Job responsibilities
Professional / Clinical
The post holder will be a
Pharmacy Technician (NVQ / BTEC level 3 or equivalent) who is currently
registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. The post holder will also
have completed further training to achieve accredited checking technician
status. Additionally, you should have successfully completed a national
accreditation in medicines optimisation, or be prepared to train to achieve
this accreditation.
The post holder will rotate
duties with the other band 5 pharmacy technicians to provide the services
listed below under the direction and support of the Clinical Director of
Pharmacy and the Senior Management Team
To undertake patient-focused
Medicines Optimisation pharmacy duties in accordance with Standard Operating
Procedures and the legal framework for the supply of medicines:
Medication assessment - assess the suitability for use of
medicines brought into hospital by patients.
Supply medicines ensure and organise the efficient supply of
medicines during a patients stay in hospital and for patients taking leave or
being discharged.
Daily dispensing and checking of medication for inpatient wards
and outreach units
Clozapine dispensing service operating from Glenbourne Pharmacy
including checking of blood results and co-ordination of supplies to inpatients
and those in the community.
Patient counselling - counsel patients and carers, as appropriate
and in conjunction with the clinical pharmacist in order to ensure maximum
benefit is gained from their medicines.
To undertake medicines
optimisation ward services in accordance with standard operating procedures to
include:
Visiting designated wards/units to check the daily communication
book.
Checking current ward stock to ensure it is in usable condition
and is within its expiry date.
Ensuring appropriate re-use / segregation and / or destruction of
unwanted/unsuitable stock.
Determining amount of stock required in liaison with unit managers
and ward pharmacist/clinical lead pharmacist.
Generating orders for the required amount of stock
Bringing to the attention of the ward pharmacist/clinical lead
pharmacist any requests from wards for non-formulary items and non-stock items.
Informing the ward clinical pharmacist and ward staff of any out
of stock, to follow or currently unavailable medicines.
Removal and destruction of controlled drugs.
Medicines Reconciliation
To participate in Medicines Reconciliation within the relevant care setting.
The post holder should have successfully completed an accredited Medicines
Reconciliation Course and be the holder of a certificate of completion, or be
willing to train to do so. This accreditation will allow the post holder within
the perimeters of the Medicines Management and Medicines Reconciliation Policy
and Procedures to undertake:
Level 1 Medicines Reconciliation Accurately complete, verify and
record medication histories.
Level 2 Medicines Reconciliation Reconcile the verified
medication history with the most recent prescription available.
Level 3 Medicines Reconciliation To refer all Level 3 to the
Clinical Pharmacist
Communicate the outcomes of the level 1 or level 2 medicines
reconciliation process.
Complete all documentation accurately and legibly in accordance to
organisational Policy and Procedures.
Discharge facilitation - To
participate in Discharge Facilitation within the relevant care setting. The
post holder will be expected to:
Accurately assemble all necessary information regarding a
patients discharge
Communicate and liaise with all relevant parties regarding any
issues concerning or delaying the patients discharge, and/or necessary follow
up requirements.
Inform nursing staff of any controlled drug requirements.
Assemble all required documentation and medication in preparation
for the patients discharge.
Establish patient medication information needs and provide an
opportunity for the patient/carer to ask any questions.
Accurately complete a final locker check of medication,
compliance aids, prompt charts, against the discharge prescription offering
patient counselling where appropriate.
Complete all documentation accurately in accordance to
organisational Policy and procedure.
Analytical and Judgmental skills
To critically assess
prescription charts and discharge prescriptions when dispensing or checking prescriptions
to ensure:
Prescriptions are legal and conform to the trust standards as
detailed in the Medicines Policy.
The whole of the prescription has been screened by a pharmacist.
The prescribed medication list is fully reconciled with previous
records on admission.
Using judgement to decide when to query prescriptions and how
urgently this is required.
Use of specialist product knowledge to optimise the quality and
cost-effectiveness of the dispensing service.
Blood test status for patients on clozapine and dispensed quantity
consistent with active test status.
To work closely with the
pharmacists to resolve discrepancies and make interventions involving patients
medication with reference to the prescriber whenever possible.
To assess compliance with
medication and the patients ability to self-medicate. Where necessary to
organise compliance aids for individual patients (medication cards, Monitored
dose boxes etc. following formal assessment) to support independence.
Planning and Organisational skills
Organising and prioritising
own workload in order to respond to urgent and varied requests in a timely
manner.
Plan the rota for the
technical pharmacy team, organises supervision of support workers.
Fitting own work schedule
within outline staff rotas and being flexible according to the needs of the
service.
Supervision of more junior
pharmacy staff in own areas of work to ensure workload is completed in a timely
fashion.
Working under pressure to
ensure deadlines are achieved.
Scheduling of clozapine
supplies according to blood test status, dosage prescribed and individual
factors.
Freedom to Act
Pharmacy technicians are expected to work with limited supervision
and to act on their own professional judgement within their competence.
Support mechanisms exist within the Pharmacy team by contacting
Line Managers, Clinical leads and the Senior management team on a mutually
beneficial basis.
If studying for a specific qualification a suitable mentor will be
available.
Line manager support is available as required.
This role is defined by standard operating procedures which should
always be followed.
Service Development
To actively contribute to the development of ward/unit based
pharmaceutical care initiatives e.g. self-medication schemes, use of patients
own drugs in hospital, Medicines Management, Medicines Optimisation, Discharge
Facilitation, patient and carer counselling.
To propose and support the expansion of or changes to Clinical
Pharmacy services.
To attend and contribute to
Pharmacy Team meetings and participate in discussions on the development of the
service.
Implement policies and propose changes to practices, procedures
for own area/ propose policy or service changes that may impact beyond own area.
Implements SOPs within pharmacy technician teams, implements
medicines management policies/ Contributes to wider organisational/system
policies.
Management of Staff
To provide day to day supervision; Professional/ clinical
supervision and training of less experienced staff; undertake basic workplace
assessments.
Training and Development
To assist in the training of staff involved in ward based pharmacy
services e.g. pharmacy technicians and assistants, trainee pharmacists and
students, nursing and medical staff.
To assist in the training, induction and supervision of new
members of staff.
To undertake CPD and maintain a portfolio of personal and
professional development.
To attend such study days and updating courses as are deemed
necessary for the advancement of the service.
Other Duties
To undertake any other reasonable duties deemed necessary by the
Clinical Director of Pharmacy or their Deputy.
COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Well-developed verbal and
written communications skills (including telephone and email) are essential to
the role, even when there are communication difficulties.
To liaise with all levels of
healthcare staff and patients with regard to medication supply issues in all
areas of work.
To maintain patient and
corporate confidentiality at all times.
To liaise with the following
as necessary:
Patients and carers
The ward Multidisciplinary team
Nursing, consultant and junior medical staff
GPs, community nurses and community pharmacists to ensure
appropriate supply of medicines to facilitate safe transfer of care
Other clinical pharmacy services staff and members of the pharmacy
department at UHP
Clozaril Patient Monitoring Service (CPMS), Denzapine Monitoring
Service (DMS), Combined Labs (Derriford Hospital), Kingspath Clozapine Plasma
Level Service.
IT services: SystmOne, Discharge Medicines referral service
Pharmacy IT systems service desk
Other mental health trusts/pharmacy departments for patients
recently transferred
Ward managers and clinical team leaders
Modern matrons
CCG / NHS England Medicines Optimisation advisers
To take part in leading huddles and taking minutes for huddles and
meetings
To be tactful and empathetic when dealing with patients and
provide reassurance with respect to medication issues.
Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, as well as
with Clinical pharmacy services team and members of the pharmacy department at
UHP
To promote compliance by prescribers and other healthcare staff
with the South and West Devon Formulary.
7. PHYSICAL DEMANDS
OF THE JOB
There is a need to travel
between units in a timely fashion, therefore ability to drive and to use own
car is an advantage.
Dispensing and checking of
medication including monitored dose packs.
