About this role
Job summary
The Senior Assistant Technical Officer (SATO) plays a key role in supporting the safe, accurate, and timely supply of medicines within the Pharmacy Dispensary at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW). Working under the direction of the Dispensary Coordinator or Pharmacy Manager, the post holder is responsible for dispensing, stock management, and supporting day-to-day operational activities to ensure high-quality pharmacy services for patients and clinical teams.
The role includes accurate dispensing and labelling of medicines, monitoring expiry dates, resolving stock discrepancies, and using pharmacy IT systems such as CMM, PTS, and the dispensary robot. The SATO also supports compliance aid production, goods receipt, and the safe return or disposal of medicines in line with Trust waste policies.
In addition to technical duties, the SATO provides supervision, training, and support to pharmacy assistants and new starters, contributes to audits and quality improvement initiatives, and delivers a professional, courteous service to patients, ward staff, and colleagues. The role requires strong attention to detail, good communication skills, flexibility, and the ability to work effectively in a busy environment while adhering to Trust policies, governance, and health and safety requirements.
UHBW encourages development, and the role supports progression through training, accreditation, and apprenticeship opportunities.
Main duties of the job
Accurately dispense and label medicines for inpatients, outpatients, and discharge prescriptions in a timely manner. Supervise and support pharmacy assistants and new starters, including providingtraining and day-to-day guidance. Use pharmacy systems includingCMM, PTS, and the dispensary robot to support dispensing, stock control, and enquiries. Prepare and managemedicines compliance aids, including coordinating in-house work and sending outsourced items at scheduled times. Monitor and resolvestock discrepancies, including participating in daily stock checks and running system reports. Receive goods into the dispensary, check stock against invoices, and load stock into the robot in line with procedures. Manage urgent items and "to-follows", ensuring timely preparation and delivery.Return suitable medicines to dispensary balances and dispose of unusable stock in line with Trust waste policies. Maintain the dispensary in aclean, safe, and organised condition. Respond to enquiries from wards, departments, patients, and staff in apolite and professional manner. Supportquality improvement, audits, and service development initiatives within the pharmacy. Greet staff at pharmacy reception and ensure the prescription process is complete and accurate. Work in line with Trust policies, governance, health and safety, information governance, and infection prevention standards.
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job description Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Dispensing & Medicines Supply
Accurately dispense and label medicines for inpatients, outpatients, and discharge prescriptions in line with Trust procedures. Ensure prescriptions are clinically complete, correctly labelled, and prepared in a timely manner. Prepare urgent medicines and tofollows promptly to support patient flow and discharge. Greet patients and staff at the pharmacy reception and ensure prescription paperwork is complete and accurate. Stock Management & Control
Monitor expiry dates within the dispensary, taking appropriate action where required. Participate in daily stock checks and investigate discrepancies using pharmacy systems. Return suitable medicines to dispensary balances and dispose of unusable stock in line with Trust waste policies. Receive goods into the dispensary, check stock against invoices, and load stock into the dispensary robot following procedures. Use of Pharmacy Systems & Technology
Effectively use pharmacy IT systems including CMM, PTS, and the automated dispensing robot. Respond to ward and departmental enquiries using prescription tracking systems. Train as a superuser for the pharmacy robot where required and assist with troubleshooting. Compliance Aids & Specialist Tasks
Prepare medicines compliance aids for patients where required, coordinating workloads and sending outsourced prescriptions at agreed times. Support safe medicines handling and storage in line with governance and health and safety standards. Supervision, Training & Support
Provide supervision, guidance, and training to pharmacy assistants, students, and new starters. Support staff development by sharing knowledge, monitoring competence, and reinforcing safe working practices. Assist senior staff with maintaining service standards and supporting daily operational priorities. Quality, Governance & Improvement
Contribute to audits, service reviews, and quality improvement initiatives. Maintain a clean, safe, and organised dispensary environment. Follow all Trust policies relating to clinical governance, health and safety, infection prevention, safeguarding, and information governance. Report incidents, errors, and near misses in line with Trust procedures to support learning and improvement. Professional Behaviour & Communication
Communicate effectively with pharmacy colleagues, nursing staff, clinicians, patients, and the public. Deliver a polite, professional, and customerfocused service at all times. Work collaboratively within the pharmacy team and wider Trust to support highquality patient care.
Person Specification
Application Essential
NVQ LEVEL 2 - pharmacy services (or working towards) Previous experience working in hospital pharmacy 3 GCSE - A to C or equivalent
Desirable
Medicines Optimization experience Training others Experience with compliance aids/ Dosette boxes
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Address Bristol Royal Infirmary
Bristol Royal Infirmary Marlborough Street, Bristol BS2 8HW
Bristol
BS2 8HW
Employer's website https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)