Production Pharmacist/Specialist Production Pharmacist

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and forward-thinking Pharmacist to join our dedicated Production Team within Newcastle Specials which continues to grow and build on its success. Based at our £10m Pharmacy Production Unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, you will provide professional support to unlicensed and licensed production activities. Applications are welcomed from newly qualified pharmacists who joined the register this summer.

• 37 Hours 30 Minutes Per a Week
• You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay. Newcastle Hospitals encourages all staff and volunteers who are appointed to join the Trust to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. You will be able to demonstrate an interest in aseptic manufacturing and technical services and may bring previous experience upon which to build although the most important factor is a desire to learn and develop. Upon entry to the Department, the post holder will begin at a range and salary level in line with their current knowledge and experience, and will be supported to progress from PPU Range 6 to PPU Range 7 dependent on achieving a number of key learning objectives, as follows, which must be achieved within 2 years of appointment:

• Signed off to perform technical / professional checks in at least 4 out of 5 production zones and have spent sufficient time in these areas to be able to oversee the unit unaided.
• Able to provide evidence of ten instances where they intervened in a situation to improve safety or compliance with GMP, or assisted the section lead in dealing with a difficult situation.
• Be able to demonstrate ability to train and support new staff (Evidence of acting as a mentor to Student Tech / pre-reg or similar)
• Delivered a training presentation to a range of staff grades on an aspect of GMP.
• Completed training in functional aspects of the PQS to include Change control, Adverse event reporting, Microbiological non-conformance and be competent in signing off reports (AER to level of minor classification)
• Evidence of either implementing or having a key supporting role in implementation of a service improvement project.

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with over 18,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC for the second consecutive time in 2019, we have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally. We’re also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders. Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients ‘contacts’ each year, delivering high standards of healthcare. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. You will be given the opportunity to develop your production knowledge of our diverse product range, meeting exacting quality standards, fulfilling the expanding needs of our internal and external customer base. Our unit provides products to a range of regional specialties, including cancer services, paediatrics, dermatology and ophthalmology. We continue to support research through increasing demand for preparation/ manufacture of investigational medicinal products. You will consolidate your experience across aseptic manufacture /dispensing, through terminal sterilisation and non-sterile production areas, gaining a robust background in gassing isolator technology and automated compounding and filling systems. Additionally, you will assist in product development and rationalisation to meet national strategies to provide safer medicines for NHS patients. Good organisational and communication skills with an eye for detail will be essential. The post holder will be based principally at the RVI but will also work at the Freeman site to meet requirements of the role. Newcastle Specials operates outside of standard NHS Agenda for Change pay scales and as a result staff will have the opportunity to benefit from annual salary progression, accelerated progression through the pay band and a bonus (Dependent on performance and annual appraisal). As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.