Dispensing Assistant

Dispensing Assistant

The closing date is 29 January 2026

We are looking for a reliable, conscientious and practical Dispensing Assistant to join our small dispensary team. You will be based between the Northern Centre for Cancer Care - Outsourced Cytotoxic Dispensary and Cytotoxic Dispensing Unit, Freeman Hospital.

As key members of the Pharmacy Team you will work alongside Pharmacists, Technicians and Production Operatives delivering a high quality service, and provide support to wider cytotoxic dispensing service across the Trust.

• Interview date:
  Friday 13 February 2026
• 37 hours 30 minutes/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.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

In accordance with SOPs the Dispensing Assistant role supports the daily maintenance and monitoring of the Outsourced Dispensary. Duties include receipt and assessment and storage of stock, and dispensing of prescriptions and orders of chemotherapy to wards and clinics. They will also support stock management and rotation of high-cost chemotherapy, with focus on keeping waste to a minimum. The post holder will also provide support to the Cytotoxic Dispensing Unit, including stock management/charging, and general admin duties.

It is essential that candidates have knowledge of drug names, strengths and presentations.

They will ideally have previous experience of dispensing prescriptions in a hospital or community pharmacy.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate good customer care skills, and have good verbal and written communication skills, to support the smooth running of the service.

You will have good organisational, and accuracy skills, and be able to work as a part of a team and work to deadlines in a busy environment.

Applicant must hold GCSEs (minimum Grade 4 or equivalent) in English Language and Mathematics or have hospital/community pharmacy experience. Candidates will ideally have a GPhC approved level 2 qualification in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent), or this must be completed in role.

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.

With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:

• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Freeman Hospital
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under "Documents to download" or "Supporting documents".

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit:
Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

To carry out the full range of Dispensing Assistant duties including the dispensing of prescriptions and orders for readymade chemotherapy to wards and clinics. Contributes to the safe supply of readymade chemotherapy across Trust sites. To support stock management and stock rotation of high-cost outsourced chemotherapy, minimising wastage. Provide technical support to production services including carrying out routine procedures in the ordering, distribution and storage of pharmaceutical stock.

Supports to provide support to cytotoxic dispensing units (Freeman and RVI) supplying outsourced chemotherapy to complement aseptic cytotoxic dispensing service.

• GCSE (Min. Grade 4 or equivalent) in Mathematics and English Language or previous hospital/community pharmacy experience.
• GPhC approved level 2 qualification specific to the role, or must commence study within 6 months of appointment
• GCSE Chemistry and Biology or Dual Award Science (Min. Grade 4 or equivalent)
• Completion of in-house competency-based training
• Completion of in-house validation for label production

• Knowledge of drug names and differences in drug strength, pharmaceutical presentation
• Knowledge of Hospital Pharmacy
• Grandparent clause notification to the GPhC
• Evidence of understanding of Trust Business
• Experience of working in the Trust previously

• Demonstrate good oral and written communication
• Basic computer skills
• Good organisational and accuracy skills
• Capable of working with minimum supervision
• Good customer care skills.

This post is subject to the…