Job summary
Have you got the enthusiasm and passion to take the next step in your career in an acute hospital pharmacy department?

We are looking for qualified, registered pharmacy technicians or those due to qualify this year, who wish to develop clinically in a patient focused role with opportunity to work within dispensaries (oncology, outpatients and in-patients) and at ward level at Colchester Hospital.

To provide a high quality service to our patients you will be a team player with the ability to work flexibly, react positively to change and know the limitations of the role. You will communicate effectively with patients, carers and the multi-disciplinary team. You must be able to follow written procedures, work under supervision and complete tasks accurately to set deadlines.

This post is fixed term to cover maternity leave until 19th October 2027. Internal applicants currently employed by ESNEFT will be offered on a secondment basis only, this will need to be discussed with your line manager.

We welcome calls to find out more information. Tours of the department available upon request.

Main duties of the job
As part of your role you will:

• Participate in providing supervision and training to other pharmacy department colleagues.
• Provide dispensing, counselling and near patient services in various dispensaries including the inpatient, oncology and outpatient dispensaries.
• Be an Accredited Checking Technician undertaking checking duties within the dispensary and recording dispensing errors using the right first time error reporting system.
• Work clinically on a rotational basis at ward level, providing a patient centred approach to medicines management and taking responsibility for the pharmaceutical care of patients.
• Minimise medicines-associated risk and ensure medication safety in accordance with local and national guidance.
• Proactively support senior pharmacy colleagues to ensure that all relevant dispensary or ward issues are highlighted to all appropriate departmental staff.
• Be given the opportunity to develop your leadership skills by undertaking a team leader role

Details about our pharmacy service - https://esneft.pagetiger.com/buqzfou/1

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 14 September 2026
Pay scheme Agenda for change
Band Band 5
Salary £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum pro rata
Contract Fixed term
Duration 12 months
Working pattern Full-time, Part-time
Reference number 432-HR805-26
Job locations Colchester Hospital, Turner Road, Colchester, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom

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

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Proven experience as a pharmacy technician
• Reflection and CPD

Desirable

• Supervision of staff
• Hospital pharmacy

Qualifications
Essential

• B-Tech in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
• Registered pharmacy technician with the GPhC
• Nationally recognised Accredited Checking Technician
• Medicines Reconciliation (or working towards)

Desirable

• Medicines Management Qualification (local or national)
• Patient Consultation Skills Accreditation
• CMMPT or willingness to undertake

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.