Chief Pharmacy Technician

Job overview

We are looking for a motivated, dynamic, and innovative individual capable of leading a team and representing pharmacy internally and externally to become our first, Trust wide, MWL Chief Pharmacy Technician

You will need excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to organise and prioritise your work as well as that of others within your team.

The successful candidate will have a primary base at one of our main hospital sites across the Trust but will be expected to have visible presence across the MWL Trust footprint.

The role will be expected to contribute to our extended hours rotas on a site of their choice.

Main duties of the job

To be part of the Pharmacy Management Team with specific responsibility for being the Pharmacy Technician professional and operational lead on aspects of the pharmacy service across multiple functions (including aseptics, dispensary, distribution, procurement and homecare) alongside providing strategic professional leadership to the cross-site pharmacy department and off-site services.

To support the Chief Pharmacist and wider Pharmacy Management Team in the strategic operational management of the Pharmacy Service delivering the Medicines Optimisation Strategy in conjunction with the department.

To ensure that all relevant standards are met in the provision of the Pharmacy service.

To act as a professional lead for all members of the Pharmacy department with a specific focus on pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants, actively demonstrating integrity, ownership and leadership in all aspects of the role.

To provide professional advice to internal and external stakeholders on the role and contribution of pharmacy technicians as a registered profession as part of workforce development, reform and legislation changes, to enable effective skill mix and clinical/technical service development within the trust and ICB.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Chief Pharmacy Technician will undertake the following key duties: 1. Responsible for the delivery and development of Pharmacy Technician led services throughout MWL Trust. Specifically, the dispensary and clinical services, procurement and distribution, business support team and pharmacy technician education and training. 2. To be a role model for all registered and pre-registration pharmacy technicians in the service, always upholding professional standards 3. To lead the development of pharmacy technician roles within the trust to ensure structured career pathways, innovative and impactful roles, and appropriate training and development structures for technical staff. 4. To develop innovative technical and clinical support roles for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants, to ensure that the overall skill and grade mix for the service is safe, cost effective and meets the strategic aims of the service. 5. To ensure professional standards within Technician led pharmacy services are maintained, and that supportive action is taken to address any deficiencies. 6. Produce and present reports and audits on behalf of the Trust on medicines management issues and assist the Chief Pharmacist with mandatory internal and external reports. 7. Active participant in the Northwest Regional Chief Pharmacy Technician Network and represent the pharmacy service at relevant national, regional and local health and other meetings as agreed with the Chief Pharmacist. 8. Lead on the production of business plans, development & capital bids for the pharmacy service which pertain specifically to those elements of the service within their portfolio. 9. To contribute to the business planning process and strategic planning for the pharmacy service. 10. To develop excellent working relationships with clinical services in the Trust to ensure that pharmacy services and policies are developed and improved jointly to meet patient needs and to achieve the Trust’s strategic objectives. 11. To be an active member of the Senior Pharmacy Management Team. 12. To be an authorised financial signatory for the Pharmacy Department including authorisation of orders and invoices in line with trust Standing Financial Instructions (up to £50k), and for booking bank staff, authorising rosters and time sheets, and other HR activities. 13. To be responsible for managing and direct allocation of resources and budgets within their portfolio. 14. Deputise for the Chief Pharmacist at Divisional and Trust Operational/Governance-related groups as required. 15. Assist the Chief Pharmacist in the production, implementation and audit of the Trust Medicine Policy to ensure the safe prescribing, storage and administration of Medicines. 16. Interpret and implement National and Trust policies pertaining to services within their portfolio advising the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy Senior Management team of any resultant action plans. 17. To monitor and manage, performance, sickness absence, capability and other staff issues within relevant policies and procedures and with the assistance of Human Resources and Occupational Health. 18. To ensure that the service meets activity and outcome requirements and can produce written performance and outcome reports as specified by the trust. 19. To participate and contribute to audit and benchmarking as required. 20. To lead on Pharmacy service response to complaints relating to services within their portfolio.