Lead Pharmacy Technician

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

The post holder will support and assist the Chief Pharmacist and Deputy Chief Pharmacist in the strategic and operational management and development of the pharmacy department at LWH.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership of the pharmacy dispensing service and clinical pharmacy technical service delivered at ward level within site including business and strategic planning and the development and continuous improvement of patient care processes.

Provide a visible, accessible and authoritative presence across the dispensary service in order that staff, patients and their families can have confidence and seek advice and support.

Responsible for ensuring that systems are in place to control the dispensing and distribution of medicines safely, effectively, efficiently and in compliance with all relevant legislation, the Trust Medicines Management Policy and other relevant policies.

Ensure the pharmacy department is adequately staffed 7 days a week with technical staff at all times by overseeing rotas and workload allocation, leading on recruitment and selection of locums, reviewing shift patterns and forward planning services for staff within the teams. Manage service provision at weekends, evenings and bank holidays for dispensary staff.

Responsible for ensuring intelligent drug cupboards are managed appropriately.

Responsible for ensuring any change to medicines storage arrangements are aligned with LWH agreed standards.

Responsible for the performance and personal development of dispensary staff by way of check ins, appraisals, service improvement objectives and personal development plans.

Lead on ensuring all HR policies and procedures are adhered to for all dispensary staff including attendance capability and disciplinary policy.

Responsible for ensuring robust business continuity plans are in place for the pharmacy dispensing service.

Responsible for the safe and cost effective procurement and storage of drugs and ensure that national, regional contracts are followed for purchasing where applicable.

Duties and Key Tasks

Clinical / Operational

Manage patient specific dispensing, medicines supply to wards and maintaining systems for the control of medicines in accordance with current legislation.

Manage the clinical technical staff who take medication histories on wards and provide a dispensing service involving assessing medicines suitability for safe reuse.

Counsel and educate patients and their carers on the correct use of their medication and assess their understanding of medicines prescribed, particularly in situations with complex dosing regimens or preparations that require manipulation to administer.

Be responsible for ensuring pharmaceutical resources (staff, time and medicine stock) are used effectively.

Analyse and interpret requirements for ward based technical, dispensary and operational services, including staffing and service issues.

Facilitate the implementation of national guidelines appropriate to medicine.

Support the pharmacy in reporting, investigating and learning from medication incidents.

Leadership / management

Act as line manager for the technical pharmacy and support staff employed within the department.

Complete appropriate work-based assessments of technical pharmacy staff to provide on-going assurance of their competence. Manage departmental workload and allocation of staff to duties.

Undertake individual appraisal and objective setting with technical pharmacy staff, managing sickness absence, disciplinary and grievance, recruitment and selection decisions in line with department and Trust objectives.

Develop and implement training packages to support the training and development of pharmacy staff.

Work independently within appropriate guidelines, referring to manager when necessary.

Act as a role model for more junior members of the pharmacy department.

Support the senior pharmacy managers in developing and implementing the strategic goals of the department.

Assist in the writing of procedures and policies to support safe systems of work in accordance with legal, risk management and clinical governance strategies.

Manage freedom of information requests coming through the pharmacy and cascading them if necessary.

Represent the pharmacy service on relevant Trust and external committees.

Education and Training

Lead the training and development program for technical and support staff.

Performance manage all technical and support staff as appropriate.

Work with external education providers to deliver and assess relevant course for technical staff.

Participate in Continuing Professional Development as required to meet the requirements for revalidation as laid out by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Lead medicines management audits across the Trust and produce reports for the appropriate committees.

Represent the Trust at the Regional Pharmacy Technical Support Group meeting.

Clinical Governance/Quality

Represent the pharmacy department at relevant committees including Health and Safety, Information Governance and operational board meetings.

Assist the senior team in investigating complaints, provision of suitable responses and ensure remedial action is taken.

Assist the senior team on Risk Management issues ensuring technical and support staff are aware of their responsibilities under Health and Safety legislation and that they are appropriately trained and provided with any necessary protective equipment to carry out their function.

Undertake regular Personal Development Reviews of technical and pharmacy support staff. Ensure appraisers fulfil their responsibilities and monitor compliance with development review.

Ensure all technical staff comply with professional registration requirements.

Ensure all technical and support staff comply with mandatory training requirements.

General Responsibilities

Ensure that all rotas for operation of the service are in place.

Manage the dispensary house-keeping duties on a day to day basis.

Authorisation of annual leave for technical and support staff.

Ensure bank staff hours and sickness absences are conveyed appropriately in order for SVL to be updated.

Authorised signatory of invoices payable up to £5000.

Ensure in-house induction program is delivered to all new technical and support staff.

Ensure return to work training and competencies is delivered for all long term absences including maternity leave.

Undertake any duties required by the Chief or Deputy Chief Pharmacist, commensurate with the grade of the post.

Comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of medicines within the pharmacy and in all other clinical areas of the hospital, reporting any areas of concern to the Chief or Deputy Chief Pharmacist.

Maintain safe systems of work under relevant current and future legislation e.g. COSHH, Health and Safety at Work Act, Medicines Act.

Ensure technical and support staff follow and understand relevant HR policies.

Qualifications

Essential

• QCF Level 3 in Pharmacy services (or equivalent) with appropriate underpinning knowledge
• Accredited Dispensing Checking award
• Member of the GPhC

Desirable

• Level 4 management qualification or equivalent
• A1 assessor

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working as a technician leader in a hospital environment
• Proven management through delegation and achieving through others
• Proven dispensary and clinical development projects
• Proven record in management of change
• Proven pro-active approach
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Experience of managing the recruitment process and chairing interviews
• Human resources experience and knowledge of related policies
• Effective management of staff

Desirable

• Experience of undertaking audit and/or research and using the results to effect positive change
• Experience of teaching, training and/or mentoring
• Experience of conducting appraisals

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness at all levels
• Excellent time management skills
• Good organisation skills
• Able to prioritise own workload and meet tight deadlines
• Able to critically reflect on own performance and services and use this process to develop skills and services
• Commitment to Continuing Professional Development
• Previous management or supervisory experience
• Knowledge of registration process and deadlines
• Attention to detail
• Computer literate, good IT skills, able to learn new programmes quickly
• Good problem solving skills
• Committed to developing and enhancing pharmacy services
• Ability to work effectively under pressure whilst continuing to deliver key targets
• Logical thought process
• Knowledge of clinical trials CTIMP requirements, including Annex 13
• Knowledge of relevant education providers, courses and requirements

Desirable

• Demonstrable management abilities
• Demonstrable experience of developing pharmacy services
• Knowledge and understanding of financial issues including CIP
• Innovative developments of hospital pharmacy

Other

Essential

• Self-motivated
• Proactive, takes initiative
• Able to work in and lead teams effectively
• Able to remain calm and composed in difficult situations
• Able to work in a busy environment
• High degree of personal integrity
• Sensitive and empathetic
• Willing to work flexibly when required
• Ability and willingness to undertake further training as necessary
• Ability to participate in weekend/bank holidays and late-night technical rotas

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).