Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic, self-motivated, qualified pharmacy technician to join our busy, friendly team and expanding medicines management service.

Our pharmacy department is friendly and progressive and benefits from the successful working relationship between our clinical and technical teams with a strong emphasis on training and development. It has a well-established and respected Medicines Management Technician Service that is developing new innovative more clinical roles in speciality areas (A&E, care of the elderly and orthopaedics). We welcome those whose aim is to work with patient-focused teams providing high quality clinical services and bring fresh ideas.

Working closely alongside our ward based clinical teams to ensure the delivery of high quality clinical pharmacy service, assist with medicines reconciliation by taking drug histories, ensuring patients receive appropriate information about their medicines and ensuring the risks associated with transfer of care are minimised. You will be involved with checking patient’s own drugs, ordering medicines, patients counselling, training other healthcare professionals and dispensary duties.

Opportunities for further development are encouraged, unless already in possession you will be required to undertake recognised qualification in medicines management and final accuracy checking with possibility for medicines administration training.

Band 4/5 depending on qualifications. Part-time, full-time, flexible hours.

Main duties of the job

• To undertake drug histories and medicines reconciliations at ward level, making any appropriate referrals to the ward pharmacist.
• To counsel patients regarding the correct and safe use of their medications
• To liaise with ward and pharmacy staff to facilitate prompt discharges
• To dispense all types of prescriptions and inpatients order and support the dispensary team
• To take part in  accuracy checking duties (if qualified to do so)
• To assist in the training of junior staff

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To dispense all types of prescriptions and inpatient orders, (including Controlled drugs and extemporaneous preparations, unlicensed medication), presented to the Pharmacy from wards & departments at the base hospital and the outside hospitals in accordance with departmental procedures.
• To counsel outpatients on the use of their medication (compliance, side effects, possible drug interactions) and ensure patients understand the importance of correct compliance (after training).
• To maintain accurate stock levels and undertake regular stock takes of Controlled drugs in the dispensary including accuracy of computer and register entries according to departmental procedures.
• To assist in the management of stock control in the dispensary for drugs, containers and other support items.
• To ensure that ‘to follows’ and special orders are processed.
• To organise and prioritise work so that all prescriptions are completed in timely manner in respect of urgency and transport deadlines.
• To ensure that all activities carried out in the dispensary follow departmental Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) and to assist in the maintenance of Pharmacy SOPs.
• To assist with duties relevant to the post as deemed necessary by the Dispensary Team Leaders.
• To be an Accredited Checking Technician within the department, performing final accuracy checks on prescriptions and orders that have previously been clinically checked by a Pharmacist in accordance with local procedures.
• To participate in the dispensary rota.
• To ensure ePACT FP10(HP) forms are issued correctly and according to protocol.
• To assist in the training of junior staff and act as a practice supervisor and the induction of new staff.
• To help ensure that medication is supplied in accordance with Drug and Therapeutics committee.
• To organise Dispensary services daily in the absence of senior Dispensary staff.

Medicines Management

• To organise and maintain the One Stop Dispensing scheme by ordering inpatient and discharge medication at ward level as appropriate (once clinically screened by a Pharmacist).
• Assess the suitability of patients’ own drugs (PODs) for re-use during admission and on discharge according to Trust Policy.
• To undertake medication reconciliation, making any appropriate referrals to ward pharmacist and to refer any patient concordance issues to the pharmacist.
• To counsel patients regarding the correct and safe use of their medication where appropriate.
• To review ward stock lists in conjunction with ward pharmacists and ward managers.
• To liaise with ward and pharmacy staff, to facilitate prompt discharge of patients.
• To participate in training pharmacy, nursing and medical staff regarding medicines management issues.

General

• To act as a Practice/ Education Supervisor for trainees.
• To attend continuing education and training schemes relevant to the post.
• To take part in the monitoring of internal and external errors and give advice on improvements in working practice that will result in a reduction of error rates.
• To undertake Continuing Professional Development to keep pharmaceutical knowledge current, ensure best practice and comply with requirements for entry on the Pharmacy technician register.
• To take part in late night, weekend and flexible working as per pharmacy rota, to also take part in Bank holiday rotas.
• All pharmacy staff must show confidentiality regarding any information about patients, confidential information about the Trust and commercial information (e.g. drug prices).
• All work will be carried out in accordance with relevant laws, the guidance of the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain, Trust procedures and standards of professional practice.