Pharmacy Dispenser/Technician

Job overview

PHARMACY DISPENSER/TECHNICIAN

The Pharmacy Shop is the trading name for a wholly owned subsidiary (the business) of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. It operates to provide exceptional, accessible and innovative healthcare and pharmaceutical services for the Trust’s patients, staff and the local community.

The post holder will be employed by The Pharmacy Shop, not the NHS.

The salary for this role is competitive and negotiable (equivalent to NHS bands 3 or 4) depending on experience and qualifications.

We require a dependable, enthusiastic & motivated pharmacy dispenser to deliver a high quality and effective patient focused service.

You would be fully supported in your personal development with a personal development plan updated annually.

You must possess excellent skills in accuracy and good attention to detail as you will be responsible for dispensing hospital prescriptions. You will need to provide cover on the pharmacy counter and this will require you to be flexible and adaptable.

You should possess good communication skills and be a committed team player. Hospital experience is not essential and applications from community pharmacy are welcome as training will be provided.

We are ideally looking for a full time candidate (40 hours per week).

For informal enquiries, please contact Salahudeen Shafi, Superintendent Pharmacist on 0161 419 4466.

Main duties of the job

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Making orders to wholesalers and suppliers
• Receiving these orders, booking in the stock and processing invoices
• Managing stock, the layout of stock, conducting stock rotation and monitoring expiry dates
• Liaise with various members of the pharmacy team when solving supply problems and ensure the best service to patients
• Receiving prescriptions into the Pharmacy Shop for hospital outpatients and patients discharged from assessment wards. Ensuring to ask the appropriate safety questions, and communicate these to the Responsible Pharmacist.
• Interprets and dispenses prescriptions for outpatients and patients discharged from hospital assessment wards.
• Concentrate whilst dispensing prescriptions/calculating doses and quantities for supply whilst dealing with occasional interruptions.
• When needed, to sell over the counter medications in an appropriate and safe manner
• When needed to file prescriptions on a daily basis, and at the end of the month

Communications

Planning and organising

• To answer telephone and deal with face to face queries of a routine or technical nature from a wide range of staff groups. Refer appropriate queries to the relevant member of the pharmacy team when necessary.
• To liaise with various members of the pharmacy team when solving supply problems and ensuring the best service to patients.
• Assists in providing information when dealing with complaints.
• Communicates with patients/carers when receiving prescriptions e.g. checking patient’s details, payment or proof of exemption, completing promise to pay forms,  giving information on further supplies of medicines etc.
• To provide patients and carers with clear information as to the use, potential adverse effects, or monitoring of their medications.
• To be responsible for the accurate completion of all dispensary documentation
• Organises and prioritises own workload and when necessary assists other members of the pharmacy team.
• Assists in annual stock checks
• To be responsible for; checking expiry dates, correct storage and turnover of stock in designated sections of the pharmacy on a regular basis.
• Sorts, identifies, credits and recycles where appropriate, returned medicines.
• Issues controlled drugs (after completion of Controlled Drug training)
• Issues Clinical Trials and specialist products e.g. specific chemotherapy medication.
• To assist in the planning, implementation and operation of new technology
• Ensures the correct prescription charge is taken
• To assist in the planning, implementation and operation of new services.
• Implements all procedures, policies, guidance documents and dispensary standards provided by the department.
• Assist in the integration of new guidance documents and procedures into working practices.
• Suggest ways of improving working practices and when needed implement these changes.
• Undertake continuing professional development in order to keep pharmaceutical, clinical and technical knowledge current to ensure best practice.
• Identifies own training needs, annual objectives and personal development plan in line with the Departmental and Trust objectives
• To gain competence in dispensing Controlled drugs within a hospital environment
• Uses the computer system and dispensing software to its full potential including patient information details.
• Ensures that all documentation relating to the issue of medicines is maintained and the required information is available for statistical purposes.
• Use the prescription tracking system to monitor prescription turnaround times and dispensing errors.
• Participates in projects of a research nature
• Participates in any new arrangements that may involve flexible working.

Physical Skills and Effort

• At all times to practice in accordance with the General Pharmaceutical's Council's standards of conduct, ethics and performance
• To participate in any new arrangements that may involve flexible working e.g. extended hours or 7 day service.
• All employees have a duty and responsibility to protect and safeguard children.  You must therefore be aware of child protection procedures and who to contact within the Trust for further help and guidance
• Observe the provisions of and adhere to all Pharmacy Shop policies and procedures.
• To maintain confidentiality and abide by GDPR and the Data Protection Act.
• To be familiar with and follow health and safety policy and procedures and to be aware of individual responsibilities under legislation, drawing any areas of potential risk to the attention of managers
• To attend Stockport NHS Foundation Trust mandatory training every three years or to undertake electronically as directed.
• To undertake any other duties which is deemed appropriate when requested by the Superintendent Pharmacist.
• The above indicates the main duties of the post which may be reviewed in the light of experience and development within the service.  Any review will be undertaken in conjunction with the post holder.

• Ability to move heavy boxes when required

Hand Hygiene

As the Pharmacy Shop is based within Stepping Hill Hospital, to assist the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in reducing healthcare acquired infections (HCAI’s) all staff should be familiar with all the Trust’s Infection Prevention policies which are appropriate to their role. This may require you to be familiar with the Trust’s Hand Decontamination Policy, Personal Protective Equipment Policy, safe procedures for using aseptic techniques and safe disposal of sharps. You are required to attend mandatory training in Infection Prevention and be compliant with all measures known to be effective in reducing HCAI’s”

Safeguarding

All employees have a duty and responsibility to protect and safeguard children and vulnerable adults.  They must therefore be aware of child protection procedures and who to contact within Stockport NHS Foundation Trust for further help and guidance

Data Protection & Confidentiality

To abide by all relevant Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Pharmacy Shop  policies including information governance, confidentiality and data protection.  The post holder is reminded that any breach of information governance and security policies and procedures will result in disciplinary action.

Compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Information Governance – the post holder is required to process all personal data relating to patients and staff, in both manual and electronic records, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, ensuring the security and confidentiality of data at all times.  They must not for their own benefit or gain, or to divulge to any persons, firm or other organisation whatsoever, any confidential information belonging to the Trust or relating to the Trust’s affairs or dealings which may come to their knowledge during employment.

Health & Safety

Compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 - the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions.  This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

Harassment & Bullying

As a member of staff you have a personal responsibility to ensure you do not discriminate, harass or bully or contribute to the discrimination, harassment or bullying of any colleague(s) or visitors or condone discrimination, harassment or bullying by others.

Dignity & Respect

All employees have a duty to promote a harmonious working environment in which all persons are treated with dignity and respect, whilst fulfilling our legal obligations under equality legislation and associated codes of practice.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust takes the right of the patient/service user to be treated with dignity and respect seriously.  We will treat every patient/service user and carer as a valued individual, with respect for his/ her dignity and privacy.  Our aim is to give each patient/service user the care we would want for our families and ourselves.

To undertake any other duties which is deemed appropriate to the band when requested by Senior Staff.

The above indicates the main duties of the post which may be reviewed in the light of experience and development within the service.  Any review will be undertaken in conjunction with the post holder.