Description:
We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technicians to join our team. You should have good communication skills and be able to work accurately within a busy Pharmacy setting
You will work as part of a team of Accuracy checking Technicians providing a final accuracy check on inpatient, outpatient, controlled drug and discharge prescriptions, before they leave the department. You will also provide counselling for our Outpatients on the safe and effective use of their medicines.
You can develop your skills further by support the Senior Pharmacy Technicians with the day to day running of the dispensary.
The Pharmacy currently has approximately 140 staff operating across both sites, and we have recently installed new dispensing robots in both locations.
It is vital that applicants are adaptable and prepared to work with us to help us deliver the Trusts vision of 5 star patient care.
Applicants must be qualified to NVQ Level 3 / BTEC Pharmacy Service skills or an equivalent and must possess a BTEC Professional Diploma in Dispensing Technician Checking or equivalent
Successful applicants will also require an enhanced DBS clearance and active GPhC Registration.
Main duties of the job
KEY DUTIES
- To final accuracy check dispensed prescriptions, including ‘one stop dispensing’ items in accordance with departmental procedures.
- To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To provide a one stop dispensing service to inpatients at ward level. This will require taking patient medication histories, counselling patients, inspection of patient own drugs for re-use and dispensing for discharge.
- To participate in the dispensing and final accuracy checking of restricted and controlled medicines including having authorised access to patients’ blood results which need interpreting before supply can be issued e.g. Clozaril Monitoring Service
- To participate in the dispensing process of all prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices and departmental procedures, including;
- Inpatient
- Outpatient
- TTOs
- Controlled Drugs
- Clinical Trials
- Cytotoxic Drugs
- Unlicensed medicines
- To be responsible for the ordering and stock control of medicines for the dispensaries at both St Helens and Whiston Hospitals, including the daily stock take.
- To be responsible for the stock control of dispensed medicines on wards, departments and clinics.
- To assist in the maintenance of the stock control of non-dispensed medicines on wards.
- To liaise with appropriate medical staff, clinical pharmacists, ward staff, GP’s, Primary Care Trust staff, community pharmacies and other professional bodies regarding any issues with patients’ medication.
Working for our organisation
St Helens and 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 the CQC – Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers and Health Service Journal)
- Best acute Trust in England for quality of care for the 3rd year running (NHS Staff Survey)
In the NHS Staff Survey 2020 the Trust scored the highest marks in the following areas;
- Quality of care
- Staff engagement
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To final accuracy check dispensed prescriptions, including ‘one stop dispensing’ items in accordance with departmental procedures.
- To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To provide a one stop dispensing service to inpatients at ward level. This will require taking patient medication histories, counselling patients, inspection of patient own drugs for re-use and dispensing for discharge.
- To participate in the dispensing and final accuracy checking of restricted and controlled medicines including having authorised access to patients’ blood results which need interpreting before supply can be issued e.g. Clozaril Monitoring Service
- To participate in the dispensing process of all prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices and departmental procedures, including;
- Inpatient
- Outpatient
- TTOs
- Controlled Drugs
- Clinical Trials
- Cytotoxic Drugs
- Unlicensed medicines
- To be responsible for the ordering and stock control of medicines for the dispensaries at both St Helens and Whiston Hospitals, including the daily stock take.
- To be responsible for the stock control of dispensed medicines on wards, departments and clinics.
- To assist in the maintenance of the stock control of non-dispensed medicines on wards.
- To liaise with appropriate medical staff, clinical pharmacists, ward staff, GP’s, Primary Care Trust staff, community pharmacies and other professional bodies regarding any issues with patients’ medication.
- To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions.
- To participate in ward pharmacy services and outside clinic visits (Willis House, Willowbrook Hospice etc) including stock control and liaison with medical and nursing staff.
- To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
- To assist in the preparation, assembly and final accuracy check of emergency resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
- To assist the Chief Technician in the recruitment of staff including participation on interview panels.
- To participate in a rota which enables the department to provide a full 7 day service?
- To participate in Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday, late night and on-call rotas as necessary in response to the changing needs of the service.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
- To maintain continuing professional development in line with GPhC requirements.
- To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
- To undertake any training and assessment required to maintain competency in his/her duties.
- To maintain security and the safe storage of medicines within the dispensaries in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
- To comply with and ensure that all other pharmacy staff under his/her control comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs both within the pharmacy and in all other areas of the Trust
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To be responsible for making appropriate records in the Controlled Drug Register.
- To be responsible for organising own daily workload within allocated areas.
- To carry out prescription charge transactions accurately, including ‘Chip and pin,’ handling cash, cheques and be able to ‘cash-up’ in the dispensaries as necessary, according to departmental procedures.
- To record any information and assist in the compilation of any data necessary, including ordering inpatient medication and transcribing information on medicine kardexes to pharmacy order forms accurately.
- To train and counsel patients on their suitability for the use of compliance aids eg blister packs, breath activated inhalers/spacers, containers and other formulations such as liquids and assess their understanding.
- 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 assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties.
- To co-operate with the provision of staffing within the Pharmaceutical service and participate in staff rotation to all Trust sites (e.g. Whiston, St Helens) when the need arises.
- 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 when necessary.
- 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 RESPONSBILITIES
- To assist in the training and development of all grades of staff in the systems used including other professionals e.g. discharge planning and the efficient operation of ‘dispensing for discharge’.
- To assist in the training and support of ATOs and pre-registration pharmacy graduates in dispensing training manual requirements and provide witness statements for NVQ students
- To assist in the training and development of other members of staff in patient services and to ensure complete training records are maintained