skills
• Training and presentation skills
• Desire for self-development and improvement of others
• Willing to undertake training
• Empathetic approach to counselling members of staff who have made repeated errors or been involved in incidents
• Ability to delegate
• Can reflect and critically analyse own performance
• Able to identify, prioritise and solve problems

Analytical and Judgement Skills

• Proven leadership skills
• High level of accuracy at all times
• Methodical with attention to detail
• Able to identify, prioritise and solve problems
• Able to record, interpret and monitor data and respond to information accordingly.
• Able to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive information

Planning and Organisation Skills

• Good organisational skills
• Able to use initiative both independently and within a team to meet deadlines
• Proven track record of successful delivery of objectives
• Able to appropriately prioritise competing demands and analyse complex problems
• Positive thinker

Physical Skills

• Able to cope with frequent, light, manual handling activities
• Able to work accurately under pressure and interruptions
• Computer literate in using Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint and using the Internet.

Other requirements specific to the role (e.g. be able to drive or work shifts)

• Able to participate in shifted weekend, bank holiday and evening working.
• Commitment to support the Trust’s values