Senior Pharmacy Technician - Patient Services

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main tasks and responsibilities

·        To deputise for the Lead Pharmacy Technician, Patient Services in their absence.

·       To assist in rota planning for senior rotational pharmacy assistants and pharmacy assistants in stores.

·  Support and assist in the training of Pre-registration Pharmacy Technicians and Trainee Pharmacists whilst on rotation in the dispensary.

·   To be responsible for the continuing professional development and overall performance of Pharmacy Assistants and whilst on rotation in the dispensary, including being responsible for the dispensary CPD drug teaching sessions.

·  Ensure that general dispensing duties: e.g. checking to-follow prescriptions and posting out of medication are carried out.

·      Ensure adequate sundries are kept and ordered when needed. Train others in how to order in their absence.

·  Undertake daily cycle counts, including the verification of stock quantities and expiry dates, and maintain accurate stock records by updating inventory levels in the stock management system in line with departmental procedures.

·        Ensure stock control is maintained for IVIG medications.

·       To ensure appropriate stock control of medical gases.

·  To be responsible for the overall management of the Pharmacy inventory, ensuring that stock checks are undertaken and discrepancies investigated and resolved, making judgements on the impact of any such discrepancies.

 ·     To handle card transactions in respect of prescription charges for NHS and Private prescriptions.

 ·     To ensure that items taken out of hours are booked out each day to the appropriate Directorate on the Epic system.

 ·    To ensure all intubation boxes and resuscitation trays are prepared in a timely manner and are available on hand and in date.

Communication

·     To work effectively as a leader of the Pharmacy team, motivating and engaging staff in service delivery and development.

· To communicate effectively and liaise with ward pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, ward staff and patients to facilitate the dispensing of medication in a timely manner.

 ·    To communicate effectively with senior members of staff regarding any problems encountered.

·     To attend to personal callers and telephone requests in a courteous manner and to communicate effectively with patients, carers, nurses and doctors.

 ·  To counsel patients on the use of their medicines providing and receiving complex and/or sensitive information which may require tact or understanding. This may be provided virtually for example on the phone.

 ·    To liaise with the private patient’s team to recoup drug costs from patient’s inpatient stay and discharges.

Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)

 · To provide a Pharmacy service to patients of the Trust including labelling, dispensing and providing administration information to the patient.

 ·  To work to a standard of working practice to enable accurate labelling, assessing and dispensing of medicine with narrow margins for error.

 ·   To undertake accurate dispensing of prescriptions for in-patients and outpatients, in accordance with current dispensing procedures.

 · To input patient details and prescription details into the EPIC prescription management system to generate labels in a timely manner.

 ·      To identify amendments required to the medication label system and refer these to the Digital Pharmacy team.

 ·         To assist in managing the stocks of controlled drugs, identifying and investigating discrepancies

 ·    To work closely with the Pharmacy Clinical Trials Team to support the coordination and dispensing of clinical trial medicines when additional operational support is required.

 ·   Deal with returned medication from outpatients. To ensure that it is returned or destroyed according to departmental procedures.

 ·     To counsel the patient on the use of their current medication and any new medication that is started by the Trust to facilitate concordance with an emphasis on those patients with poor understanding or difficulties understanding because of language, infirmity etc.

 · To refer appropriately to ward/specialist pharmacist or the Pharmacy Medicines Advisory Service any complex queries which are outside the expected sphere of competence.

 ·   To comply with medicines legislation and Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council in respect of the dispensing of medicines and provision of information.

Policy & Service development 

 ·   To oversee, develop and implement systems to ensure the effective rotational management of pharmacy dispensary and distribution services.

 ·    Ensure that dispensary procedures are maintained, updated and adhered to at all times.

 ·    To regularly review dispensary procedures to ensure they reflect current and best practice, proposing and implementing changes.

 ·    To audit and regularly review service provision in conjunction with the Chief Pharmacy Technician – Operations.

 ·    To analyse dispensary errors with the Lead Pharmacy Technician – Patient Services and Chief Pharmacy Technician – Operations and to implement any change that may prevent reoccurrence.

 ·   To follow Trust and Departmental policies and procedures.

People management

 ·   To assist in developing and implement induction programs for all new members of staff within the dispensary and distribution areas on the Harefield site.

·  Liaise with other areas within Pharmacy to obtain and provide cover as necessary.

·   To assist in the recruitment of Pharmacy Technicians, Assistants and Pre-Registration Pharmacy technicians.

 ·   To act as a role model for Pharmacy staff.

 ·    To identify own training needs.

·      To maintain a portfolio of practice.

 ·   To participate in the in-service clinical Pharmacy teaching and multi-disciplinary teaching as appropriate.

Information management

 · To be able to use pharmacy computer systems correctly, enter data accurately from prescriptions and ensure that data is stored and archived appropriately in accordance with Trust and departmental policies.

· To be proficient in the use of the Epic Pharmacy Stock Control and Dispensing computer system in order to meet the job requirements. 

·  To be competent in the use of Microsoft Office software.

·  To ensure all team members have a real voice in the development of the Pharmacy service to patients/customers.

·   To maximise the potential of all team members and to ensure that all team members have a meaningful appraisal/personal development plan that includes feedback to the individual from a selection of internal customers and team members.

·    To provide a safe and attractive working environment for team members within available resources.

·     To abide by the NHS Code of conduct for managers, the Trust’s Core behaviours for staff and managers and all other Trust policies, codes and practices, including standing financial instructions, research governance, clinical governance, patient and public involvement and health and safety.

Other Duties

·   To maintain a broad level of Pharmacy practice.

·  To participate in Bank Holiday and weekend working as well as late duty on a rotational basis.

· To participate in education and training programmes to develop skills as part of a commitment to continuing education and the concept of lifelong learning

· To be aware of, and apply, relevant legislation such as the H & SAWA, COSHH, Medicines Act, GMP etc.

· To practice at all times in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council

·   To provide any other duties commensurate with grade as requested.