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Pharmacy training

Why Choose UHB Pharmacy?

At University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust; we pride ourselves on being one of the largest teaching hospital trusts in England. With over 2.2 million patients seen and treated annually and a team of approximately 22,000 colleagues, we’re a hub of excellence in healthcare and innovation, renowned for our specialist services including Burns, Cancer Services and Infectious Diseases. Our pharmacy department operates across UHB’s four hospital sites: Queen Elizabeth (QE), Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull, as well as our procurement team in Edgbaston and our Aseptic Manufacturing Unit based in Kings Norton. Each site contributes to a dynamic and diverse environment, offering opportunities for personal and professional growth. 

Invest in Your Future with UHB Pharmacy

At UHB Pharmacy, workforce development and training are at the core of what we do. Our ambitious 5-year vision is focused on creating and maintaining a learning environment which supports and enhances staff skills, ensuring every team member thrives and excels.

Our dedicated Education, Development and Training Team is continuously growing, fostering an inclusive, safe and open atmosphere where staff are empowered to develop and inspire others.  

Foundation Training Programme

We host Foundation Trainee Pharmacists at QE, Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope as their base site; however, trainees will rotate through various areas requiring cross-site working. We want to help you develop the skills you need to be an excellent pharmacist, not solely provide the clinical knowledge to pass the GPhC registration assessment (although we do provide support with this too).

You will spend time within a range of clinical specialities. Additionally, you will experience working in the dispensary (dispensing discharge medicines, inpatient medicines, Controlled Drugs and blister packs), Medicines Information and other key areas. 

Our training programme boasts a 9-week longitudinal placement where you will work closely with staff on the same ward, providing opportunities to integrate into the multi-disciplinary team at a greater level. 
To support your rotations, you will have a programme of tutorials throughout the year which are led by specialist pharmacists from within the trust and local trusts within the ICS. 

During the last 2-3 months of your foundation training, trainee pharmacists will start to undertake clinical pharmacy visits to your ‘own ward’ – always supervised, but with decreasing levels of supervision and increasing levels of responsibility to foster greater confidence and independence of our trainees. 

Our trainees complete a quality improvement project (QIP) during their foundation year. Previous audit/QIP topics have included reviewing one stop dispensing, hypophosphatemia post-transplantation, utilisation and effectiveness of structured prescribing templates for specific infections and evaluating effectiveness of high dose insulin email alerts. 

 

Clinical Pharmacy Specialities

Specialities will vary according to base site, however some which may be included are:
All staff will undertake corporate induction when they join UHB.

  • Admissions & Acute Medicine
  • Antimicrobials
  • Cardiology
  • Critical Care
  • Diabetes
  • Gastro & Nutrition
  • General Surgery
  • Healthcare of Older People
  • HIV
  • Infectious diseases
  • Liver
  • Neonates & Paediatrics
  • Oncology and Haematology
  • Orthopaedics
  • Renal medicine
  • Respiratory Medicine & Cystic Fibrosis
  • Stroke
  • Trauma & Orthopaedics

What will you do during your hospital rotations?

Example tasks include to:

  • Conduct patient drug histories
  • Work with the pharmacist to complete medicines reconciliation
    • Apply your knowledge to real patients
    • Discuss issues with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT)
    • By the end of the year, you will be assigned your own ward to work on
  • Learn from specialist pharmacists about their clinical speciality
  • Help to answer queries from the MDT
  • Support medicines optimisation activities
  • Enable supply of non-stock medicines for patients
  • Help to improve medicines management on wards via Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines Audits
  • Provide medicines administration advice to nurses and nursing associates under supervision
  • Conduct counselling consultations with patients
  • Shadow and assist Clinical Pharmacy Technicians (CPTs)
  • Participate in ward rounds and board rounds with the medical team
  • Attend outpatient clinics within that speciality (consultant and pharmacist-led), you may participate in
  • clinic consultations as part of your prescribing practice
  • Work on projects led by specialist pharmacists
  • Shadow other members of the MDT
  • There may even be opportunity to observe procedures (e.g. endoscopy, dialysis and surgery).

Exam Preparation and Support

Our in-house tutorials are focused on a range of clinical specialities, led by experts in each field. These will support your revision for the exam, and often feature some GPhC Assessment style questions.

Annual leave is supported the week prior to the registration assessment and the day of the exam is offered as study leave.

Support

Supporting our trainee pharmacists is a key priority.

Each trainee pharmacist will be allocated a Designated Supervisor (DS) who will play an integral role in your development. You will have regular catch-ups with your DS to monitor your progress and ensure that you receive the necessary support for both your professional development and personal wellbeing during your training.  Your DS will also meet with you to conduct your formal reviews at Week 13, 26, 39 and 52 where specific learning outcomes can be signed off. They will regularly assess your progress through your e-portfolio, providing valuable feedback on areas where you’re excelling  and where improvements can be made to enhance your practice.
 
In addition to your DS, an Educational Programme Director (EPD) oversees the Foundation Pharmacist Training at UHB. The EPD will ensure a smooth induction process and ongoing support throughout the year. They will collaborate closely with the DSs to ensure that your training experience is comprehensive, effective and aligned with the highest standards of practice, while supporting those who may have any additional learning needs.  

The UHB Pharmacy Teams are not just skilled professionals – they’re a supportive community. Across all our sites you will find friendly pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and dispensers who are here to support and guide you every step of the way. We have regular social events to better get to know those in our teams. 

Access to DPP and Prescribing Learning Environment

We will offer a designated prescribing practitioner (DPP) for trainees employed by UHB. Those on multi-sector placements employed by other organisations may be assigned a DPP within a different sector. Your DPP will play a vital role in guiding you through the development of your prescribing knowledge and skills, providing both direct supervision and constructive feedback to ensure safe, effective and evidence-based prescribing practices. To support your progress, we will ensure you have dedicated, protected time with your DPP, allowing for focused training to build your confidence and competence as a prescriber. 

In addition to the DPP time, the training programme will include a range of activities designed to enhance your prescribing skills, including clinical examination skill workshops, peer discussion and simulations. You will also be encouraged  to develop your diagnostic and decision-making abilities, which are crucial for effective prescribing. You will also have opportunity to shadow and collaborate with a variety of prescribers from different disciplines, ensuring you gain a well-rounded experience. 

E-portfolio and collecting evidences

All our trainee pharmacists will have access to and use the e-portfolio commissioned by NHS England Workforce Training and Education. This will enable trainees to keep track of what they have done throughout their training, and provides a record for their Designated Supervisor to be assured that enough activities have been completed for GPhC learning outcomes to be signed off. Access to the e-portfolio is usually given at the start of Foundation Training. 

Trainee pharmacist colleagues

We will have 10 trainee pharmacists employed by UHB in 2026/27, as well as 9 others who may switch in from other sectors as part of their rotations.

Study Time

UHB support 3 hours of protected study time per week for trainee pharmacists. This is usually one morning or afternoon but may occasionally be split across a few days rather than allocated as a single block.  This is additional to any tutorials during the week.

Regional Training Offer

Trainees will have access to a core training offer from NHS England. This will include an induction to orientate to the programme, first aid training, facilitated local learning sets and communities of practice. We are awaiting more information from NHSE regarding how this will be delivered.

Pay and Annual Leave

If employed by UHB, you will be paid as a Band 5 under Agenda for Change. If you are employed by one of our multi-sector partners, you will be paid the salary they have advertised in their Oriel advert. New Band 5 staff receive 27 days of annual leave plus bank holidays each year.

Skilled Worker Visa

We will offer skilled worker visas for our Foundation Trainee Pharmacists in 2026-27.

Weekend Working

Trainees employed by UHB will be placed on a weekend rota. This will involve working in the dispensary on Saturdays and Sundays every 6-8 weekends. Rotas are shared in advance.

Bank Holiday Working

Each weekend team will work one bank holiday shift per year, so you will be allocated to work one bank holiday shift in the dispensary.

Late Nights

When on rotations at your base site, you will be added to the ‘Late Night’ rota. This involves starting shifts slightly later and finishing at approximately 18:30.

 

Multi-sector partners

In 2025-26 we have three multi-sector training places, split between hospital and primary care. In 2026-27 we intend for all our foundation training places to be multi-sector posts. Some will be with primary care, some with community pharmacy (including multiples such as Boots and independent community pharmacies) and one with academia – a unique post with the University of Birmingham. Each of these placements will have a unique training plan tailored to the place of work for the alternative sector to make the most of what you can get out of it and help to shape you as a well-rounded pharmacist. 

The split between each sector will vary from programme to programme, so please read the Oriel adverts carefully. Please check the postcodes to ensure you can make travel arrangements to the locations in both sectors.

You will have access to a primary designated supervisor at UHB as they will be your primary employer, however a second designated supervisor will be allocated in other sectors. 

Inclusion

At UHB we pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive environment where every team member is valued and empowered. Our commitment to excellence is enhanced by a rich tapestry of cultural backgrounds which inspires innovative thinking and compassionate care. By embracing diversity and nurturing continuous professional development, we create a workplace where ideas flourish and respect is at the heart of every interaction. We celebrate a range of religious events and also host celebration lunches in the workplace, where staff share food and positivity. UHB has an exceptional inclusion team, who support and work with line managers for any staff who may require reasonable adjustments. 

 

Contact Details

For more information, please contact Alice Mallinder, Educational Programme Director for Foundation Training at UHB.

For further information about Education, Development and Training opportunities at UHB, please contact the team.

How to apply

Please apply to work with us as a trainee pharmacist via Oriel National Recruitment Scheme (www.oriel.nhs.uk). By preferencing our programmes at the top of your list, you are more likely to be offered a place with us. We will employ 10 trainee pharmacists (9 individual programmes will be advertised), but there will also be opportunity to work at UHB by applying for a programme where our multi-sector partners are also the employer, so keep an eye out for UHB in their titles. 

What our trainees say

The tutorial sessions at UHB are not only informative but also engaging. It’s clear that the focus is on fostering a deeper understanding of pharmacy practice, and I always leave feeling more confident and prepared for my clinical rotations. I really appreciate how the tutorials are structured. They cover key clinical topics in depth, but they also encourage open discussion, which helps us learn from each other’s experiences. The antimicrobials tutorial, in particular, was a highlight for me.

 

As a trainee pharmacist at UHB, I have had the opportunity to work across a wider range of specialities which has allowed me to develop a comprehensive understanding of hospital pharmacy. My favourite being my 9-week rotation on general medicine, where I applied my clinical knowledge and skills from university into practice. UHB provides an excellent learning environment with its diverse clinical rotations, allowing future pharmacists to build valuable skills while making a real impact on patient care.

My nervousness gives way to comfort, and my task-oriented nature transforms into enthusiasm. All thanks to the encouragement and guidance of my designated supervisor’s passion.

 

As part of my paediatrics and neonates rotations I watched a C-section being performed in theatre! It was really interesting to see how medication is used in theatre and watch the surgery.

To enhance each other’s learning, we attend teaching sessions organised by the doctors on the ward. In return, I had the opportunity to hold a teaching session for them. This allowed us to learn from each other and build rapport.

 

I believe that having the opportunity to work with different healthcare professionals across the trust’s different sites has helped provide me with a greater understanding of the roles different people play in ensuring optimal patient care.

At 27 weeks into my foundation training, I’ve been fortunate to have some incredible opportunities. These include conducting an audit on post-kidney transplant outcomes and working in medicines information, where I address queries from both the general public and healthcare professionals. Being surrounded by highly skilled pharmacists has provided me with invaluable insights into a wide range of specialities. I feel extremely supported throughout this year, with an excellent designated supervisor, protected study time and in-house tutorials from our pharmacists to assist with revision. At UHB, I’ve also had the chance to undertake a longitudinal placement, spending 9 weeks on a single ward. This has allowed me to integrate closely with the wider multidisciplinary team, while developing essential clinical pharmacy skills such as TTOs, medication orders, and patient reviews.

 

Last reviewed: 24 February 2025