Job summary
We are looking for individuals who are enthusiastic, proactive in their own role, can communicate well and work accurately and efficiently to a high standard.
You will be based within the main dispensary at Whiston Hospital with rotation to our out-patient centred pharmacy department at St Helens Hospital, where you will assist in the provision of a safe and effective dispensing service.
Current experience of working within a pharmacy setting, for example Hospital Community, Prison service etc. is essential and candidates must have completed an NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services and hold a recognised dispensing qualification.
A good standard of education (to GCSE level) would be advantageous.
Interviews will be held week commencing Monday 12th June 2023
Main duties of the job
Duties will include routine labelling and dispensing of prescriptions for both inpatients and outpatients and Controlled drugs, the preparation of extemporaneous medicines, and involvement in the effective management of returned medicines from within the Trust. You will also take part in a rotation to work with our ward-based Pharmacy Technicians to provide a ward based dispensing service.
You will need to take part in our weekend and evening rotas providing a 7 day a week service to the Trust.
About us
St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and one of the few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by the Care Quality Commission.
We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 360,000 and provide tertiary services across a much wider area in the North West, North Wales, and Isle of Man. We are a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.
Our '5 Star Patient Care' strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.
Our latest achievements include:
- Acute Trust of the Year - HSJ Awards November 2019
- Trust rates Outstanding by CQC - Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Best acute Trust in the North West for quality of care (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
- Best place to work in the North West (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
In the NHS Staff Survey 2021 the Trust scored the highest marks in the North West for the following areas.
- Standard of care
- Best place to work
- Care of patients being the Trust's priority
- Staff engagement
- Staff morale
- Compassionate and inclusive
- Providing a safe environment for staff
Benefits of working for us
We provide many benefits for staff. Please see attached Staff Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To participate in the ATO dispenser rota through areas of the inpatient and outpatients dispensaries throughout the Trust.
- To dispense controlled drug prescriptions and maintain records accordingly.
- To take payment for prescriptions from patients according to the departmental procedure.
- To maintain an accurate balance of cash in the dispensary till and cash up at the end of each day.
- To participate in ward and clinic pharmacy services primarily to maintain and control stocks.
- To request stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions and ward top ups
- To assist in the preparation and assembly of supplies for delivery to wards and departments.
- To provide information to patients relating to the dispensed prescriptions and ensure they understand their treatment.
- To answer telephone and face to face queries of a routine or basic technical nature from a wide range of staff groups, patients, and the public, either in the pharmacy or on the ward and refer appropriate queries to the relevant member of the Pharmacy team.
- To co-operate with the provision of necessary staffing within the pharmacy dept and participate in staff rotation to other sites e.g., St Helens.
- To extemporaneously dispense medicines using specific equipment (e.g., fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures. Weighing and measuring must be accurate as there are narrow margins for errors.
- To dispense cytotoxic drugs.
- To assist other members of staff in the performance of an efficient and cost-effective service.
- To answer phone calls and queries from patients, medical staff, and all other users of the Trust.
- To accurately produce labels for dispensing using the JAC computer system.
- To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
- To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
- To participate in the stock control of medicines under the supervision of the dispensary senior and chief technicians.
- To assist in the correct storage and turnover of stock including expiry date checks and leech storage.
- To participate in all Saturday, Sunday, evening, on-call, and bank holiday rotas in response to the changing needs of the Pharmacy service.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To maintain own continuing Professional development.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To be responsible for the accurate input of data into the pharmacy JAC computer system for all duties requiring its use e.g., labelling, ordering and stock control.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
- To assist in the training of ATOs, ATO dispensers, student pharmacy technicians, pre-registration pharmacists, work experience students and other new pharmacy staff.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- To carry out and assist in audit research projects to improve and develop the service provision.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To participate in the ATO dispenser rota through areas of the inpatient and outpatients dispensaries throughout the Trust.
- To dispense controlled drug prescriptions and maintain records accordingly.
- To take payment for prescriptions from patients according to the departmental procedure.
- To maintain an accurate balance of cash in the dispensary till and cash up at the end of each day.
- To participate in ward and clinic pharmacy services primarily to maintain and control stocks.
- To request stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions and ward top ups
- To assist in the preparation and assembly of supplies for delivery to wards and departments.
- To provide information to patients relating to the dispensed prescriptions and ensure they understand their treatment.
- To answer telephone and face to face queries of a routine or basic technical nature from a wide range of staff groups, patients, and the public, either in the pharmacy or on the ward and refer appropriate queries to the relevant member of the Pharmacy team.
- To co-operate with the provision of necessary staffing within the pharmacy dept and participate in staff rotation to other sites e.g., St Helens.
- To extemporaneously dispense medicines using specific equipment (e.g., fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures. Weighing and measuring must be accurate as there are narrow margins for errors.
- To dispense cytotoxic drugs.
- To assist other members of staff in the performance of an efficient and cost-effective service.
- To answer phone calls and queries from patients, medical staff, and all other users of the Trust.
- To accurately produce labels for dispensing using the JAC computer system.
- To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
- To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
- To participate in the stock control of medicines under the supervision of the dispensary senior and chief technicians.
- To assist in the correct storage and turnover of stock including expiry date checks and leech storage.
- To participate in all Saturday, Sunday, evening, on-call, and bank holiday rotas in response to the changing needs of the Pharmacy service.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To maintain own continuing Professional development.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To be responsible for the accurate input of data into the pharmacy JAC computer system for all duties requiring its use e.g., labelling, ordering and stock control.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
- To assist in the training of ATOs, ATO dispensers, student pharmacy technicians, pre-registration pharmacists, work experience students and other new pharmacy staff.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- To carry out and assist in audit research projects to improve and develop the service provision.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Has completed a recognised dispensing qualification
- NVQ level 2 Pharmacy services qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a Pharmacy.
- Experience of Working with computer systems.
Desirable
- Experience in using the JAC Pharmacy Computer System
Skills
Essential
- Good verbal and communication skills both face to face and using telephones
- Ability to talk to patients, staff, and other senior health professionals
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
- Good administration skills including record-keeping
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and able work under pressure
- Hardworking with a determination to overcome obstacles and understand the importance and context of the role.
- Self-motivated team player with the ability to motivate the team performance to achieve objectives
- Reliable and well organised with good time management skills
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel between hospital sites
- Present professional image/appearance
- Supportive of colleagues of all grades
- Ability to participate in the departmental rota for late and weekend working
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Has completed a recognised dispensing qualification
- NVQ level 2 Pharmacy services qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a Pharmacy.
- Experience of Working with computer systems.
Desirable
- Experience in using the JAC Pharmacy Computer System
Skills
Essential
- Good verbal and communication skills both face to face and using telephones
- Ability to talk to patients, staff, and other senior health professionals
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
- Good administration skills including record-keeping
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and able work under pressure
- Hardworking with a determination to overcome obstacles and understand the importance and context of the role.
- Self-motivated team player with the ability to motivate the team performance to achieve objectives
- Reliable and well organised with good time management skills
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel between hospital sites
- Present professional image/appearance
- Supportive of colleagues of all grades
- Ability to participate in the departmental rota for late and weekend working
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
