Job overview
You will be part of the pharmacy clinical trials team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation trust supporting the expert pharmaceutical technical expertise in the delivery of clinical trials and assisting in the setting up logistics for studies across a wide range of clinical specialities. As a specialist role the post holder will develop and promote good manufacturing practice (GMP) and good clinical practice (GCP) to ensure the safety of the medicinal product, patients, and staff.
We are looking for a forward thinking, self-motivated pharmacy technician and welcome applications from colleagues looking to develop experience in clinical trials and research delivery.
The service partners Lancashire and South Cumbria, community Mental health Trust. Lancashire Teaching Hospital hosts the Lancashire Clinical Research Facility (LCRF) and works with academic partners at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and Lancaster University.
The LCRF has a remit for growing early translational and experimental medicines trials across Lancashire and South Cumbria. More information about the LCRF facility and team is available through the trust website accessible via this link:
Main duties of the job
You will support pharmaceutical technical oversight for the active clinical trials (CT) portfolio and coordinate the workflow to support high quality service delivery. Working closely with the clinical trials team manager the successful candidate will support the life cycle of the clinical trial from initial feasibility, completion of pharmacy activity costing reviews, the logistical delivery and pharmacy financial activity tracking (including reimbursement), investigational medicinal product (IMP) inventory management, patient scheduling, IMP supply, and final study closure & archiving.
The department provides a seven-day service, and the successful candidate may be required to work weekends and bank holidays on a rotational basis. You may also be required to work at both sites of the Trust – Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital.
Working hours are between 8:00am and 5:30pm Monday to Friday on rotation with each shift being 7.5 hours and 30-minute lunch break. As a Trust, we support agile and flexible working based on the needs of the service. You'll have an opportunity to discuss this at interview.
Working for our organisation
We have 10,000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You'll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet a range of healthcare professionals & do things you'd never have done. You'll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You'll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties to include but not be limited to:
1. Communicates all relevant clinical trialinformation to members of the clinicaltrialpharmacyteam,widerpharmacyteam,colleagueswithinR&I,trialparticipants and service users, and withexternalorganisationsas required
2. Deliver as part of the Pharmacy ClinicalTrials Team, all duties required inrelationto the service
3. To ensure all clinical trial prescriptionsare dispensed correctly within therequiredtimescales
4. Liaises with Senior Clinical Pharmacistsin their review of clinical trials withintheirspeciality
5. Act as an Accredited PharmacyTechnicianAccuracyChecker
6. Oversees all elements of stockmanagement, for IMPs and NIMPs,ensuring tasks are carried outcomprehensively and accurately, in atimelyfashion
7. Minimises medicines wastage andmedicines spend within clinical trialsserviceandwiderpharmacyservice
8. Reviews and advises on financialcostingsfornewstudiesinfeasibilitystages, liaising with other pharmacyareas or external departments asnecessary
9. Maintain and develop own professionalcompetence and seek to extend thescopeofpersonalknowledgeandskillswithin scope of role and professionalpractice,policiesandlegislation
10. Supports the training and developmentofpharmacy team
11. Contribute to the formal handling andinvestigating of complaints, errorreports, accident/incident reports andmonitor for preventative and/orcorrectiveactionandimprovement
For more information please see job description.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
12. NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services with underpinning knowledge provided by the BTEC Certificate in Pharmaceutical Sciences OR Other recognised Pharmacy Technician Qualification meeting requirements for registration with GPhC
13. Pharmacy Technician Accuracy Checking Certificate equivalent to the National Framework
14. Registration with GPhC and evidence of continuous CPD
15. Valid Good Clinical Practice certificate (can be obtained once in post)
Desirable criteria
16. Post-Graduate Leadership and Management Development qualification
17. Relevant specialist Post- Graduate qualification
18. Pharmacy-specific clinical trials training
19. APTUK Member
Knowledge
Essential criteria
20. Knowledge of research and clinical trial processes
21. Understanding of national and regional research agenda
22. Understanding of current pharmacy and NHS issues
23. Knowledge of GDP and GCP guidelines, legislation and guidance governing clinical trials practices
24. Knowledge of relevant policies and procedures and clinical governance
25. Knowledge of relevant policies and procedures
26. Good knowledge of drug therapies
27. IT and Computer systems experience, including Pharmacy specific systems
28. Knowledge of COSHH Regulations
29. Health & Safety at Work Act
Desirable criteria
30. Knowledge and practical experience of managing staff and resources
31. Experience of audit and service improvement
32. Experience of prioritising service activity and own workload to meet deadlines
33. Experience in using electronic patient records systems
34. Experience with automated pharmacy systems
35. Experience in using the EMIS Pharmacy Computer System
36. Experience in using iQemo Pharmacy Computer System