Job summary
We are looking for enthusiastic, flexible and well-motivated individuals to join our existing Pharmacy team.
This post would be suitable for someone who is looking to start their career in Hospital Pharmacy.
The successful candidates will rotate between Pharmacy stores and Whiston and St Helens Hospital dispensaries, and participate in our evening, weekend and bank holiday rotas.
Attention to detail is essential, as is an ability to work accurately in a fast-paced environment with other members of the Pharmacy team.
Good communication skills and a willingness to learn is important.
Candidates ideally should possess NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Service skills or a GPhC recognised equivalent qualification. However training can be provided.
A good standard of education (to GCSE level) would be advantageous.
Main duties of the job
Stores duties will include working as part of the distribution team in Pharmacy stores and processing and assembling ward stock requests.
Dispensary duties will include greeting patients, receiving inpatient and outpatient prescriptions at our front desk, maintaining stocks of emergency boxes, processing returned medicines and other general house-keeping duties.
Interview Date - Week Commencing 9th December 2024
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 participate in the ATO rota through areas of the stores dispensaries and wards.
5. To assist in the receipt of prescriptions.
6. To participate in pharmacy services to wards and clinics primarily to maintain and control medicines.
7. To assist in booking in and auditing prescriptions, using the latest software.
8. To prepare and assemble supplies of medicines for delivery to wards and departments.
9. To assist in the receipt, storage and issue of stock including the maintenance of manual and computerised records.
10. To assist in the provision of a ward topping up service, supplying stock medication to wards on a weekly basis.
11. To co-operate with the provision of necessary staffing within the pharmaceutical service and participate in staff rotation to other sites St Helens.
12. To assist in the preparation and assembly of resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
13. To participate in stock control of medicines within the pharmacy department under the supervision of the dispensary manager or senior technician.
14. Regularly handle or process cash or cheques when dealing with outpatients prescriptions.
15. To 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.
16. To comply with and ensure that all other pharmacy staff under his / her control comply with the Health and Safety at work act, COSHH Regulations, Display Screen Equipment Regulations, Data Protection Act and other appropriate legislation during daily activities.
17. To participate in the Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday rotas.
18. To participate in evening and on-call rotas in response to the changing needs of the service.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
19. To assist with basic counselling of outpatients in accordance with pharmacy procedures and under the supervision of a pharmacist or Pharmacy technician.
20. 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.
21. To liaise with various members of the Pharmacy team and ward staff when solving supply problems and ensuring the best service to patients.
22. To ensure safety of drugs awaiting collection by nursing staff and other responsible persons
23. To participate in individual performance review and continuing education programmes in order to maintain and improve standards of service.
24. To maintain continuing professional development.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
25. To be responsible for the accurate input of data into the Pharmacy JAC computer system for all duties requiring its use Ordering and stock control.
26. To assist in the completion and filing of departmental documents.
27. To record any information and assist in the compilation of any data necessary.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
28. To act as a role model and assist in the training and induction of other members of the technical staff.
29. To undertake and achieve the NVQ level 2 Pharmacy service skills qualification in accordance with GPhC guidance.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
30. NVQ level 2 Pharmacy service skills - or GPhC recognised equivalent
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
31. Experience of working in a hospital pharmacy
32. Experience in using the CMM (JAC) Pharmacy system
Desirable
33. Experience of working with Computer systems
Skills
Essential
34. Good communication skills
35. Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
36. Good administration skills including record keeping
37. Understand importance and context of role
38. Self-motivated with the ability to motivate others
39. Ability to work under pressure
40. Works well as part of a team
41. Supportive of colleagues of all grades
42. Good physical fitness for duties including manual handling, (items up to approx 15kg) standing and walking
43. Good organisational skills with the ability to prioritise
Other
Essential
44. Ability to travel between sites
45. Able to participate in the evening and weekend rotas