Job summary
We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technicians to join our Dispensary should have good communication skills and be able to work accurately within a busy Pharmacy setting
You can develop your skills further by supporting the Senior Pharmacy Technicians with the day to day running of the dispensary and ensuring timely workflow through our dispensaries.
No previous Hospital experience is necessary as induction training will be provided.
The role is suited to qualified Accuracy checkers from Hospital and Community Pharmacy and other dispensing Backgrounds.
Applicants must be qualified to NVQ Level 3 / BTEC Pharmacy Service skills or a recognised equivalent and must possess a BTEC Professional Diploma in Dispensing Technician Checking or equivalent accuracy checking qualification.
Interview Date - To Be Confirmed
Main duties of the job
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.
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. Your contribution through suggestions and involvement in projects and audits will be encouraged.
Please note, this post will be subject to Enhanced DBS Check + Children's & Adults' Barred Lists.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
1. Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
2. Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
3. National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
4. To final accuracy check dispensed prescriptions, including one stop dispensing items in accordance with departmental procedures.
5. To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
6. To provide a one stop dispensing service to inpatients at ward level. This will involve counselling patients, inspection of patient own drugs for re-use and dispensing for discharge.
7. 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, Clozaril Monitoring Service
8. 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
9. 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.
10. To be responsible for the stock control of dispensed medicines on wards, departments and clinics.
11. To assist in the maintenance of the stock control of non-dispensed medicines on wards.
12. To liaise with appropriate medical staff, clinical pharmacists, ward staff, GPs, Primary Care Trust staff, community pharmacies and other professional bodies as needed regarding any issues with patients medication.
13. To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions.
14. To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
15. To assist in the preparation, assembly and final accuracy check of emergency resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
16. To assist the Chief and Senior Pharmacy Technicians in the recruitment of staff including participation on interview panels.
17. To participate in a rota which enables the department to provide a full 7-day service.
18. To participate in Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday, late night and on-call rotas as necessary in response to the changing needs of the service.
19. To participate in and to perform individual performance review with technical staff.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
20. To maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
21. To maintain continuing professional development in line with GPhC requirements.
22. To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
23. To undertake any training and assessment required to maintain competency in his/her duties.
24. To maintain security and the safe storage of medicines within the dispensaries in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
25. 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 RESPONSABILITIES
26. To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
27. To be responsible for making appropriate records in the Controlled Drug Register.
28. To be responsible for organising own daily workload within allocated areas.
29. 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.
30. To record any information and assist in the compilation of any data necessary, including ordering inpatient and stock medication and transcribing information to pharmacy order forms accurately.
31. 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.
32. To extemporaneously dispense medicines using specific equipment (, fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures. Weighing and measuring must be accurate as there are narrow margins for errors.
33. To assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties.
34. To co-operate with the provision of staffing within the pharmaceutical service and participate in staff rotation to all Trust sites (, Whiston, St Helens) when the need arises.
35. 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.
36. To be responsible for the accurate input of data into the pharmacy JAC computer system for all duties requiring its use, labelling, ordering and stock control.
37. To participate in and perform regular appraisals on technical staff according to the departmental appraisal cascade and Trust policies
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES
38. To assist in the training and development of all grades of staff within the dispensaries.
39. To assist in the training and support of dispensing staff, Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians and pre-registration pharmacy graduates and to provide witness statements for those undertaking a qualification.
40. To assist in the training and development of other members of staff in patient services and to ensure complete training records are maintained.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
41. To co-operate in the provision of an efficient and cost-effective service
RESEARCH & AUDIT
42. To carry out and assist in audit research projects to improve and develop the service provision
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
43. BTEC / NVQ LEVEL III in Pharmacy Services with relevant underpinning knowledge (or equivalent)
44. Professional Registration with the GPhC
45. BTEC in Accuracy Checking (Northwest framework)
Desirable
46. ECDL (or equivalent)
Skills and Abilities
Essential
47. Demonstrates ability to motivate team performance to achieve objectives
48. Good verbal communication skills both face to face and using telephones
49. Ability to talk to patients, staff, and other senior health care professionals
50. Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and able to work under pressure
51. Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
52. Well-organised with good time management skills
53. Good administration skills including accurate record keeping
Desirable
54. Good negotiation skills
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
55. Substantial post-qualification experience working in a pharmaceutical environment
56. Experience of dispensing for discharge and medicines management
Desirable
57. Experience in using the JAC pharmacy computer system
58. Knowledge of LEAN principles
Other
Essential
59. Ability to travel various hospital locations by own car/ assisted driver
60. Ability to participate in the department rota for 7 day working.
61. Supportive of colleagues of all grades