Pre-Registration Apprentice Pharmacy Technician

Job description

Job responsibilities

Title: Pre-Registration Apprentice Pharmacy Technician

Responsible to: Allocated Borough General Practice Employer Line Management: Allocated Educational Supervisor

Full-Time: 37.5 hours

Salary: Year 1 max rate: £22,772 and Year 2 max rate: £23,327

Term: February 2023 to February 2025 - 2 years

Job Summary

This post holder (Trainee) will be working in 1 borough in North Central London (NCL): Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington within healthcare settings and will not be based permanently in the same base.

Trainee who successfully complete the 2-year apprenticeship will be eligible to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council and practice as a registered pharmacy technician. Although every effort will be made to provide a substantive position at the end of the training period, this cannot be guaranteed.

Successful applicants must meet apprenticeship funding requirements

Some apprenticeship providers require potential apprentices to pass an assessment before being enrolled onto their programme

What is needed to be eligible for funding

• Must have achieved 4 GCSE or equivalent i.e., Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Maths
• Have the right to work in the UK
• Have eligible residency status

Main Responsibilities

This post will include the following duties and responsibilities:

ACT

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• To complete accuracy checking logs in line with department procedures and learning provider requirements
• To act as PTPT representative at the Local Faculty Group meeting
• To participate in duties at any location within the Trust to meet service needs as required by the Head of Pharmacy / Clinical pharmacy lead in general practice
• The JD is not intended to be exhaustive, and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder.

General Practice/Primary Care

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Drug monitoring and recalls
• Making sure bloods have been done
• Fact finding
• Blood pressure and diabetic foot checks
• Medicines reconciliation
• Help keep on top of MHRA alerts
• Simple telephone queries from patients
• Simple med reviews in the future
• Urine dips
• Support stockings measurements
• Flu and Covid jabs

Dispensary (if applies to the rotation)

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Dispense patients medicines accurately and efficiently in accordance with all relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) e.g. In-patient, out- patient/clinics, controlled drugs, clinical trials
• Provide the correct compliance aids when necessary to ensure that patients can take their medicines safely and effectively as prescribed.
• Undertake Patient/carer counselling under supervision
• Participate in stock control systems for medicines within dispensary including stock checks, stock rotation, expiry date checks and good housekeeping of medicines
• Refill emergency boxes and forward for checking following department procedures
• Undertake reception duties including answering telephone, receiving prescriptions into departmental log, filing of documentation
• Process and replenish the dispensary stock through the pharmacy stock control system
• Replenish sundry items (bottles, skillets, nebuliser items etc) and order replacement stock as required
• Monitor and record fridge temperatures and action where necessary
• Participate in assessing returned medicines for re-use and completing the necessary paperwork
• Issue and log HPB3 Prescriptions pads as per department procedures
• Nebuliser service

Community Pharmacy

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Counter Assistant Role
• Dispensing once experienced and accredited
• Dossett boxes for patients with compliance issues
• Giving advice and selling over the counter medicines
• Dispensing medicines against a NHS/vet/dental/nurse/private prescription
• Inhaler tech checks
• Learning legal requirements on a prescription
• Learning legal and ethical guidelines within a community pharmacy setting
• Accuracy checking
• Providing healthcare advice
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Ordering/monitoring/date checking of stock
• Learning how to read the drug tariff/bnf/mep/nice guidelines which are most used.

Pharmacy Distribution Centre/Supply Service

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Ensure that all items are packaged appropriately, for all orders (e.g., labelled for storage in fridge)
• Process pharmacy requisitions and ward top-up lists through the pharmacy stock control system and print picking tickets
• Accurately pick and supply medicines to the wards and departments
• Participate in the stock control systems for medicines within distribution including stock checks, stock rotation, expiry date checks and good housekeeping of medicines
• Ensure all orders are ready as per schedule and all necessary paperwork completed within the designated time and are ready for transport.
• To be able to recognise the difference of unlicensed/ licensed medicines, antibiotic alert Medicines and non-formulary medicines and ensure that the necessary paperwork is completed.
• To ensure that stock/ nonstock orders for medicines are processed accurately (wholesalers and manufacturers)
• To undertake the transmission of orders via phone/fax/electronically
• Empty drug boxes received from wards, where appropriate, ensuring that all contents are processed appropriately according to local waste procedures.
• To undertake the receipt of goods at delivery point, ensuring stock is fit for purpose, and all documentation is endorsed and stored appropriately
• To liaise with suppliers regarding returnable items, damaged goods and queries as required
• Participate in the monitoring of all equipment and notify the appropriate individuals if a problem is identified.

Medicines Management/ Clinical rotation

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Provide a top-up-to-prescription chart service or stock top-up service at ward/ department level
• Participate in the stock control systems for medicines at ward level including stock checks, stock rotation, expiry date checks and good housekeeping of medicines
• Process and replenish the ward stock through the pharmacy stock control system
• Undertake a regular review of ward stock and non-stock holdings and inform the appropriate individuals is action is required
• Accurately label and dispense medicines and products, including discharge prescriptions, patients own drugs (PODs) and self-administration devices at ward level in accordance with local procedures.
• Arrange supply of medicines when unsuitable for use or when new medicines have been initiated.
• Undertake the appropriate and efficient transfer of patients medicines to parent wards.
• Assist pharmacists with statutory ward-controlled drug checks
• Liaise with pharmacy and nursing staff as needed to ensure that the pharmaceutical care for patients is optimised e.g., managing top-up lists
• Maintain effective communication between ward staff and the pharmacy department.
• Provide patient discharge information to community pharmacies as appropriate
• Participate in assessing returned medicines for re-use and completing the necessary paperwork
• Evaluate patients own drugs (PODs) after appropriate training, for continued use in hospital according to protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Under supervision, educate patients/ carers on the use of medication to improve compliance/ concordance
• Obtain accurate individual medication histories for forwarding to clinical teams

Controlled Drugs

To participate in the provision of the following services:

Accurately supply controlled drugs in an efficient and timely manner in accordance with local procedures and policies

• Carry out manual stock checks, investigate all stock discrepancies and advise appropriate pharmacy technician or pharmacist
• Demonstrate an awareness of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 with respect to legislation of storage and supply of controlled drugs, and associated paperwork

Quality Assurance

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Participate in the processing of unlicensed medicines
• Review and update procedures under the direction of senior technical staff
• Participate in departmental environmental monitoring procedures

Prescribing Support Teams

To participate in the provision of the following services:

• Support the co-ordination and delivery of a range of prescribing support services at General Practice level, under the direction of both the Prescribing Support Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacists.
• Support the Prescribing Support Team in the medicines reconciliation of Immediate Discharge letters (IDLs).
• Support the Prescribing Support Team in ensuring that care homes have robust systems and protocols in place for all aspects of stock control and medicines management, liaising with GP practices and community pharmacy.
• Participate in drug information searches on an ad-hoc basis under the supervision and guidance of senior staff and present any information gathered in a clear concise manner.
• Provide support to the Prescribing Support Pharmacists undertaking medication review e.g., identifying suitable therapeutic alternatives.
• Provide support to the Prescribing Support Pharmacy Technicians/Pharmacists and relevant G.P Practice staff on the effectiveness and impacts on costs of improving repeat prescription systems and serial prescribing.
• Support Prescribing Support Pharmacy Technicians/Pharmacists in the process of educational outreach e.g., collecting data on current practice
• Collect, analyse, and interpret patient and clinical data under the direct supervision of senior prescribing support staff from practice computer systems to assist in identified areas of audit.
• Multidisciplinary team working

Please see attached document for full details

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• 4 GCSE passes including Mathematics, English and a Science Grade C (or 4) or equivalent Level 2 Functional Skills

Experience

Essential

• Interested in and have knowledge of use of medicines
• Awareness of the dangers associated with handling potentially hazardous products such as flammable liquids and cytotoxins.
• Awareness of the need for patient confidentiality
• Experience of working in an environment requiring working with attention to detail and to pre-determined deadlines
• Experience of working in a hospital environment or a community pharmacy

Desirable

• Knowledge of the principles of efficient medicines control and basic principles of dispensing
• Understands importance of quality issues
• Experience of working in a large multidisciplinary team
• Experience of using computer systems in a workplace setting
• Experience of working in an environment requiring the handling of a wide range of different but similar products.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Able to follow written procedures and verbal instructions accurately
• Able to communicate effectively with all grades of staff throughout the Trust (verbally and in writing)
• Pharmacy computer/ IT skills
• Problem solving skills
• Clear and literate writing skills
• Numeracy Skills
• Able to organise and prioritise workload, and to meet pre-determined deadlines
• Good clear and well-spoken English
• Effective customer service skills able to work to meet the needs of customers of the department and to meet the standards of the Trust/ General Practice

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Mature approach to learning
• Reliable
• Self-motivated
• Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail
• Can work using own initiative and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Commitment to continuing personal development
• Demonstrates initiative, motivation & enthusiasm for the post

Desirable

• Social media communication experience, including using Twitter and Facebook
• Presentation skills including PowerPoint
• Small group work skills

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Haringey GP Federation

Address

48 Station Road

Wood Green

London

N22 7TY

Employer's website

https://www.haringeygpfederation.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)