Principle Pharmacy Technician

Job overview

This position is a temporary uplift for 1 year from a band 6 to a band 7.  The post holder will continue their current band 6 job alongside managing the pharmacy distribution team.

Main duties of the job

Current band 6 duties plus managing the pharmacy distribution team.  This includes managing staff recruitment, sickness and supporting the senior pharmacy support worker in the day to day running of the distribution team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To be responsible for the day to day running of the staff in the distribution team
• To ensure the service provided by the distribution team runs effectively and efficiently to wards, departments and customers
• To work alongside the lead pharmacy technician in procurement
• To assist the chief pharmacy technician in any datix’s or complaints that need input
• Acts as a technical role model working to a high standard
• Co-operates with the chief pharmacy technician and all other pharmacy staff in providing and developing an efficient and comprehensive Pharmaceutical Service for the patients of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Communications

• To communicate and explain any service operational changes within the department to staff
• In absence of the Chief Pharmacy Technician communicates directly with HR eg; sickness absence, staff issues
• Communicates directly with Occupational Health
• Communicates with patients/carers/staff/other healthcare professional and external customers
• Able to deal with queries of a complex nature

Responsibility for Patient Care

• Maintains an effective and efficient dispensing and drug distribution service to patients’ wards departments and outside hospitals/clinics serviced by the pharmacy at Stepping Hill Hospital.

• Performs a final ‘accuracy check on prescriptions and orders which have previously been clinically checked by a pharmacist and in accordance with Trust procedures and ensures dispensing errors are corrected by the appropriate member of staff.

Planning and organising

• To work alongside the senior pharmacy support worker when preparing rotas for the week, weekends and bank holidays
• To ensure there is adequate portering to deliver all the boxes and fluids
• To work closely with all specialist pharmacy technicians in the pharmacy department
• Delegates appropriately

• Maintains safety and security within the pharmacy department
• Liases with the procurement team with regards to short dated stock
• Provides to the distribution team information regarding availability of pharmacy stock
• Ensure that the requirements for Health and Safety are met
• Ensure the distribution are of pharmacy stores is kept tidy
• At all times to practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics General Pharmaceutical counsel
• To participate in any new arrangements that may involve flexible working eg; extended hours or 7 day service
• To participate in emergency duties according to local agreement

• Develops and implements policies and procedures relating to distribution services
• Assists the chief pharmacy technician to ensure the WDA is kept up to date
• To ensure distribution work is carried out in accordance with agreed procedures for the safe and secure handling of medicines within the trust

• To provide effective leadership to  all staff working within the pharmacy distribution team
• To ensure annual leave requests are dealt with correctly
• To play an active role in the recruitment process for pharmacy distribution staff
• To ensure all pharmacy support workers within the team have an annual appraisal
• Responsible for ensuring trust policies for sickness are followed
• Undertakes any other duties which is deemed appropriate by the Chief Pharmacy Technician

• To support and deliver the necessary training to staff within the distribution team
• To ensure that training records are developed and maintained for all pharmacy support workers working within the pharmacy distribution team
• To ensure effective stock rotation is taking place

• Ensures that all documentation relating to the issue of medicines is maintained and the required information is required for statistical purposes.
• Analyse and check data in any specialist area when an audit trail is necessary for problem solving or tracking down a product etc.
• Uses the computer system to its full potential including patient information details.

• To participate in departmental audits
• To participate in projects of a research nature

• Ensures compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice/Medicines legislation

Physical Skills and Effort

• Able to lift boxes within the distribution area

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trust’s policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.

If successful this vacancy will require an enhanced DBS check at a cost of £54.90. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salary  In addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £16.

‘Before applying for a secondment opportunity please familiarise yourself with the Trust secondment policy (found on the intranet) and ensure that you have discussed and gained approval from your current line manager’