Job summary
This role is located in a British Overseas Territory, therefore UK legislation such as the Data Protection Act (2018) and the Equality Act (2010), or similar, may not apply.
The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the Falkland Islands is looking for an established Pharmacy Technician with experience of managing medications stock and ordering and who is interested in working in our friendly and supportive pharmacy team. The Pharmacy Department provides the only pharmacy service on the islands and is a community pharmacy as well as a hospital pharmacy. The hospital is the principal healthcare facility in the Falkland Islands providing primary care and a broad range of elective and emergency secondary care services. It is a modern and well-equipped facility providing high standards of care and with ambitious plans to further develop services and facilities.
Main duties of the job
The Pharmacy Technician Procurement Lead is responsible for the procurement of pharmaceuticals for the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and for the management of the pharmaceuticals budget with an annual value of around £1.3 million.
Key objectives of the role include ensuring the ongoing availability of items in the local formulary and named-patient drugs, strengthening and improving procurement processes, and managing stock efficiently to minimize avoidable waste.
As a member of the pharmacy team, and a registered pharmacy technician, the post holder will also undertake general pharmacy duties including dispensing.
About us
The Health and Social Services Directorate, Falkland Islands provides emergency, primary, secondary and community healthcare as well as social services assistance, support, and advice. Most health services are based at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) which is the Islands only hospital and is based in the capital Stanley. We serve the local community of about 3,700 residents, short-term residents and visitors.
The Falkland Islands are an unique natural environment located in the South Atlantic, 8,000 miles south of the UK mainland, which is a British overseas territory with a full internal self-government. The Islands boasts unspoilt beaches, outstanding wildlife, and stunning landscapes with a good work/life balance. Stanley is a friendly and busy city with a wide range of amenities and a variety of clubs and associations. Our vacancies are in our local currency, Falkland Islands pound (FKP), which is directly equal to the U.K. pound (GBP).
The hospital environment is one in which clinical staff have the time, resources, and support to provide the highest standards of care and to develop their careers. In addition to being supported to practise with a broad scope, clinical staff are encouraged and assisted to develop particular areas of clinical expertise.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Responsible for the day-to-day running of the hospitals pharmaceutical procurement, ensuring a robust stock management system is in place.
- Review and refine existing stock management processes, updating policies and standard operating procedures as required.
- Ensure routine stock orders are compiled and placed in a timely manner in accordance with published shipping schedules. Proactively react to out-of-stock issues that emerge, keeping pharmacy and clinical staff appraised of the situation.
- Ensuring that emergency and ad hoc ordering is completed urgently, and that the patient impact of any stock shortages is minimised.
- Ensure that the electronic stock management records are accurately maintained, and that errors and discrepancies are corrected in a timely manner.
- Lead and co-ordinate the annual pharmacy stock take, in addition to ensuring that high value and controlled drug lines are subjected to more regular periodic inspection.
- Responsible for managing the controlled drug ordering process, ensuring that import licences are generated and submitted to the relevant supplier in accordance with the requisite lead times.
- Regularly review stock holdings, ensuring that minimum stock levels are adjusted (both up and down) depending on changing usage patterns.
- Ensure that robust processes are in place to minimise stock wastage, including ensuring the stock lines that are no longer required are deactivated from re-ordering.
- Regularly review spend against the allocated budget, alerting the pharmacist and hospital management of any expected issues.
- Proactively review procurement arrangements, including liaising with international suppliers to develop and strengthen relationships and ensure that robust and value-for-money procurement arrangements are in place.
- Ensure that robust processes are in place to maintain the integrity of chilled and frozen goods in transit, and that assurance of the suitability and safety of receipted goods can be given.
- Ensure that robust processes are in place to monitor the expiration of products, that essential medicines are ordered and replaced before their expiry date, and that systems are in place to remove and dispose of expired pharmaceuticals.
- Develop and report on key performance indicators for pharmacy procurement, which will be reported to the Senior Management Team.
- Deputising for the pharmacist where appropriate, including with regards to staff supervision and management in the pharmacy.
- Prepare, dispense and supply in a timely and safe manner (including monitored dose systems and extemporaneous preparations) all medicines prescribed or requested by qualified medical personnel within the organisation. This includes the generation of repeat prescriptions.
- Maintain accurate patient medication records using the hospital patient record system, making appropriate records of any interventions made.
- Provide an over the counter medicine service to the general public, ensuring items are supplied safely after appropriate information is gained from and provided to patients. Know when to refer to the pharmacist or other hospital services for further advice or counselling.
- Assist the pharmacist in ensuring safe and effective prescribing and dispensing standards are maintained with reference to the local formulary, local and international guidelines as well as professional and legal standards.
- Supply pharmaceutical stock to other hospital departments, external government departments and ships as per local procedures.
- Ensure that all medicines (including controlled drugs) are stored in accordance with hospital procedures, legal specifications, manufacturers guidelines and COSHH regulations to maintain safety and potency.
- Collate and submit accurate statistical information in accordance with the requirements of the organisation as well as external bodies.
- Provide supervision and guidance to other pharmacy staff as required.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Responsible for the day-to-day running of the hospitals pharmaceutical procurement, ensuring a robust stock management system is in place.
- Review and refine existing stock management processes, updating policies and standard operating procedures as required.
- Ensure routine stock orders are compiled and placed in a timely manner in accordance with published shipping schedules. Proactively react to out-of-stock issues that emerge, keeping pharmacy and clinical staff appraised of the situation.
- Ensuring that emergency and ad hoc ordering is completed urgently, and that the patient impact of any stock shortages is minimised.
- Ensure that the electronic stock management records are accurately maintained, and that errors and discrepancies are corrected in a timely manner.
- Lead and co-ordinate the annual pharmacy stock take, in addition to ensuring that high value and controlled drug lines are subjected to more regular periodic inspection.
- Responsible for managing the controlled drug ordering process, ensuring that import licences are generated and submitted to the relevant supplier in accordance with the requisite lead times.
- Regularly review stock holdings, ensuring that minimum stock levels are adjusted (both up and down) depending on changing usage patterns.
- Ensure that robust processes are in place to minimise stock wastage, including ensuring the stock lines that are no longer required are deactivated from re-ordering.
- Regularly review spend against the allocated budget, alerting the pharmacist and hospital management of any expected issues.
- Proactively review procurement arrangements, including liaising with international suppliers to develop and strengthen relationships and ensure that robust and value-for-money procurement arrangements are in place.
- Ensure that robust processes are in place to maintain the integrity of chilled and frozen goods in transit, and that assurance of the suitability and safety of receipted goods can be given.
- Ensure that robust processes are in place to monitor the expiration of products, that essential medicines are ordered and replaced before their expiry date, and that systems are in place to remove and dispose of expired pharmaceuticals.
- Develop and report on key performance indicators for pharmacy procurement, which will be reported to the Senior Management Team.
- Deputising for the pharmacist where appropriate, including with regards to staff supervision and management in the pharmacy.
- Prepare, dispense and supply in a timely and safe manner (including monitored dose systems and extemporaneous preparations) all medicines prescribed or requested by qualified medical personnel within the organisation. This includes the generation of repeat prescriptions.
- Maintain accurate patient medication records using the hospital patient record system, making appropriate records of any interventions made.
- Provide an over the counter medicine service to the general public, ensuring items are supplied safely after appropriate information is gained from and provided to patients. Know when to refer to the pharmacist or other hospital services for further advice or counselling.
- Assist the pharmacist in ensuring safe and effective prescribing and dispensing standards are maintained with reference to the local formulary, local and international guidelines as well as professional and legal standards.
- Supply pharmaceutical stock to other hospital departments, external government departments and ships as per local procedures.
- Ensure that all medicines (including controlled drugs) are stored in accordance with hospital procedures, legal specifications, manufacturers guidelines and COSHH regulations to maintain safety and potency.
- Collate and submit accurate statistical information in accordance with the requirements of the organisation as well as external bodies.
- Provide supervision and guidance to other pharmacy staff as required.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Grade C or above in Maths, English and Science (or recognised equivalent)
- Level 3 qualification in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent)
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or equivalent professional registering body
- Level 5 qualification in procurement or supply chain management, or the ability to demonstrate knowledge and experience at that level
Desirable
- Further relevant qualifications (e.g. accuracy checking qualification)
Experience
Essential
- At least 5 years experience working as a Pharmacy Technician, ideally in hospital and community
- At least 2 years experience of pharmacy procurement and distribution Experience of managing and supervising staff
- Proven track-record of planning and managing own workload, meeting agreed deadlines Knowledge of Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
- Experience of working effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, with good interpersonal skills
- Computer literate with a sound working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and electronic medical records systems
- Methodical and accurate with strong attention to detail to ensure safety at all times
- Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing in order to provide advice and information to patients and other health professionals
- Good time management and prioritisation skills
- Ability to supervise and support more junior pharmacy staff
- Experience of dealing with suppliers and manufacturers and a sound understanding of the logistics of air and sea freight
Desirable
- Management experience in a busy dispensary environment Experience of developing and updating SOPs
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Grade C or above in Maths, English and Science (or recognised equivalent)
- Level 3 qualification in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent)
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or equivalent professional registering body
- Level 5 qualification in procurement or supply chain management, or the ability to demonstrate knowledge and experience at that level
Desirable
- Further relevant qualifications (e.g. accuracy checking qualification)
Experience
Essential
- At least 5 years experience working as a Pharmacy Technician, ideally in hospital and community
- At least 2 years experience of pharmacy procurement and distribution Experience of managing and supervising staff
- Proven track-record of planning and managing own workload, meeting agreed deadlines Knowledge of Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
- Experience of working effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, with good interpersonal skills
- Computer literate with a sound working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and electronic medical records systems
- Methodical and accurate with strong attention to detail to ensure safety at all times
- Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing in order to provide advice and information to patients and other health professionals
- Good time management and prioritisation skills
- Ability to supervise and support more junior pharmacy staff
- Experience of dealing with suppliers and manufacturers and a sound understanding of the logistics of air and sea freight
Desirable
- Management experience in a busy dispensary environment Experience of developing and updating SOPs
