Senior Pharmacy Technician - Procurement

Senior Pharmacy Technician - Procurement
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Closing date: 16 August 2026

Job summary
The Senior Pharmacy Procurement Technician supports the day-to-day management of medicines procurement services within the Pharmacy Department at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, primarily based at Luton, but cross site days maybe required. The role ensures the safe, efficient, and cost-effective supply of medicines across the Trust while maintaining compliance with medicines legislation, national standards, and Good Distribution Practice (GDP).

Key responsibilities include sourcing and purchasing pharmaceuticals, unlicensed medicines, managing stock levels, maintaining procurement records and electronic purchasing systems such as EDI and e-commerce platforms, and responding to medicine shortages. The post holder also supports cost-saving initiatives through effective purchasing strategies and therapeutic rationalisation.

The role involves working closely with pharmacy, clinical, and procurement teams to ensure continuity of supply and appropriate use of off-contract purchasing procedures. Additional duties include supplier and contract support, stock control, audit participation, SOP development, and assisting with recruitment activities.

The role supervises pharmacy clerks and student technicians, provides training on procurement systems and procedures, This post also includes participation in dispensary services, weekend and late shifts, and duties as an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT).

Main duties of the job

• To support in the management of the day to day running and provision of the medicines procurement service, in line with national standards, guidelines, local policy and procedures ensuring compliance with medicines legislation and GDP
• To support with the management of drug shortages
• To develop and maintain the e-commerce functionality and to take responsibility for the maintenance of the Powergate EDI system
• To undertake day-to-day supervision of pharmacy clerks and student technicians.
• To support Departmental drug expenditure reduction projects through purchasing and therapeutic rationalisation initiatives
• To provide training in purchasing procedures and EDI systems use to staff
• To provide advice to pharmacy and non-pharmacy colleagues on pharmaceutical supply issues
• Support the Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the Principal Procurement Technician in ensuring relevant Service level agreements and any other contractual agreements are up to date and in place.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Details
Date posted: 03 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 418-DTO3850-KA-A
Job locations: Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
Procurement

• To provide professional leadership to all staff working within the Procurement and the wider department
• Working with internal and external colleagues to ensure that service level agreements and operational partnership arrangements are negotiated and delivered effectively to ensure best value for money for the Trust
• To maintain close links with the East of England (EoE) Procurement Hub in areas of mutual interest and to represent the Pharmacy department at East Anglia and Shires Pharmacy Consortium meetings.
• To proactively identify potential issues arising from medicines supply chain problems ensuring clinical staff are kept aware of the situation via the relevant sub groups.
• To determine pharmacy stockholding requirements and to place and authorise orders for pharmaceuticals in accordance with contractual arrangements and local purchasing policies.
• To be responsible for sourcing and ordering of unlicensed medication, completing risk assessments and quotes for all new items for the approval by the Lead Pharmacist QA or the Principal Procurement Technician
• To provide assurance that systems are in place to ensure that all off contract purchases are appropriate, recorded and excess costs are claimed back where possible.
• Support the Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the Principal Procurement Pharmacy Technician in the management of the stock control system to input correct information onto the relevant IT systems for new drug lines, supplier, CMU contract updates, drug shortages and amendments in a timely manner.

Management

• To help writing policies and SOPs in conjunction with the Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the
• To support and manage MHRA and manufacturer drug alerts, liaising with senior members of the Pharmacy team where appropriate, to ensure all actions are completed, documented and signed off.
• To assist Procurement, Homecare & Stores/Distribution Services Manager and the Principal Procurement Pharmacy Technician in the induction and training of Student Technicians, Pharmacy Assistants and other staff as appropriate. This will include supporting NVQ assessment for both Level 2 and 3 awards.
• To play an active role in pharmacy recruitment.

Other

• To participate in dispensary duties as required, maintaining a working knowledge in current drug usage and dispensary procedures. This will include receiving prescriptions into dispensary and ensuring prescription charges are collected where appropriate, accurately labelling, assembling and dispensing individual in-patient, out-patient and discharge prescriptions including cytotoxic medicines, according to departmental policies and standard operating procedures. This may also involve solving problems arising from these procedures, including contacting other healthcare professionals
• To provide professional leadership to all staff working within the Pharmacy Department
• To offer support and guidance to junior members of staff working in all areas of the Pharmacy department.
• To work as an Accredited Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) as part of the departments ACPT rota.
• To participate in departmental audit programmes
• To participate in the weekend, bank holiday and late dispensary shifts in accordance with departmental rotas.
• To liaise with colleagues and professional staff in other disciplines.
• To maintain an active CPD portfolio and to participate in departmental and regional education and training.
• To participate fully in the Individual Performance Review and objective setting process of the Trust.
• To undertake other duties as reasonably requested by the Chief Pharmacist

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• GCSE English and Mathematics or equivalent
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills
• Level 3 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science
• ACPT qualification

Desirable

• CIPS Level 3 (or willing to undertake)
• In-house leadership training (or willing to undertake)

Experience
Essential

• Experience in ordering, purchasing and stock-control
• Experience resolving supply issues
• Experience supporting junior staff
• Experience of data inputting - raising orders/invoicing

Desirable

• Previous experience of working with pharmaceutical products
• Previous Hospital Pharmacy experience
• Experience of using WellSky/JAC stock control system

Knowledge
Essential

• Understanding of pharmacy supply chains
• Knowledge of CMU contracts
• Knowledge and understanding of medicine stock control systems
• Proficient in use of IT, i.e. Microsoft office products, including Excel and working with databases
• Knowledge of sales and purchase ledger
• Understanding of the need for confidentiality awareness at all times

Personal Skills
Essential

• Strong organisational skills
• Excellent communication skills
• High accuracy and attention to detail
• Positive approach to improvement
• Ability to supervise and support junior team members with day to day activity
• Ability to organise day to day work tasks for self and others
• Negotiation skills
• Problem-solving skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Procurement, Homecare & Stores Services Manager
Kelly Smith-Rose
kelly.smith-rose@bedsft.nhs.uk
07385117283