St Mary's Pharmacy Careers

Our staff

There are currently 65 members of staff working for the pharmacy department at The Isle of Wight NHS Trust, not just hospital, covering all aspects of medicines management. With 97% of our patients requiring medicines and an average of 7 medicines per patient the task of getting the right medicine to the right patient at the right time requires an efficient and effective team

Pharmacy administration and clerical staff

Behind the scenes there are pharmacy support staff ensuring we fulfil our legal and financial obligations. Roles include the management of invoices, the filing of completed prescriptions, the control of staff rotas and various project management roles.

The wellbeing of our staff is very important and great efforts are taken to support staff from a physical, emotional and pastoral perspective.

Pharmacy Porters

Pharmacy porters help patients to get the medicines they need, at the time they need it by delivering all the medicines supplied from the dispensary to the wards more than 8 times a day. They are also involved in supply of medical gases (such as oxygen) to the wards.

Pharmacy Support Workers

Pharmacy assistants work in the main dispensary taking in prescriptions, selling over- the- counter medicines, answering telephone calls and dispensing prescriptions. Support workers also work in the pharmacy aseptic department.

There is also Distribution Team of pharmacy assistants and technicians providing the ward top-up service. This means that pharmacy staff maintain levels of stock medicines kept on the wards and when items are used, they top-up with more medicines so that there are enough medicines on the ward when needed for patients. This has released more than 5 nurses every day, time to care for patients.

Learn more about Pharmacy Support Staff training from the GPhC

Pharmacy technicians

Pharmacy technicians work alongside pharmacists within the pharmacy team and are involved in the procurement, manufacture, supply and optimal management of medicines.

Many of our pharmacy technicians spend some of their time in the dispensary and some of their time in specialist areas such as aseptic and technical services or medicines management/ ward pharmacy. Ward pharmacy technicians participate in a rota that allows them experience of a variety of different environments including medical wards, surgical and orthopaedic wards, admission areas, rehabilitation wards, the Earl Mountbatten Hospice and the medicines helpline.

Pharmacy technicians may also be accredited to perform extended roles such as Accuracy Checking and Medicines Management.

Learn more about Pharmacy Technician training from the GPhC

Specialist pharmacy technicians

There are opportunities for pharmacy technicians to become “leads” or specialists in a particular aspect of hospital pharmacy.

At St Mary’s hospital pharmacy such “leads” include Dispensary Manager, Lead Aseptic and Technical Services technician, Lead Medicines Management technician, Lead Ward technician, Pharmacy Stores Manager, Lead Ward Distribution technician, Lead Mental Health technician, Lead Clinical Trials and Medicines Information technician, Pharmacy Systems Manager and the Operational Manager.

Pharmacists

Pharmacists are the experts on medicines. They provide advice to healthcare professionals, patients and members of the public about medicines. This might include advice about how to get the best out of medicines or potential problems to be aware of. Pharmacists work as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team. Pharmacists are responsible for the safe, appropriate supply of medicines to patients.

Rotational pharmacists work within a variety of rotations which may include aseptic and technical services, medical wards, surgical and orthopaedic wards, the dispensary, the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, the medicines helpline and hospital admissions.

Learn more about Pharmacist training from the GPhC

Specialist pharmacists

Experienced pharmacists often take on management roles within the pharmacy team. They also usually become specialised in a particular area of pharmacy.

At St Mary’s hospital there are specialist pharmacists in mental health, antimicrobial stewardship, aseptic and technical services, oncology, medicines information, surgery, education and training, admissions and discharges and Hospice care.

Within specialist pharmacist roles there is significant responsibility and accountability relating to the financial aspects of pharmacy (i.e. ensuring the safe and cost-effective treatment of patients) and closer working with the wider hospital team.

To view Isle of Wight NHS Trust jobs, please follow this link and enter "Isle of Wight" in the location box.