Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Clinical Trials
Job overview
This role forms part of the Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team and involves medicines handling and administrative pharmacy duties associated with clinical trials support:
- Receipts, checks and distribution of medicines
- Completion and processing of trial documentation
- Data input and management
- Co-ordination of orders and prescription processing
- Receipt of clinical trial medication, confirming if arrived in good condition and at correct temperature, acknowledging receipt on to the appropriate system, data entry on to the computer system, distribution of medication to the relevant section, accurate completion of appropriate logs.
- Carrying out regular moving and handling tasks involved in duties described, including lifting, pushing, pulling, and transferring large boxes, containers, files and trolleys in accordance with training and risk assessments.
- Participation in ongoing stock control systems for medicines used within trials including stock checks, stock rotation and quality checks. This includes using both computerised and paper-based stock control systems and the processing of documentation in accordance with audit requirements.
- Participation in monthly expiry date checks for clinical trials medication and reporting to team.
- Participation in clinical trial medications returns and destruction processing.
- Checking temperatures of areas used for storage of clinical trial medication, generating data reports and checking the data reports for the monitoring system.
- To maintain Pharmacy files to a high standard. This includes file preparation for new trials, receiving and appropriately filing trial related documentation, retrieving and collating documentation and producing reports required by research Sponsors.
Working for our organisation
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners.Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave.
The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential.We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Please be aware that the salary threshold required for a certificate of sponsorship to be granted is above the starting point of the Agenda for Change band for this role. Therefore those that are new to the NHS may not reach the minimum salary threshold required to obtain a certificate of sponsorship.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 15th April 2026
Interviews are due to be held on 24th April 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site.Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge.Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Educated to GCSE level 4 and above, or equivalent
- Evidence of good general level of education, i.e. literate and numerate to the degree required for job description tasks (usually reading, writing and simple calculations)
- NVQ Pharmacy Services Level 2 (or equivalent experience)
- Recognised dispensing or aseptic processing qualification/accreditation
- Recognised administration qualification or equivalent
Experience
Essential criteria- Prioritising, planning and organising own tasks
- Working with guidelines, demonstrating ability to undertake training.
- Data entry or other IT experience
- Working in the NHS and/or research
- Receipt and distribution activities
- Aseptic processing
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Understanding of confidentiality and data protection
- Understanding of customer service
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages and basic database skills
- Knowledge of the Trust including awareness of the Trust's priorities
- Knowledge of Trust information systems
- Knowledge of Medical and/or Pharmaceutical terminology
Skills
Essential criteria- Ability to work as part of a team
- Good written and verbal communication
- Ability to organise and manage own time against competing priorities, keeping to schedule and deadlines
- Ability to use own initiative and work alone, making decisions commensurate with responsibilities of the post
- Motivated and enthusiastic
- Ability to adapt to change without difficulty
- Willing to take on/learn new skills
- Ability to show attention to detail and accuracy
- Ability to carry out instructions and recall
- Ability to develop templates for documentation
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.