Senior Production Operative
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion. We deliver high-quality care, clinical excellence, research, and innovation regionally, nationally, and internationally. We support people with rare and complex medical, surgical, and neurological conditions, cancers, and genetic disorders. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity, valuing the benefits of an inclusive environment.
About the role
We are looking for reliable, conscientious, and practical team players to join our dedicated Pharmacy Production team as Senior Production Operatives. A core team of twelve Pharmacists and seventy technical staff provide the Pharmacy Production Service across the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital sites. Services include non-sterile manufacture and aseptic dispensing of chemotherapy, using a wide range of specialist GMP equipment.
Responsibilities
- Participate in the manufacture of sterile, non-sterile, and terminally sterilised pharmaceutical products as part of a licensed team.
- Engage in the aseptic preparation of CIVAs, parenteral nutrition, chemotherapy, and monoclonal antibodies as part of the unlicensed team.
- Perform cleaning and monitoring of facilities, as well as stock management.
- Carry out routine procedures for ordering, packing, distribution, and storage of pharmaceutical stock.
- Follow written standard operating procedures and maintain awareness of Health and Safety and COSHH in the workplace.
- Work shift patterns between 08:00 and 20:00 Monday to Friday, with occasional Saturday and Bank Holiday support as required.
Requirements
- GCSEs (minimum Grade 4 or equivalent) in English Language and Mathematics, or equivalent Pharmacy Production Unit experience.
- Experience working in a clean room environment and knowledge of manufacturing, aseptic processing, or pharmaceutical preparation.
- Good verbal and written communication skills, practical skills, and the ability to work accurately.
- Must meet General Pharmaceutical Council guidelines for pharmacy support staff.
- Knowledge of environmental monitoring and the importance of Health and Safety in the workplace.
Qualifications
- Essential:
- GCSE (Min. Grade 4 or equivalent) in Mathematics and English Language or previous hospital pharmacy production experience.
- GPhC approved level 2 qualification specific to the role, or commitment to commence study within 6 months of appointment.
- Completion of a 4-week induction and 6-month initial training period to gain practical experience and knowledge of standard operating procedures.
- Desirable:
- GCSE Chemistry and Biology or Dual Award Science.
- Completion of in-house competency-based training and validation for label production and visual checking.
- Theoretical knowledge and practical experience of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
- Practical knowledge of isolator or laminar flow technology.
Experience
- Essential:
- Experience working in a clean room environment.
- Experience working in a busy environment.
- Desirable:
- Experience in a pharmaceutical production environment.
Skills
- Ability to follow written standard operating procedures.
- General keyboard skills and basic training skills.
- Effective organisational skills and good written and oral communication.
- Good customer care skills and ability to manage own workload.
- Ability to work accurately and use initiative.
Benefits
As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we strive to accommodate arrangements that work for both the service and you. For more details on staff benefits, please refer to the attached documents or visit our careers page.
Development opportunities include the potential to undertake a Science Manufacturing Technician qualification, which could lead to a R5 Specialist Technician post upon completion.
Contact for informal visits:
Name: Lisa Hunter-Blair
Job title: Operations Manager
Email: lisa.hunter-blair@nhs.net
Telephone: 0191 2829096