Are you ready to unlock your potential within a challenging, creative and fast paced work environment? Do you want to escape your current job role and work with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past? Now is the time to break into offender healthcare and develop your career.
As part of the South West Prison Healthcare contract awarded to Oxleas NHS trust in 2022, we are able to expand recruitment and are looking for compassionate, knowledgeable and motivated Pharmacy Assistants to join our friendly team at HMP Portland.
Our healthcare team have a real impact on promoting health and well-being to those in prison and we pride ourselves on using skills and strategies that instil hope for patients' future resettlement back into the community. We directly deliver Mental Health, Physical Health, Pharmacy and Clinical Substance Misuse in an integrated healthcare delivery model to provide effective and responsive care to improve wellbeing and support better outcomes in the future.
As part of our pharmacy service (OPS), you will enjoy all the benefits of NHS AfC employment (including pension) with the opportunity to work within a forward-thinking service, which encourages career and personal development to all staff to increase their clinical and interpersonal skills.
Main duties of the job
As a Pharmacy Assistant, you will contribute towards the smooth and efficient running of the pharmacy service on site within the prison. This will include all aspects of stock control (routine ordering, receipt of goods, computer input, storage of medicines), dispensing clinically screened prescriptions and dispensing weekly/monthly in possession medication to patients. You will work out of Medication Administration Points (Meds hatches) on the wings and in the healthcare department, acting as the second checker for controlled drug administration.
Ideally, applicants will have an NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services; however, we will accept applicants who have healthcare experience and are interested in being put through the NVQ L2 by Oxleas.
Job responsibilities
* To be responsible for the day-to-day ordering, receiving, and unpacking of pharmaceutical products from suppliers according to GDP and departmental SOPs.
* To ensure that medicines are sourced in a timely manner.
* To accurately use the pharmacy computer system to receive goods into the pharmacy store according to departmental SOPs.
* To act as second checker for administration of Controlled Drugs by registered healthcare professionals.
* To carry out regular stock checks, expiry date checks and other monitoring procedures such as logging fridge and ambient temperatures and dealing with any anomalies in accordance with GDP and departmental procedure.
* To ensure high standards and accuracy of work and to ensure all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are read and adhered to.
* To ensure medicines returned from clinical areas are sorted and either returned to stock or disposed of safely and appropriately in accordance with GDP, Trust guidelines and departmental procedures.
* To undertake administration of weekly and monthly In Possession medication to patients.
* To ensure that all work carried out in procurement is done in accordance with current legislation, including GDP and departmental and Trust financial procedures.
* To manage work Medicines Optimisation work in treatment areas ensuring tasks are carried out in a timely manner and orders are received on time.
* To communicate routinely with the Pharmacy/Healthcare department to place orders, chase receipt of goods and to query discrepancies.
* To deal with telephone queries and staff visiting the department, as first point of contact, dealing with them or referring to others if required according to SOPs.
* To communicate, as necessary, with external regulatory bodies, information pertaining to the WDL or other requests.
* Post holders will need to undertake a prison security check (level 2) prior to being employed, as well the standard NHS recruitment checks.
* To appreciate the secure environment you are working in and to adhere to all prison procedures as necessary.
* To undertake any other tasks at the request of the senior prison services pharmacist.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
* Completion of dispensary competencies (signed off as competent to dispense medicines).
* Certificate in purchasing and supply (CIPS) level 2 or equivalent experience.
* NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services Certificate (or willingness to undertake via Oxleas).
* GPHC registration.
Experience
* Previous experience of working within a pharmacy or healthcare.
* Ability to work in all sections of medicines supply.
* Experience of working with Pharmacy Stock control systems.
Skills and Abilities
* Knowledge of Good Distribution Practices (GDP) (Requirements of WDL).
* Competent in coordinating and completing day-to-day workload with minimal supervision.
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.
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