Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Techncian

Job overview

To work as an effective and proactive member of the Medicines Optimisation Team, liaising with ward pharmacists, prescribers and nurses as part of the multi disciplinary team

• To ensure patient’s receive the highest standard of care in a clinical setting in accordance with government legislation, current best practice and guidance, adhering to local policies and procedures at all times in the interest of patient safety
• Medicines Optimisation includes medicines reconciliation, use of patient's own drugs, providing original pack dispensing and counselling patients about their medicines
• Implement and maintain the Patient's Own Drug (POD) scheme for the designated area (and self-administration where introduced) according to Trust wide policies

Main duties of the job

Be part of a team providing medicines optimisation to designated clinical areas in accordance with the roster

• Implement and maintain the Patient’s Own Drug (POD) scheme for the designated area (and self-administration where introduced) according to Trust wide policies, including liaising with care home providers, patients and community pharmacies
• Work with the Lead Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician in developing policies, procedures and protocols directly relating to medicines management schemes (including medicines optimisation) and assisting in reviewing these documents
• To support in training and mentoring of medicine optimisation pharmacy technicians, pre-registration pharmacists/ technicians, foundation practise pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants, nursing staff and other health care professionals in the medicines optimisation process.
• Check on admission that the medication prescribed conforms to information received from the patient, GP letter and Summary Care Records (SCR) where appropriate, to check that any differences are intentional and if necessary to confirm details with the patient’s GP and to refer any problems to the pharmacist or prescribing doctor carrying out medicines reconciliation for individual patients.
• Initiate the supply of non-stock items for one-stop dispensing as appropriate (once clinically checked by a pharmacist) i.e. medicines labelled with directions for discharg

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Look and assess, in accordance with strict procedures and guidelines, whether any medication brought into hospital by the patient are fit for use and removing (with the patient’s consent) any unwanted or unsuitable medicines and relabelling medicines where appropriate

• Regularly check that any changes to prescribed medication are reflected in the supply to the patient’s medicine locker. Remove unwanted/discontinued items and issue newly prescribed drugs in accordance with Trust procedure. Ensure that sufficient quantities of patients own drugs are maintained, ordering items where necessary before supplies run out. Relabel containers when there is a dose change
• Clarify changes in medication or doses by checking patient’s notes and liaising with the ward pharmacist and/or prescriber
• Supporting the clinical pharmacists in the management of medicines and minimising risks of medicines to individual patients by providing a clinical pharmacy technician service
• Be responsible for the maintenance and updating of ward stock lists for the designated clinical areas in conjunction with the clinical pharmacist and ward staff
• Aid discharge planning in conjunction with the clinical pharmacist, ward staff, main pharmacy dispensary and discharge liaison team
• Discharge patients, after TTA has been clinically checked as per Trust policy, with supplies from drug lockers, TTA cupboards or by ordering from pharmacy

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.