Pharmacy Assistant Apprentice
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, Sheffield
Closes in 12 days (Wednesday 20 August 2025)
Posted on 7 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Would you like to gain a qualification whilst working in an NHS setting? Sheffield Teaching Hospitals are delighted to offer several opportunities on our Pharmacy Services Assistant Apprenticeship. This role will give you a set of competencies, work experience and a qualification, with a view to permanent employment within our pharmacy department.
- Wage
-
£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Pharmacy services assistant (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm with one late evening shift per week (12pm to 8pm).
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 5 November 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 3 months
- Positions available
-
5
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
We have vacancies at Northern General Hospital & Royal Hallamshire Hospital. You will be based in one of our pharmacies in the dispensary team.
The core learning elements covered in this apprenticeship are:
Teamwork
Communication
Person centred care
Health and safety in the workplace
Duties within the role include:
- Dispensing and supply of medicines and medicinal products
- Reception duties and customer services duties
- Visiting wards and departments and maintaining appropriate drug stock levels
- Collecting and delivering medicines to and from wards and departments
Through your working practices you will apply respect and confidentiality, work well in a team, be courteous, and professional, maintain a safe working environment, contribute to the safeguarding of patients, working accurately when preparing and dispensing medicines.
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, S10 2JF
- Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S5 7AU
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BRADFORD COLLEGE
Training course
Pharmacy services assistant (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- receive and log prescriptions
- assemble prescribed items, undertake an in-process accuracy check and issue prescribed items
- work according to legislative requirements, and organisational policies
- order, receive, maintain and issue pharmaceutical stock
- provide appropriate advice when authorised on supplied medicines and products, their storage and disposal
- work within the parameters of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the pharmacy
- act in accordance with systems and organisational governance
- recognise and act within the pharmacy regulatory, legal and ethical standards
- support the team in the development of others
- maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge through development activities; maintain evidence of your personal development and actively prepare for and participate in appraisal
- communicate effectively with the public, carers and other health and social care professionals using a range of techniques to determine their needs, and keep information confidential
- handle information (record, report and store information) related to individuals and/or patients in line with local and national policies
- use pharmacy IT systems and other IT resources according to legislative requirements and organisational policies
- demonstrate person centred care and support within a pharmacy setting
- make pharmacy patients and patient safety your first concern
- use judgement and refer service user as appropriate to another member of the team, GP, healthcare worker, manufacturer etc
- maintain the interests of patients and the health of the public
- promote and advocate equality, diversity and inclusion
- promote healthy lifestyles to customers
- work safely within the parameters of your role using Standard Operating Procedures
- apply policies which relate to health and safety at work
- act appropriately in situations to prevent harm to yourself and others
Training schedule
You will complete a 15-month training program and as part of your apprenticeship you will study for the Level 2 Pharmacy Services Assistant qualification.
The apprenticeship will be undertaken in collaboration with Bradford College. This is through distance learning and on the job training therefore you are not required to attend college.
You must also complete a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate your learning and skills in practice in accordance with the apprenticeship framework.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 2)
- Maths (grade 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Independence
- Focus
- Working under pressure
- Reliable
- Trustworthy
- Punctual
- Respect
- Ownership
- Committed
About this employer
We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you. We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes , health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems. Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers. You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
https://brilliantplace.sth.nhs.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
The Trust is a leader in the NHS & research sectors & provides excellent benefits for staff. This includes professional development, support for employees in work-life balance & wellbeing, generous annual leave allowance & NHS exclusive discounts.
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
This contract is designed to give you a set of competencies, work experience and a qualification that could lead to permanent employment within our pharmacy department as a Pharmacy Assistant.
We also recruit annually for a number of internal colleagues to progress into the Level 3 Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
David Winters
david.winters@nhs.net
0114 2712070
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336000.
Apply now
Closes in 12 days (Wednesday 20 August 2025)
Sign in with your GOV.UK One Login to apply.
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.