Job summary The post holder will work closely with a variety of service leads across the pharmacy departments including the Operational Lead Technician, Specialised Pharmacy Teams, Clinical Lead Pharmacists and Heads of Department in the provision, management and development of pharmacy services and medication safety and governance services to the Trust. Main duties of the job Answer drug information queries from patients, nursing and medical staff using appropriate reference resources, and refer to a Pharmacist when necessary. Gain consent from inpatients to use Pharmoutcomes to convey messages to patients' usual pharmacy. Review patients own medication, discuss and resolve queries with the patient or carer. To develop and improve Pharmacy Services in conjunction with the Operational Lead Technician, Clinical Lead Pharmacists and Head of Department. Manage stock control within the department by monitoring trends in usage, adjusting stock holding parameters and resolving stock discrepancies To develop and maintain the Pharmacy Dispensing Service ensuring best practice. Ensure an efficient and timely delivery of governance services within the pharmacy directorate. Supporting clinical specialties with technical-based medication safety and governance advice including (but not exhaustive to) storage, controlled drugs, medicines use and training issues. About us With a workforce of approximately 15,000 staff, we can now do more and go further in delivering health services to our local communities. Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers. Patients will experience improved care as well as fewer delays and cancellations. We are able to provide more once-in-a-lifetime specialist care region-wide. With our new trust size will come more opportunities for development, research, networking and innovation. We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust. Date posted 16 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 6 Salary £23.13 an hour Per Hour Contract Bank Working pattern Flexible working Reference number Bank Senior Pharm Tech - 6 Job locations MSE Southend Southend SS0 0RY Job description Job responsibilities The post-holder may be expected to perform any of the following main duties irrespective of the specialty of their designated post: Communication Answer drug information queries from patients, nursing and medical staff using appropriate reference resources, and refer to a Pharmacist when necessary. Gain consent from inpatients to use Pharmoutcomes to convey messages to patients usual pharmacy. Review patients own medication, discuss and resolve queries with the patient or carer. Provide information and guidance on the use of medicines to ward and medical staff. Actively promote the reporting of, and shared learning from, medication incidents within pharmacy and clinical areas. Deliver technical-based medication safety communications effectively. Maintain input with forums and groups relevant to Pharmacy Services. Host trial sponsors during site monitoring visits. Analytical and Planning To develop and improve Pharmacy Services in conjunction with the Operational Lead Technician, Clinical Lead Pharmacists and Head of Department. Manage stock control within the department by monitoring trends in usage, adjusting stock holding parameters and resolving stock discrepancies. Assist in stock-keeping duties e.g. unpacking, putting away and stock checking within the pharmacy when required. Investigate Datix reports as requested by the Lead Pharmacy Technicians. Review departmental procedures, amend as necessary and implement changes. Produce reports as requested by the Operational Lead Technician, Head of Pharmacy - Business or Head of Department. Clinical Duties To co-ordinate and take part in the daily provision of ward based, stores and dispensary-based services. Dispense Inpatient, Outpatient and TTA prescriptions. Process prescriptions using the pharmacy stock control and ePMA system, select, count, package and label prescription items according to department procedure. Make records as necessary. Final accuracy check clinically screened prescriptions and orders prepared by other Pharmacy staff, before release to the patient. Dispense and accuracy check Clinical Trial material according to individual trial protocol. Maintain the Controlled Drug Register, make entries into the register, stock check and reconcile stock. Perform medication reconciliations for current inpatients using both Trust and GP IT systems. Review patients own medication, discuss and resolve queries with patient or carer. Identify and resolve any medication discrepancies, referring to the ward pharmacist, GP, or hospital medical team when necessary. Provide counselling on use of medicines to patients and carers. Provide information and guidance on the use of medicines to ward and medical staff. Ensure temperature monitoring is robust and manage any temperature excursions. Policy and Service Development To develop and maintain the Pharmacy Dispensing Service ensuring best practice. Ensure an efficient and timely delivery of governance services within the pharmacy directorate. Supporting clinical specialties with technical-based medication safety and governance advice including (but not exhaustive to) storage, controlled drugs, medicines use and training issues. Manage the delivery of the medicines safety and governance audit programme on site and provide reports to justify changes in practice and set actions in collaboration with the governance managers. Deliver training on audit and undertaking spot checks of practice in line with Trust maintaining high standards monitoring, or equivalent. Assist the governance managers in the monitoring and updating of the risk register and controlled documents under remit of the pharmacy directorate. To develop and maintain the Pharmacy Homecare Service in conjunction with the Specialty Lead Pharmacists, Procurement Team and Prescribers. Attend pharmacy meetings as appropriate to specialty. Continually update and maintain own self-development on current knowledge of specialty. Identify the learning needs of members of the pharmacy team, plan and implement appropriate training strategies. Contribute to the training of other members of staff e.g. pre-registration pharmacy students as necessary. Assess staff against agreed competencies. Maintain input with forums and groups relevant to Pharmacy Services. Financial and Physical Resources Assess suitability of medication for return to stock. Return items to stock using the Pharmacy stock control system or dispose of according to departmental procedure. Manage stock, including receiving, quarantine, destruction, date checking, raising orders and completing log returns as appropriate, within the main Dispensary, Trials Service, Oncology Service, Stores and Distribution Service, and all other areas of the pharmacy. Develop and expand the Pharmacy Homecare service, scoping additional specialties that could benefit from the service. Work closely with specialty lead pharmacists and prescribers identifying patients that would be suitable for utilising the pharmacy homecare service. Source suppliers of, and arrange and maintain supply contracts, with homecare companies. Manage the receipt and processing of Homecare prescriptions to ensure they are processed in a timely manner and in line with pharmacy purchasing procedures. Assist the Pharmacy IT Lead Technician with the management of all Pharmacy IT systems including the Wellsky Pharmacy stock control, ePMA system and Automated dispensing system (Pharmacy Robot), undertaking all necessary housekeeping, and troubleshooting. Assist with all software upgrades, including planning, multi-user testing and support documentation for all software releases. Assist the Procurement Lead Technician with the day-to-day ordering, receipt and sourcing of pharmacy stock both medication and sundries. Resolve day-to-day problems within the purchasing service, including stock shortages; sourcing alternative suppliers and liaising with clinical staff to identify alternative products. Ensure regional purchasing contracts are adhered to when possible and that off contract purchases are cost effective. Implement purchase contract arrangements and amendments necessary. Produce financial and usage reports for the Senior Leadership Team of Pharmacy Managers and Finance as required, extracting data from systems and conducting data analysis reports with commentary to outline findings. Run the month end High-Cost drug submission and assist in responding to the commissioner challenge process. To track and report on the pharmacy Cost improvement Programme. To manage the day to day running of the Pharmacy Distribution and store service, overseeing the ward top-up service and ensuring stock list reviews are carried out in accordance with department procedure. Resolve day to day queries with stock levels including investigation of stock discrepancies. Monitor and deal with all expired stock, investigating reason for expiry and review of stock holding to prevent repeat occurrence. To work with the Operational Lead to ensure KPIs are reviewed and reported appropriately. Staff Management Line management and supervision of Pharmacy Assistants and Technicians including management of annual leave and sickness, ensuring staff appraisals, mandatory and discretionary training are up to date and monitoring of staff performance Continually update and maintain own self-development on current knowledge of specialty. Identify the learning needs of members of the pharmacy team, plan and implement appropriate training strategies including the training of other members of staff e.g. pre-registration pharmacy students as necessary. Act as an assessor and Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) for student technicians and pharmacy assistants if required. Advise and recruit into vacant positions as authorised by the Operational Lead Technician or service lead. Follow the Trust probationary process for new starters. Be a role model for all staff. Information Resources Manage all Pharmacy IT assets ensuring good working order at all times. Provide support to all users of Pharmacy IT systems. Investigate and troubleshoot Pharmacy IT issues referring to IT Help Desk and external providers as necessary. Ensure that system security and confidentiality is maintained at all times based on the Trusts password and access policy and conforms to Caldicott recommendations and the Data Protection Act 1998. Report potential / actual breaches in information security to the Information Security Coordinator. Attend User group meetings for Pharmacy IT systems Job description Job responsibilities The post-holder may be expected to perform any of the following main duties irrespective of the specialty of their designated post: Communication Answer drug information queries from patients, nursing and medical staff using appropriate reference resources, and refer to a Pharmacist when necessary. Gain consent from inpatients to use Pharmoutcomes to convey messages to patients usual pharmacy. Review patients own medication, discuss and resolve queries with the patient or carer. Provide information and guidance on the use of medicines to ward and medical staff. Actively promote the reporting of, and shared learning from, medication incidents within pharmacy and clinical areas. Deliver technical-based medication safety communications effectively. Maintain input with forums and groups relevant to Pharmacy Services. Host trial sponsors during site monitoring visits. Analytical and Planning To develop and improve Pharmacy Services in conjunction with the Operational Lead Technician, Clinical Lead Pharmacists and Head of Department. Manage stock control within the department by monitoring trends in usage, adjusting stock holding parameters and resolving stock discrepancies. Assist in stock-keeping duties e.g. unpacking, putting away and stock checking within the pharmacy when required. Investigate Datix reports as requested by the Lead Pharmacy Technicians. Review departmental procedures, amend as necessary and implement changes. Produce reports as requested by the Operational Lead Technician, Head of Pharmacy - Business or Head of Department. Clinical Duties To co-ordinate and take part in the daily provision of ward based, stores and dispensary-based services. Dispense Inpatient, Outpatient and TTA prescriptions. Process prescriptions using the pharmacy stock control and ePMA system, select, count, package and label prescription items according to department procedure. Make records as necessary. Final accuracy check clinically screened prescriptions and orders prepared by other Pharmacy staff, before release to the patient. Dispense and accuracy check Clinical Trial material according to individual trial protocol. Maintain the Controlled Drug Register, make entries into the register, stock check and reconcile stock. Perform medication reconciliations for current inpatients using both Trust and GP IT systems. Review patients own medication, discuss and resolve queries with patient or carer. Identify and resolve any medication discrepancies, referring to the ward pharmacist, GP, or hospital medical team when necessary. Provide counselling on use of medicines to patients and carers. Provide information and guidance on the use of medicines to ward and medical staff. Ensure temperature monitoring is robust and manage any temperature excursions. Policy and Service Development To develop and maintain the Pharmacy Dispensing Service ensuring best practice. Ensure an efficient and timely delivery of governance services within the pharmacy directorate. Supporting clinical specialties with technical-based medication safety and governance advice including (but not exhaustive to) storage, controlled drugs, medicines use and training issues. Manage the delivery of the medicines safety and governance audit programme on site and provide reports to justify changes in practice and set actions in collaboration with the governance managers. Deliver training on audit and undertaking spot checks of practice in line with Trust maintaining high standards monitoring, or equivalent. Assist the governance managers in the monitoring and updating of the risk register and controlled documents under remit of the pharmacy directorate. To develop and maintain the Pharmacy Homecare Service in conjunction with the Specialty Lead Pharmacists, Procurement Team and Prescribers. Attend pharmacy meetings as appropriate to specialty. Continually update and maintain own self-development on current knowledge of specialty. Identify the learning needs of members of the pharmacy team, plan and implement appropriate training strategies. Contribute to the training of other members of staff e.g. pre-registration pharmacy students as necessary. Assess staff against agreed competencies. Maintain input with forums and groups relevant to Pharmacy Services. Financial and Physical Resources Assess suitability of medication for return to stock. Return items to stock using the Pharmacy stock control system or dispose of according to departmental procedure. Manage stock, including receiving, quarantine, destruction, date checking, raising orders and completing log returns as appropriate, within the main Dispensary, Trials Service, Oncology Service, Stores and Distribution Service, and all other areas of the pharmacy. Develop and expand the Pharmacy Homecare service, scoping additional specialties that could benefit from the service. Work closely with specialty lead pharmacists and prescribers identifying patients that would be suitable for utilising the pharmacy homecare service. Source suppliers of, and arrange and maintain supply contracts, with homecare companies. Manage the receipt and processing of Homecare prescriptions to ensure they are processed in a timely manner and in line with pharmacy purchasing procedures. Assist the Pharmacy IT Lead Technician with the management of all Pharmacy IT systems including the Wellsky Pharmacy stock control, ePMA system and Automated dispensing system (Pharmacy Robot), undertaking all necessary housekeeping, and troubleshooting. Assist with all software upgrades, including planning, multi-user testing and support documentation for all software releases. Assist the Procurement Lead Technician with the day-to-day ordering, receipt and sourcing of pharmacy stock both medication and sundries. Resolve day-to-day problems within the purchasing service, including stock shortages; sourcing alternative suppliers and liaising with clinical staff to identify alternative products. Ensure regional purchasing contracts are adhered to when possible and that off contract purchases are cost effective. Implement purchase contract arrangements and amendments necessary. Produce financial and usage reports for the Senior Leadership Team of Pharmacy Managers and Finance as required, extracting data from systems and conducting data analysis reports with commentary to outline findings. Run the month end High-Cost drug submission and assist in responding to the commissioner challenge process. To track and report on the pharmacy Cost improvement Programme. To manage the day to day running of the Pharmacy Distribution and store service, overseeing the ward top-up service and ensuring stock list reviews are carried out in accordance with department procedure. Resolve day to day queries with stock levels including investigation of stock discrepancies. Monitor and deal with all expired stock, investigating reason for expiry and review of stock holding to prevent repeat occurrence. To work with the Operational Lead to ensure KPIs are reviewed and reported appropriately. Staff Management Line management and supervision of Pharmacy Assistants and Technicians including management of annual leave and sickness, ensuring staff appraisals, mandatory and discretionary training are up to date and monitoring of staff performance Continually update and maintain own self-development on current knowledge of specialty. Identify the learning needs of members of the pharmacy team, plan and implement appropriate training strategies including the training of other members of staff e.g. pre-registration pharmacy students as necessary. Act as an assessor and Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) for student technicians and pharmacy assistants if required. Advise and recruit into vacant positions as authorised by the Operational Lead Technician or service lead. Follow the Trust probationary process for new starters. Be a role model for all staff. Information Resources Manage all Pharmacy IT assets ensuring good working order at all times. Provide support to all users of Pharmacy IT systems. Investigate and troubleshoot Pharmacy IT issues referring to IT Help Desk and external providers as necessary. Ensure that system security and confidentiality is maintained at all times based on the Trusts password and access policy and conforms to Caldicott recommendations and the Data Protection Act 1998. Report potential / actual breaches in information security to the Information Security Coordinator. Attend User group meetings for Pharmacy IT systems Person Specification Qualifications Essential BTEC or NVQ3 Pharmacy Sciences Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council ACT Trained Desirable Edward Jenner programme (NHS Leadership Academy) or equivalent Membership of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) Management qualification or equivalent experience Knowledge Essential Minimum of 2 years' post registration hospital pharmacy experience Previous medicines optimisation and dispensary experience Desirable Evidence of demonstrating leadership in practice Experience in education and training Person Specification Qualifications Essential BTEC or NVQ3 Pharmacy Sciences Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council ACT Trained Desirable Edward Jenner programme (NHS Leadership Academy) or equivalent Membership of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) Management qualification or equivalent experience Knowledge Essential Minimum of 2 years' post registration hospital pharmacy experience Previous medicines optimisation and dispensary experience Desirable Evidence of demonstrating leadership in practice Experience in education and training 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. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information 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. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust Address MSE Southend Southend SS0 0RY Employer's website https://www.mse.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)