Pharmacy Technician Accuracy Checking NHS AfC: Band 5

Job overview

External applications are welcome.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated GPhC registered Pharmacy Technician to join our Dispensary team.

You will be supporting the dispensary managers in the management, co-ordination and delivery of our dispensing services.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for the accuracy checking of inpatient, outpatient, controlled drug and discharge prescriptions, and for ensuring the timely flow of work through our busy dispensaries

It is vital that applicants are adaptable and prepared to work with us to help shape the best possible service. Your contribution through suggestions, working groups, involvement in projects and audits will be encouraged.

The Pharmacy department has over 130 staff operating across Whiston and St Helens Hospitals.

We have established automated dispensing systems within the dispensaries at both sites, and the Trust has a long-standing reputation for being a rewarding place to work.

Applicants should be qualified to NVQ Level 3 / BTEC Pharmacy Service skills or a recognised equivalent and must possess BTEC Professional Diploma in Dispensing Technician Checking or recognised equivalent.

Interview Date: WC 6th December 2021

Working for our organisation

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and one of the few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by the Care Quality Commission.

We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 360,000 and provide tertiary services across a much wider area in the North West, North Wales and Isle of Man. We are a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.

Our ’5 Star Patient Care’ strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.

Our latest achievements include:

• Acute Trust of the Year – HSJ Awards November 2019
• Trust rates Outstanding by the CQC – Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers and Health Service Journal)
• Best acute Trust in England for quality of care for the 3rd year running (NHS Staff Survey)

In the NHS Staff Survey 2020 the Trust scored the highest marks in the following areas;

• Quality of care
• Staff engagement
• Support from managers

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

• To final accuracy check dispensed prescriptions, including ‘one stop dispensing’ items in accordance with departmental procedures.
• To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
• To provide a one stop dispensing service to inpatients at ward level. This will require taking patient medication histories, counselling patients, inspection of patient own drugs for re-use and dispensing for discharge.
• To participate in the dispensing and final accuracy checking of restricted and controlled medicines including having authorised access to patients’ blood results which need interpreting before supply can be issued e.g. Clozaril Monitoring Service
• To participate in the dispensing process of all prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices and departmental procedures, including;
• Inpatient
• Outpatient
• TTOs
• Controlled Drugs
• Clinical Trials
• Cytotoxic Drugs
• Unlicensed medicines

• To be responsible for the ordering and stock control of medicines for the dispensaries at both St Helens and Whiston Hospitals, including the daily stock take.
• To be responsible for the stock control of dispensed medicines on wards, departments and clinics.
• To assist in the maintenance of the stock control of non-dispensed medicines on wards.
• To liaise with appropriate medical staff, clinical pharmacists, ward staff, GP’s, Primary Care Trust staff, community pharmacies and other professional bodies regarding any issues with patients’ medication.
• To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions.
• To participate in ward pharmacy services and outside clinic visits (Willis House, Willowbrook Hospice etc) including stock control and liaison with medical and nursing staff.
• To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
• To assist in the preparation, assembly and final accuracy check of emergency resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
• To assist the Chief Technician in the recruitment of staff including participation on interview panels.
• To participate in a rota which enables the department to provide a full 7 day service.
  To participate in Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday, late night and on-call rotas as necessary in response to the changing needs of the service.
• To participate in and to perform individual performance review with technical staff

Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details.