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Aim In 2019, a paediatric haematology/oncology inpatient ward within a UK teaching hospital faced significant challenges in nursing recruitment and retention. High sickness rates, parental leave, and a limited pool of paediatric-trained nurses impacted the ward’s ability to deliver timely, high-quality care. Medication administration was particularly affected, leading to delays and increased drug errors.To address this, a business case was developed by the lead pharmacist,1 ward sister, and the children’s hospital team to pilot a Medicines Administration Pharmacy Technician (MAPT) role. Funded by the Women and Children’s Board, the role was trialed on a 12-bedded ward with day care cubicles for one year, later extended by two years. Due to its success, the MAPT role became a permanent position in 2019, funded by nursing resources.MAPTs were trained to act as second checkers for oral medicines (excluding chemotherapy), allowing nurses to prioritise more complex tasks. Although training was delayed due to COVID-19, it was completed in March 2024. The training included theoretical sessions and a competency-based package focused on paediatric medication safety and administration.2 Under this model, nurses prepare the medication, and the MAPT performs the second check—previously a nurse-only responsibility.Method An audit was conducted from 13 January to 10 March 2025, collecting one week of data to evaluate the MAPT’s impact. Objectives included 3:– Time from requesting a nurse second check to medication administration.– Time from requesting a MAPT second check to administration.– Reasons for delays.– Time from TTO request to completion with MAPT involvement.Results When nurses conducted second checks, delays typically ranged from 2 to 20 minutes. However, with the introduction of a MAPT, these delays were reduced to an average of 4 minutes, with the check itself taking only 1–2 minutes. Nurse delays were often caused by attending multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, administering IV chemotherapy, or managing complex patients. The presence of the MAPT helped alleviate these pressures by freeing up approximately one hour of nursing time each day. This allowed nurses to focus on more complex tasks and contributed to a reduction in medication errors.TTO (To Take Out) dispensing times also improved significantly, decreasing from around two hours to just 20 minutes when MAPTs proactively prepared and delivered discharge medications. Additionally, nurses began redirecting queries related to chemotherapy readiness and TTOs to the MAPT, who was able to address them directly or escalate appropriately when needed.Conclusion The MAPT role significantly improved medication administration efficiency and allowed nurses to focus on high-priority clinical tasks. The intervention reduced delays, improved patient safety, and enhanced workflow. The next steps involve expanding the competencies of the MAPT to include second-checking IV medications and redistributing staff questionnaires to collect updated feedback on the established role of the MAPT. These findings strongly support the ongoing integration and potential expansion of MAPTs within paediatric inpatient settings.References Sinclair A, et al. Introduction of pharmacy technicians onto a busy oncology ward as part of the nursing team. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 2018;25:92–95.Local Trust Guideline (2019). Guideline for the Medicines Administration Pharmacy Technician (MAPT) role in the administration of medication (information for practice). Cited on 27th February 2025.Local Trust Report. Pharmacy Assurance Report (PTS JAC report). Accessed on 27th February 2025.