Job summary
Kernow Health CIC hosts the Staff Bank on behalf of General Practices in Cornwall, and we are looking for dedicated and flexible Dispensers to cover short term vacancies at GP practices across Cornwall as and when required. As part of our flexible workforce, you will help to ensure that practices have sufficient cover to deliver their services while helping to support supportive clinical and managerial team.
As an integral part of the Pharmacy team, you’ll support with the preparation and dispensing of prescription medications to a plethora of patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
Dealing with routine queries and enquiries over the telephone, via email, or face to face, you’ll need excellent customer service skills to ensure patients and visitors receive a first-class experience.
Duties will include the correct completion and filing of prescriptions, that are subsequently delivered to patients and healthcare providers, alongside handling over-the-counter sales transactions, storing medications coming into the pharmacy, maintaining stock of prescription medications, and keeping up to date records.
You’ll need to be an excellent communicator, self-motivated, confident, and enthusiastic. IT proficiency, data entry, active listening, and attention to detail are also key skills paramount to this role.
For further information or please contact kernowhealthcic.workforce@nhs.net
Main duties of the job
Working as part of the Staff Bank offers you the flexibility to travel as far as you choose on the days to suit you, allowing you to balance your work and home life.
If you are already working for a Practice, this is an opportunity for you to pick up additional hours either with your PCN or another Practice delivering in your area of expertise. You can also join as a locum worker (this means being self-employed) or a casual worker (with a zero-hours contract).
Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will enjoy working in a busy environment with lots of face-to-face and telephone patient contact, and be proactive member of our team working not only with dispensary colleagues but with the wider practice team of Reception, Admin, Nurses and GPs.
We are looking for caring, compassionate and enthusiastic Dispensers with an interest in patient care, good communication skills and a desire to help others.
About us
Established in May 2011 by a group of Cornwall Practices, we are a GP owned provider organisation and deliver a number of NHS contracts across Cornwall, these include Cornwall 111 Integrated Urgent Care Service, School Immunisation Programme, Children’s Eating Disorder Service and Cornwall Training Hub [formally CEPN].
These contracts support the visions and values of the organisation, and also ensure that we are able to reinvest any profits made back into the company; again with the intention of supporting GP practices across Cornwall. Kernow Health CIC is also now offering member practices support to regroup and rebuild through the new Excellence in Practice (EiP) programme.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
As a Dispenser, you will be responsible for assisting licensed Pharmacists and working under their supervision to:
• Accurately label and dispense medication and other pharmaceutical products, including named-patient products, to fulfil all types of prescriptions.
• Ensure that all medication and appliances dispensed are checked against the prescription and whenever there is doubt about the appropriateness of the item, or about the dose or labelling instructions to check with the authorising doctor or duty doctor.
• Collect all due prescription charges and ensure that the patient declaration on the reverse of the FP10 is duly completed and signed.
• Deal with routine queries, requests, and enquiries from patients, families, healthcare professionals, over the telephone, via email, or face to face
• Take in prescriptions including verifying the patient’s identity and the validity of the prescription
• Ensure compliance by sorting and filing the full range of prescriptions as required
• Prepare prescriptions by counting pills, labelling bottles and compounding medications
• Gather, organise, and assess patient information, maintain electronic patient information, and receive and input prescription orders electronically
• Inform and constructively educate patients, answering their questions and offering advice
• Participate in stock control management, identifying stock discrepancies, maintaining adequate levels of stock and preventing wastage of drugs due to expiry.
• Price medications, prepare billing information and complete sales transactions. Ensure that all monies are appropriately stored and accounted for.
• On receipt of a drugs delivery, unpack items, check off with delivery note and restock dispensary shelves.
• Ensure that drugs are stored in an appropriate manner in accordance with the accompanying instructions.
• Ensure that refrigerated items are stored at the appropriate temperature and to maintain a temperature control record/logbook.
• Ensure that shelves, work surfaces, and dispensary equipment are regularly cleaned to maintain a high level of hygiene and kept in good working order.
• Take prompt action in response to any drug alert bulletins that may be received.
• Promptly forward all invoices and dispensary related correspondence to the Practice/Dispensary Manager according to practice policy.
• Dispense medications/dressings requested by both the Practice Nurses and Community Nurses.
• Liaise with the Practice/Dispensary Manager when stock is unavailable to ensure that alternatives are sourced, and patients informed.
• At all times ensure compliance with all practice standard operating procedures (SOPS). In addition, ensure the procedures for dealing with controlled drugs are maintained at all times with accurate recording in the controlled drug register and efficient stock control of the drugs within the Controlled Drugs cupboard.
• Maintain personal development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in an annual appraisal and appropriate training activities.
• Ensure compliance with all Kernow Health CIC statutory and mandatory training requirements, policies and protocols.
• To demonstrate agility through adapting to the needs of the organisation by working flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements and priorities.
• You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties, as directed by your line manager.
Please find attached the job description for full details of key duties and responsibilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
As a Dispenser, you will be responsible for assisting licensed Pharmacists and working under their supervision to:
• Accurately label and dispense medication and other pharmaceutical products, including named-patient products, to fulfil all types of prescriptions.
• Ensure that all medication and appliances dispensed are checked against the prescription and whenever there is doubt about the appropriateness of the item, or about the dose or labelling instructions to check with the authorising doctor or duty doctor.
• Collect all due prescription charges and ensure that the patient declaration on the reverse of the FP10 is duly completed and signed.
• Deal with routine queries, requests, and enquiries from patients, families, healthcare professionals, over the telephone, via email, or face to face
• Take in prescriptions including verifying the patient’s identity and the validity of the prescription
• Ensure compliance by sorting and filing the full range of prescriptions as required
• Prepare prescriptions by counting pills, labelling bottles and compounding medications
• Gather, organise, and assess patient information, maintain electronic patient information, and receive and input prescription orders electronically
• Inform and constructively educate patients, answering their questions and offering advice
• Participate in stock control management, identifying stock discrepancies, maintaining adequate levels of stock and preventing wastage of drugs due to expiry.
• Price medications, prepare billing information and complete sales transactions. Ensure that all monies are appropriately stored and accounted for.
• On receipt of a drugs delivery, unpack items, check off with delivery note and restock dispensary shelves.
• Ensure that drugs are stored in an appropriate manner in accordance with the accompanying instructions.
• Ensure that refrigerated items are stored at the appropriate temperature and to maintain a temperature control record/logbook.
• Ensure that shelves, work surfaces, and dispensary equipment are regularly cleaned to maintain a high level of hygiene and kept in good working order.
• Take prompt action in response to any drug alert bulletins that may be received.
• Promptly forward all invoices and dispensary related correspondence to the Practice/Dispensary Manager according to practice policy.
• Dispense medications/dressings requested by both the Practice Nurses and Community Nurses.
• Liaise with the Practice/Dispensary Manager when stock is unavailable to ensure that alternatives are sourced, and patients informed.
• At all times ensure compliance with all practice standard operating procedures (SOPS). In addition, ensure the procedures for dealing with controlled drugs are maintained at all times with accurate recording in the controlled drug register and efficient stock control of the drugs within the Controlled Drugs cupboard.
• Maintain personal development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in an annual appraisal and appropriate training activities.
• Ensure compliance with all Kernow Health CIC statutory and mandatory training requirements, policies and protocols.
• To demonstrate agility through adapting to the needs of the organisation by working flexibly in response to changing organisational requirements and priorities.
• You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties, as directed by your line manager.
Please find attached the job description for full details of key duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Administrative experience filing, letters, emails
- Customer Service experience via telephone, email, and face to face
- Electronic database entry and maintenance
- Stock management and ordering
- Knowledge and experience of using IT systems and packages
Desirable
- Dispensary experience
- Knowledge of Data Protection/GDPR & patient confidentiality
- Knowledge of dispensary systems / knowledge of GP surgeries
Additional Requirements
Essential
- A DBS check satisfactory to the organisation.
- Appropriate immunisation status.
- Access to transport and ability to travel across the locality.
Qualifications
Essential
- English and maths (A*-C) or equivalent.
- NVQ Level 2 (or above) in Pharmacy Services (including dispensing).
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Approachable
- Accountability
- Empathetic
- Honest
- Flexible
- Reliable
- Trustworthy
- Adaptable to change
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
- Excellent time management
- Ability to follow written, electronic, and verbal requests/instructions accurately
- Ability to follow policies and procedures succinctly
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Administrative experience filing, letters, emails
- Customer Service experience via telephone, email, and face to face
- Electronic database entry and maintenance
- Stock management and ordering
- Knowledge and experience of using IT systems and packages
Desirable
- Dispensary experience
- Knowledge of Data Protection/GDPR & patient confidentiality
- Knowledge of dispensary systems / knowledge of GP surgeries
Additional Requirements
Essential
- A DBS check satisfactory to the organisation.
- Appropriate immunisation status.
- Access to transport and ability to travel across the locality.
Qualifications
Essential
- English and maths (A*-C) or equivalent.
- NVQ Level 2 (or above) in Pharmacy Services (including dispensing).
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Approachable
- Accountability
- Empathetic
- Honest
- Flexible
- Reliable
- Trustworthy
- Adaptable to change
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
- Excellent time management
- Ability to follow written, electronic, and verbal requests/instructions accurately
- Ability to follow policies and procedures succinctly
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
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.
