Pharmacy Assistant

Job content

Job Summary

The Pharmacy and Aseptic Services at Great Western Hospital are looking for a team worker with good interpersonal and organisational skills to join our team.

The position is for a full-time Band 2 Pharmacy Assistant. The successful candidate will be involved in activities to assist effective running of the day-to-day services including supporting our dispensary, aseptics and cancer team and delivering services to our wards.

Main duties of the job

To support the Pharmacy Department in the effective day to day running of the service.

To undertake the specialist requirements relating to the support of Pharmacy Aseptic Services Unit (PASU) as per departmental standard operating procedures.

To follow department standard operating procedures ensuring all activities are in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP).

About Us

Our STAR values are at the heart of everything we do. You can expect to see them in the way we act and the way we treat each other. Our values make us who we are.

Service - We will put our patients first

Teamwork - We will work together

Ambition - We will aspire to provide the best service

Respect - We will act with integrity

Job Description

Job responsibilities

Clinical areas within Cancer Services

• To support the receipt, sorting and storage of treatments and take home medicines (TTAs) on day units.
• To update the electronic chemotherapy prescribing system to confirm the receipt of treatments / TTAs from our outsourced outpatient pharmacy and PASU.
• To organise and return unused/delayed TTAs back to the pharmacy from day units.
• To keep track of fridge temperature and notifying senior staff when it reaches an unacceptable level.
• To ensure that all TTAs have been sent from the outsourced outpatient pharmacy for the following treatment day and to notify senior staff if there are any problems.
• Providing support to the Cancer Pharmacy Team on other relevant administrative tasks.
• To ensure the safe delivery of treatments to the relevant clinic or ward area by using appropriate delivery bags and storage conditions.
• To safely handle hazardous materials and waste such as cytotoxics, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and sharps, according to Trust policies without further increasing the risk to themselves or their colleagues.
  

Dispensary

• To safely transport and handover controlled drugs to the necessary ward or clinic area using the appropriate delivery bags and storage conditions.
• To maintain sufficient levels of all dispensary sundries (bag/bottles/boxes etc.)
• To ensure all waste bins are sealed and labelled correctly, and disposed on safely according to Trust policies.
• To assist in the packing and handover of medicine delivery bags for transport by the Trust Porter service.
• To assist in the retrieval of prescriptions and orders from ward or clinic areas.
  

General

• To assist in processing documentation, including filing, photocopying, and archiving documentation.
• To support Senior Staff to improve standards and quality within the Pharmacy department.
• To ensuring that all lifting of heavy containers follows the Trusts manual handling guidelines.
• To foster and maintaining good relationships with Pharmacy, Medical, Nursing and other staff,
• To answer the telephone, take accurate messages and pass on appropriate information in a professional and timely manner.
• To aim to undertake and achieve relevant QCF level 2 modules in Pharmacy Services within 2 years of starting in post.
• To take responsibility for own personal development and agree objectives in discussion with line manager. Maintain own personal development plan.
• To participate in the pharmacy bank holiday, weekend and evening rotas, as required to meet the needs of an extended hours and 7 days a week service.
  

Pharmacy Aseptic Services Unit

When service delivery is required, the following duties may be required:

• To safely pack, transport and handover prepared doses to the necessary ward or clinic area using the appropriate delivery bags and storage conditions.
• To accurately complete the required checks to enable safe receipt of all deliveries of raw material, ancillary products, consumables, cleaning agents and equipment.
• To physically unpack deliveries, place in the correct location and in stock rotation order.
• To be competent to follow the department environmental monitoring procedures including room pressures, isolator operation and daily microbiological monitoring.
• To assist in the transfer disinfection into PASU and classified cleanrooms of all items required for aseptic processing, following departmental processes.
• To safely handle hazardous materials and waste such as cytotoxics, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and sharps, according to Trust policies without further increasing the risk to themselves or their colleagues.
• To maintain the necessary competencies. These include but are not limited to valid hand washing.
• To ensure all waste bins including cytotoxic are sealed and labelled correctly, and disposed on safely according to Trust policies.
  

Person Specification

Essential and desirable Essential

• NVQ/QCF level 2 in Pharmacy services - or willing and able to work towards
• Working within a team
• Managing own workload to meet the needs of a service
• Good computer skills including Microsoft applications
• Good literacy & numeracy skills required
• To be able to manipulate fine tools and materials with physical accuracy and dexterity
• Ability to work and clean in a clean room environment fully gloved and gowned.
• Able to concentrate for extended periods
• Demonstrates ability to communicate information effectively using clear written and spoken English
• Demonstrates good interpersonal skills with the ability to listen and undertake instruction
• Demonstrates sensitivity in dealing with patients and staff
• Ability to follow procedures
  

Desirable

• Previous Pharmacy Experience
• Previous clean room environment experience
  

Additional information

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .