Dispenser

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: DISPENSER

REPORTS TO: Assistant Practice Manager

HOURS: 24 hours per week

Job summary:

To process all relevant prescriptions as authorised by GPs and prescribing nurses where appropriate in accordance with the principles of good practice.

Job responsibilities:

To ensure that all medicines and appliances dispensed are checked against the prescription and whenever there is doubt about the appropriateness of the item, or about the dose or labelling instructions to check with the authorising doctor or duty doctor.

To collect all due prescription charges and ensure that the patient declaration on the reverse of the FP10 is duly filled in and signed by the patient.

To ensure that all monies received or handled on behalf of the practice are appropriately stored and banked and a record kept of all financial transactions.

To endorse all prescription forms as appropriate.

To promptly forward all invoices and dispensary related correspondence to the practice manager or dispensary manager according to practice policy.

To operate efficient stock control appropriate to the needs of the practice with the objective of ensuring continuity of supply for patients and minimising wastage through out of date stock.

To ensure that drugs are stored in an appropriate manner in accordance with the accompanying instructions.

To ensure that shelves and all work surfaces are regularly cleaned to maintain a high level of hygiene within the dispensary and that all dispensary equipment is kept clean and kept in good working order.

To take prompt action in response to any drug alert bulletins that may be received from time to time.

To ensure that refrigerated items are stored at the appropriate temperature and to maintain a temperature control record/logbook.

To maintain full and accurate records of all dispensing transactions incorporating the use of computers when available and appropriate.

To undertake any necessary work as may be required and appropriate to maintain a high standard and efficient dispensing service.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will be involved in promotion and management their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines

Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines

Correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Use and monitoring of the correct use of Standard operating Procedures for cleaning and infection control

Responsible for correct hand hygiene of self and others

Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process

Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes

Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal

Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management

Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised

Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers

Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum twice annually)

Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection

Spillage control procedures, management and training

Maintenance of sterile environments

Equality and diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team
• IT skills (MS Office, Internet etc.)
• Interpersonal skills (Communication both written & oral)
• Time Management and the ability to work to deadlines
• Ability to follow policies and procedures
• Problem solving skills
• Smart, polite and confident
• Planning and organising
• Performing under pressure
• Adaptability
• Using initiative
• Team working
• Self motivated
• Flexibility
• Confidentiality

Desirable

• Qualified NVQ 2 Dispenser
• Experience of working in General Practice
• Experience and competence of working in a dispensary environment
• Experience of using own initiative
• Experience of using computerised medical record systems

Employer details

Employer name

Yetminster Health Centre

Address

Church Street

Yetminster

Sherborne

Dorset

DT9 6LG

Employer's website

https://www.yetminsterhc.com (Opens in a new tab)