Senior Pharmacy Technician (Rotational)

Job description

Job responsibilities

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

To act as Dispensary Team Leader when required

To train/mentor new and existing staff undertaking in-house/external training/qualifications e.g. ACT mentorship, Ward or Dispensary competency training.

a. Dispensing

1. To dispense and accuracy check prescriptions for in-patients, outpatients, patients being discharged from hospital; day case patients and mental health leave patients in accordance with standard labelling; relevant dispensary and computer procedures and safe systems of work practice.
2. To provide verbal and written information to outpatients to enable the patient to adhere to the prescribed therapy and gain maximum benefit from their medicines
3. To provide verbal and written information to selected in-patients without the direct supervision of a pharmacist to enable the patient to adhere to the prescribed therapy and gain maximum benefit from their medicines
4. To receive telephone and face-to-face queries from health professionals and patients either in the pharmacy or on the ward, assess the nature of the query , where appropriate provide technical information on the supply or usage of medicines, and refer as necessary to the appropriate member of staff
5. To receive and assess prescriptions / orders from patients and / or hospital staff, against agreed departmental and Trust protocols, documenting receipt onto the manual or computer recording system and transferring to the appropriate working area to ensure efficient workflow through the department.
6. To ensure that relevant details recorded on prescriptions comply with all legal requirements and liaises with medical and nursing staff as necessary.
7. To evaluate prescriptions to determine if patients are liable to pay prescription charges, collects charges or checks proof of payment or issues promise to pay forms as appropriate. To ensure that documentation is completed for patients that are exempt from payment or are unable to pay.
8. To issue pharmaceutical products being collected by hospital staff, patients, representatives or carers.
9. To maintain and replenish stocks of medicines in ward out-of-hours/discharge cupboards via the retrospective prescription system by checking and reconciling stock to be issued against prescriptions received.
10. To dispense Clozapine. Check patients blood results from the monitoring service via the internet. Provide accurate record-keeping of patients blood results, safety category, doses prescribed and quantities dispensed in line with procedures.
11. To dispense Clinical Trial medicines in accordance with the dispensing protocol, ICH / GCP guidelines and European Directive under the direction of a senior colleague.
12. To check and replenish stocks in the Emergency Pharmacy Room on a daily basis. Expiry dates to be checked on a monthly basis and stock rotated to other areas in the pharmacy or hospital to ensure that time-expiring stock is used first thus minimising financial loss through unnecessary wastage.b Extemporaneous Dispensing and Product Assembly

1. To prepare and package extemporaneously or in advance of requirements medicines for internal and external use using suitable techniques. Products are prepared from materials / ingredients in accordance with good manufacturing practice and with COSHH regulations, including the completion of all relevant documentation. This may require use of safe handling equipment including a Fume Filtration Cabinet where appropriate.
2. To use the Pharmacy Computer System to label products in accordance with procedures
3. To maintain, replenish and check the accuracy of assembly of the resuscitation boxes and emergency trays in accordance with local procedures.

c. Ward Medicines Distribution and Pharmacy Top-Up and Clinical/Technical Duties

1. To participate in the maintenance of a cost-effective system of medicine distribution to all wards, departments and community clinics including
2. To participate in ward based stock audits under the direction of senior management.
3. Support clinical pharmacists and other ward based pharmacy staff in the provision of complete pharmaceutical care to patients at ward level
4. Accurately assess the safety and suitability of patients own drugs (PODs) to ensure correct use in hospital in accordance with the relevant procedures
5. Conduct a thorough technical medication review of the patients medication chart, order and supply medicines to patients at ward level via a one stop drug (OSD) system using the correct documentation. Investigate any missed, delayed, or omitted medicines in accordance with relevant procedures
6. Obtain clinical/transcriptions checks from the ward pharmacist
7. Ensure that POD supplies are maintained via the one stop dispensing system in accordance with the relevant procedures
8. Be responsible for the transfer of PODs for patients who may have already transferred to another ward without their medicines
9. In accordance with the relevant procedure during discharge planning, accurately check POD/OSDs to ensure the directions on the drug correspond to the patients discharge prescription
10. Accurately carry out dispensing of all prescriptions in accordance with agreed safe systems of work within the pharmacy department and at ward level, ensuring that there are no delays to a patient receiving their medication
11. Work independently by managing own time and workload and prioritising urgent discharge prescriptions, non-stock items and re-supplies of medication.
12. Provides a pharmaceutical medicines management service to patients.

d. Aseptic Dispensing Service

1. To assemble materials, prepare and dispense products requiring the use of appropriate aseptic procedures, to Good Manufacturing Practice standard, without the direct supervision of a pharmacist, including parenteral nutrition for adults and neonates; cytotoxic reconstitution and intravenous admixtures. Competence will be required in the use of a Vertical Laminar Air Flow Cabinet and / or Flexible Film Isolator cabinet. The competence to undertake aseptic dispensing will be regularly reassessed. With appropriate training to act as Aseptics Team Leader.

e. Stock Control

1. To ensure that dispensary stock levels are maintained and stocks are replenished from the pharmacy store.
2. Assesses pharmaceutical products returned from clinical areas and returns to stock items which are fit for reuse or disposes of items unfit for use in accordance with COSHH regulations and Trust procedures. Enters details of returned items on pharmacy computer system.
3. Carries out stock checks within the department in accordance with local procedures to ensure computer records accurately reflect stock holding.
4. Monitors cold storage equipment to ensure temperatures are within the defined limits and reports any variation to a supervisor.
5. Identifies and reports stock shortages to procurement colleagues for ordering to ensure that pharmaceutical products are available for patients when required.
6. Identifies and reports stock discrepancies to a supervisor to ensure that pharmaceutical products are available for patients when required.
7. Maintains storage areas in an organised, safe and tidy condition in accordance with Health and Safety regulations.
8. Participates in a system for checking expiry dates of stock to ensure that stock is rotated so that shorter dated stock is used first and avoid unnecessary wastage. Reports out of date stocks to a supervisor and disposes of stock where appropriate recording the issue on the pharmacy computer.

e. General Duties

Works within a pre-determined rota providing day to day pharmaceutical services to the hospital and other health care premises

1. To participate in the delivery of pharmacy objectives set by the Trust , National Patient Safety Agency; Department of Health ; and others to meet clinical governance targets; develop patient are; improve clinical outcomes; and ensure compliance with all standards expected for hospital pharmacy services and the interface between primary and secondary care
2. Contributes and inputs into review meetings regarding changes required to standard operating procedures
3. To be competent in the operation of all equipment, particularly the dispensary computer system in carrying out all the above duties. Accurately records all issues and receipts through the Pharmacy Computer System, to ensure that all transactions are recorded and the stock management system works efficiently. Assists in the maintenance of all relevant documentation and work analysis records
4. Work is carried out at all times in accordance with current legal requirements; local and national policies, departmental standard operating procedures and safe practices.
5. Projects a professional attitude within and outside the department, and to thegeneral public.
6. To participate in Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday and late night duties as is considered appropriate by the Chief Pharmacist or other senior manager in line with current local policy. This will include duties on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays on a rota basis.
7. Undertakes manual handling up to maximum of 15Kg per item regularly each day.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• BTEC National Certificate in Pharmacy services and NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy services or the recognised equivalent Certificated Pharmacy Technician qualification
• Good general education , preferably Mathematics , English and 2 other subjects at GCSE level grade C or above
• BTEC Professional Development Certificate in Technician Dispensing Accuracy Checking
• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Recent experience of working in a busy Hospital Pharmacy
• Experience of ward based medicines management processes, including assessment of patients own medicines

Desirable

• Experience of undertaking aseptic dispensing

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Good working knowledge of pharmaceutical practice
• Good therapeutics knowledge of frequently used medicines
• Good numeracy skills
• Good customer care skills
• Can communicate effectively verbally and in writing with patients and service users , particularly by telephone
• Able to prioritise own workload within the scope of organised rotas and use initiative
• Able to work unsupervised
• Familiarity with the necessary keyboard skills required to use the departmental computer systems
• Able to work as part of a large team

Desirable

• Knowledge / Awareness of stock control systems
• Competent in aseptic preparative techniques. Good knowledge of policies and procedures

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tameside Hospital

Fountain Street

Ashton Under Lyne

OL6 9RW

Employer's website

https://www.tamesidehospital.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)