Locum Pharmacy Assistant

Position Description:The Assistant Pharmacist supports the safe, accurate, and efficient preparation, dispensing, distribution, and management of medications under the supervision of a licensed Pharmacist.The role assists with prescription processing, medication preparation, stock and inventory control, controlled medication documentation, ward stock management, billing, and pharmacy operations while maintaining patient safety, confidentiality, and compliance with American Hospital Dubai policies and applicable regulatory requirements.Position Responsibility:Assists the Pharmacist in preparing, dispensing, labeling, and distributing medications accurately according to approved prescriptions, medication orders, departmental procedures, and authorized scope of practice.Reviews medication orders for completeness and refers clinical concerns, allergies, interactions, dosing issues, or prescription discrepancies to the Pharmacist for assessment and resolution before dispensing.Supports patient service by providing approved medication-use instructions and referring requests for clinical counseling, therapeutic advice, adverse effects, or medication-related concerns to the Pharmacist.Maintains medication stock levels within the Pharmacy and assigned ward areas, including ordering, receiving, issuing, replenishment, stock rotation, expiry monitoring, and appropriate storage of medications.Participates in inventory and cycle-count activities, investigates stock discrepancies with the responsible Pharmacist, and assists in managing excess, expired, obsolete, recalled, returned, or defective pharmaceutical products.Assists with controlled, semi-controlled, and narcotic medication documentation, stock reconciliation, registers, and reporting in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and departmental controls.Conducts routine checks of medication storage areas to ensure appropriate temperature, security, stock rotation, labeling, segregation, and compliance with established medication-management standards.Supports inter-hospital and ward-specific medication transfers and ensures all medication movements are appropriately authorized, recorded, and traceable.Ensures accurate processing of patient medication charges, credits, cash/card transactions where assigned, and other pharmacy billing activities in accordance with hospital Finance and Pharmacy procedures.Maintains cleanliness, organization, security, and operational readiness of pharmacy work areas, refrigerators, medication storage areas, equipment, and supplies.Reports medication incidents, near misses, adverse drug reactions, stock discrepancies, damaged products, and other safety concerns promptly to the Pharmacist and assists with required documentation and corrective actions.Participates in departmental quality improvement, medication safety, inventory management, audits, accreditation readiness, and other Pharmacy initiatives as assigned.Maintains patient confidentiality, professional conduct, and ethical practice and works collaboratively with Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.Performs other pharmacy-related responsibilities within approved professional scope and competency as assigned by the Pharmacist or Pharmacy leadership.Position Qualification:Diploma in Pharmacy or Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy from a recognized institution, subject to applicable UAE professional licensing requirements.Current home-country professional registration where applicable.Valid Dubai Health Authority (DHA) License/Eligibility appropriate to the professional title and assigned scope of practice.Knowledge of medication dispensing processes, pharmaceutical terminology, medication storage requirements, inventory control, and pharmacy operations.Good understanding of patient confidentiality, medication safety, infection prevention, and quality standards.Good computer skills with the ability to accurately use pharmacy information systems, Electronic Medical Records, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office applications.Strong attention to detail, organization, communication, customer service, and time-management skills.Ability to prioritize workload and work effectively within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in pharmacy operations, preferably within a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare setting.Experience in medication dispensing support, inventory management, ward stock management, and pharmacy billing is preferred.Experience with controlled medication records, cycle counts, medication storage audits, and stock reconciliation is advantageous.Experience working within a tertiary or JCI-accredited healthcare organization is preferred.Ability to communicate effectively in English; Arabic language skills are advantageous.