Senior Pharmacy Technician

Job overview

The SWLSTG pharmacy team have an excellent opportunity for a pharmacy technician to join our friendly department delivering our medicines optimisation and dispensary services in our brand-new state of the art building and pharmacy dispensary. Our pharmacy currently operates Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and does not open on weekends, bank holidays or have late duty shifts.

The postholder will need to be adaptable to new situations, conscientious, have good attention to detail, excellent communication skills and be able to work alone and as well as part of a team prioritizing the workload to ensure the needs of the patients, service and pharmacy are met in a timely manner.   You will actively contribute towards on-going service development and will provide support and leadership to junior pharmacy technicians, Pre-registration Trainee pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants and students. You will take an active role in Medicines Management issues by promoting good practice on the wards and in training sessions, monitoring drugs in trolleys in accordance with amendments to patients’ prescribed medication and sharing of information with ward staff in a clear, accurate and timely manner.

Applicants must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a Pharmacy Technician, or be in the final stages of qualification and registration.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for the provision of pharmacy medicines management services and provide support to the pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, provide operational support where required, provide a clinical pharmacy service to inpatient wards and work with the multidisciplinary team to ensure the delivery of a safe and effective service to our patients. This includes the delivery of education & training sessions to our pharmacy and multidisciplinary team colleagues.

You will have opportunities to participate in reviewing and monitoring the clinical pharmacy standards and working closely with the senior pharmacy managers to identify service gaps. You will also be involved in co-ordinating, undertaking and presenting of reports on audits and projects to evaluate and improve services alongside pharmacy and trust priorities and objectives.

You should have recent previous experience of medicines optimisation and should hold accreditations for both medicines management and accredited checking pharmacy technician (ACPT).  Those without these essential criteria will be considered for a band 4 to 5 progression, with a tailored development programme. Experience of working within mental health services and within a multidisciplinary team, good written and verbal communication, familiarity communication, familiarity with clozapine dispensing and supply services and knowledge of mental health medicines are also desirable.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To participate in a high quality, patient focused Medicines Optimisation model for technicians, at ward and community team level.
• To monitor and supervise the work of the pharmacy assistants and participate in medication top-up at team base/ward level, to ensure good stock control.
• To be responsible for the safe, accurate and timely supplying of medicines in accordance with agreed stock lists and non-stock items, in line with the changing clinical needs of each clinical environment to minimise waste and reduce risk, and ensuring records are kept.
• To monitor medicines storage on wards, team bases and outside units in line with Medicines Management standards.
• To assist with departmental and Trust wide quality audits to demonstrate compliance with Medicines Management policies.
• To have involvement with the general supervision and development review of pharmacy assistants and technicians according to departmental policy.
• To supervise the internal training scheme for pharmacy assistants/pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians leading to NVQ Level 2/3, in line with London Education & Training guidance, and achieve Practice Supervisor status as required/appropriate, leading to further development as an Educational Supervisor.
• To dispense medication, ensuring compliance with all procedures, for patients ready to receive a final accuracy check.
• To maintain Accredited Accuracy Checking Technician status and perform the final accuracy check of prescriptions in accordance with Trust policy.
• To maintain Accreditation in Medicines Management (HEELASE or equivalent)
• To participate within the pharmacy, when necessary, with the receipt, processing, storage and stock control of medicines and other supplies.
• To counsel patients on the use of their medication, as appropriate.
• To respond to enquiries and requests from staff, patients and carers, in accordance with individual competence and departmental policy.
• To provide training and advice on pharmacy services to ward, nursing, medical and pharmacy staff.
• To assist in the induction of new staff, and in-house training.
• To use pharmacy and other computer systems in the course of performing these duties.
• To provide reciprocal cover for other medicines management technicians in their absence, which may necessitate working at other Trust sites
• To deputise for the Lead Medicine Management Technicians when required.

Training and Development

• To undertake mandatory and statutory training, supervision and annual appraisal as required by Trust policy.
• To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development Review/appraisal.
• To undertake personal development as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP).