Pharmacy Technician – Oncology & Haematology

Job overview

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a modern forward thinking large teaching hospital employing 10,000 staff and offering a full medical service to a population of over 570,000.  It has strong links with both the School of Pharmacy with onsite teacher practitioner posts and the Medical School at the nearby University of East Anglia.

The Pharmacy Department provides a fully comprehensive pharmaceutical service across the Trust and to a number of external community units. We are a large and very busy department with over 180 members of staff including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants, admin and clerical staff and apprentices.  There are many varied roles and we all work as a team to provide the different functions and services whilst maintaining a high level of patient care.

Functions of the Pharmacy Department include the ordering, receipt and supply of medicines to wards and departments throughout the Trust/external units.  This includes dispensing for inpatients, outpatients, community units and supplying ward stocks averaging around 2,500 items a day.  Wards and external units are provided with a clinical service with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. The pharmacy provides Aseptic Services such as the preparation and supply of chemotherapy and other sterile products.

Main duties of the job

Are you an established Pharmacy Technician looking for a new challenge or newly registered / soon to be registered Pharmacy Technician looking to develop and enhance your practice and skills? This post is a unique opportunity for an existing Band 5 Pharmacy Technician with the required knowledge and skills to become a Band 5 Pharmacy Technician. Support, training, and assessment will enable you to achieve the core and enhanced competencies required for the post and join the expanding Oncology and Haematology team .

The post holder will work closely with the Oncology and Haematology pharmacy team to ensure the efficient dispensing of systemic anti-cancer treatments and supportive care for patients on Weybourne Day Unit (WDU), Mulbarton Ward, Acute Oncology Service and Macmillan Cancer Care Unit. The role supports all Oncology and Haematology specialist clinics, working closely with all members of the multi-disciplinary team from Cancer Nurse Specialists to Consultants.

Responsibilities include reducing wastage through timely returns and appropriately recycling unused treatments; stock management of high-cost drugs and compassionate use agents; completing medication reconciliations at ward level; resolving patient queries and liaising with patients or patient representatives directly; management of patients under home-care service.

Patient counselling training would be an advantage; however, qualified technicians who have not completed this training are encouraged to apply.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

With the patient numbers within the directorate increasing, the need for a robust pharmacy team is essential.

The plan is to develop a satellite pharmacy dedicated to Oncology and Haematology to best support our patients.

This post is for full time hours - 37.5 per week– please specify number of hours/days within your application.  All staff are required to participate in the weekend rota, currently 1 in 10, with corresponding time off during the week.  All staff are required to undertake at least one public holiday duty per year.  All rotas are subject to review at any time.

• Timely provision of cancer treatments and supportive care to Weybourne Day Unit (WDU).
• Reduction of wastage of dispensed treatments to WDU.
• Checking and stock maintenance of pre-filled syringes on WDU.
• Expansion of homecare services for selected oral treatments.
• The dispensing of inpatient, outpatient and discharge prescriptions.

Please view the attached job description for full details of the role and use your supporting statement to confirm how you meet the essential and desirable criteria on the job specification.