Job summary
Are you currently working in a community pharmacy & want a new challenge? Maybe you are in a completely different area of work & looking for a change? If you are a distribution-based pharmacy assistant who has decided their career should be more in the dispensary this is the job for you. Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS trust is a large acute hospital trust in the South East of England operating from two main sites. As a trust we are passionate about providing high standards of patient care & are looking for people with the same values. This post is dispensary based at Tunbridge Wells Hospital focusing on all aspects of dispensing for in patients & outpatients. You will have the opportunity to work on a patient facing level when covering at the Outpatient Pharmacy Hatch. If you are currently community based you will have all the essential knowledge regarding dispensing that is required in hospital pharmacy. No matter what your background is; in this post you will gain experience & training in dispensing and working in a pharmacy including TPN & other hospital-based products.
We are looking for an ambitious & motivated person who is looking forward to communicating with the wider healthcare team. Who has good interpersonal & organisational skills. We look forward to welcoming you to our friendly, dynamic team.
We encourage applicants from both the hospital & community pharmacy sectors as this is an ideal transitional post if you are looking to experience hospital pharmacy.
Main duties of the job
To contribute to the delivery of a comprehensive and modern pharmacy service by providing safe and efficient dispensing support, which contributes to the efficient and effective delivery of medicines to patients.
About us
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital trust in the south-east of England.
We provide a full range of general hospital services and some aspects of specialist and complex care to around 600,000 people living in West Kent and East Sussex. We have a team of over 8,000 full and part-time staff. We also provide specialist cancer services to around 2 million people across Kent and East Sussex via the Kent Oncology Centre. Fordcombe Hospital is near Tunbridge Wells and became part of the Trust in October 2024. It focusses on planned care and has two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day care beds, diagnostic services including X-ray, MRI, CT and endoscopy, and a number of consultation and treatment rooms.
In the 2023NHS staff survey, our employees ranked MTW among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and the second-best Trust to work for in the South East.
Would you like to work flexibly?In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Dispense discharge, out patient, day case and in-patient prescription requests.
2. Check dispensary medication expiry dates at the end of each month.
3. Replenish dispensary stocks, including robotic dispensing lines.
4. Dispense medication into monitored dosage compliance devices Nomad and dosette trays
5. To undertake activities within the pharmacy which contributes to the efficient and effective supply of medicines to patients
6. To receive prescriptions from patients and hospital staff at the reception area
7. To liaise with dispensary staff to prioritise prescriptions in order to aid the workflow in the dispensary and minimise waiting times.
8. To collect appropriate prescription charges from eligible patients and check validity of those claiming exemption from prescription charge according to Countering Fraud in the NHS.
9. To attend to visitors to the Pharmacy Department at the reception area and refer to relevant personnel when necessary, whilst providing cover for the Pharmacy Receptionist.
10. To attend to pharmaceutical company representatives at the reception area, informing them of relevant procedures, whilst providing cover for the Pharmacy Receptionist.
11. To answer the dispensary and other telephones and deal with enquiries or refer to dispensary staff as appropriate, whilst providing cover for the Pharmacy Receptionist.
12. To participate in dispensary & outpatient audits
13. Observe and comply with the procedures and standards of practice of the department.
1. Follow procedures, current legislation and regulations governing the Health and Safety at Work Act and COSHH.
2. Undertake other duties as may reasonably be required for the effective running of the Pharmacy Services.
Participate in the extended dispensary services on week days and Saturday, Sundays and Bank Holidays
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
3. GCSE Grade C or above in English Literature and Maths.
Desirable
4. NVQ level 2 in pharmacy services
5. NVQ customer services
Experience
Essential
6. Experience of dealing with members of the public in a service capacity
Desirable
7. Experience of working in a hospital or other healthcare environment
8. Experience of working in pharmacy
9. Some experience using computers (ECDL)
10. Knowledge of prescription charges and exemptions
Skills
Essential
11. Good command of the English Language
12. Good oral and written communication skills
13. Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload
Desirable
14. IT literate
15. Proven customer care skills
16. Quick and accurate dispensing