Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Harefield Hospital

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main tasks and responsibilities:

- Communication

To work effectively as a member of the Pharmacy team.To communicate effectively with senior members of staff regarding any problems encountered.To monitor and report out of stock issues, liaising with the purchasing team to source alternatives.To liaise with the Lead Pharmacy Technician, Patient Services and Principal Pharmacy Technician, Purchasing & Distribution, regarding out of stock lines, non-contract issues and supplier issues.To liaise with all members of staff from Pharmacy, ward/departments, and suppliers with regards to orders, deliveries and to follows.To communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals, patients, and members of the public.To attend to personal callers and telephone requests in a courteous manner and to communicate effectively with patients, carers, nurses and doctors.

- Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)

1. DISPENSARY

To carry out reception duties including the answering of the telephone and receiving prescriptions from staff and patients in a courteous manner, referring to Pharmacy Technicians or Pharmacists when appropriateTo process prescriptions on the Epic integrated system to generate labels in a timely manner.To undertake accurate dispensing of prescriptions for inpatients and outpatients, in accordance with current trust dispensing procedures. This may include IVIG, biologics, cyclophosphamide and Controlled Drugs with appropriate training.To undertake dispensing of Clinical Trials once appropriate training has been completed.To deal with returned medication from the wards and outpatients including clinical trials.Participate in the daily rolling stock take and have responsibility for stock management including re-stocking shelves, stock rotation, stock balancing, expiry date checks and maintaining clean and tidy storage for the various areas within the pharmacy.To assist the Lead Pharmacy Technician Patient Services and Chief Pharmacy Technician to maintain efficient stock control.To ensure that items taken out of hours are booked out correctly, according to local procedure.To ensure that to follow items are dispensed and sent to the wards or posted out to patients in a timely manner.To replenish supplies of bottles, cartons and other dispensary disposables when necessary.To order further supplies of bottles, cartons and other dispensary disposables when required according to ordering procedures.To participate in Bank Holiday and weekend working on a rotational basis

2. DISTRIBUTION

To participate in the daily stock checks.To help investigate fridge deviations using the CheckIt fridge monitoring system.To receive and check all goods against the order and the delivery note to ensure that the correct goods have been delivered in the correct quantities to the correct location.To enter goods on to EPIC once they have been checked and any discrepancies have been identified and rectified and put stock in the correct location, ensuring stock is rotated.To accurately process daily ward and department requisitions/orders ensuring that they are ready for the porter to collect at the designated time.To accurately process the dispensary and ward/department to follows daily, to ensure continuation of supply.To ensure that the filing systems in stores are kept up to date and in good order so that paperwork can be located easily when required.To ensure that stock, which has been returned from wards/departments, is suitable to be returned into Pharmacy stock. Any stock that is not suitable must be disposed of according to health and safety procedures.To ensure that all hazards are identified and removed or reported immediately in accordance with health and safety procedures.To be responsible for topping up Pharmacy stock on assigned wards and ensuring the ward stock is correctly stored and stock rotated liaising with ward pharmacists, Pharmacy, and ward staff.To complete daily checks on the gas store to ensure that there are enough cylinders, and to ensure that the cylinders are stored in accordance with health and safety regulations.To check the emergency drugs cupboard is stocked up appropriately and that it is kept clean, tidy and secure at all times.To have a full understanding of the automated dispensing system (ROBOT) in order to meet the job requirements to participate in the daily maintenance schedule, optimise the system and trouble shooting.

- Policy & Service development

To follow Trust and Departmental policies and procedures.To take part in the review of working practices and procedures for the Pharmacy department. To propose changes and assist senior staff in their implementation.To assist senior staff with project work when required.To assist colleagues with the development of the service as part of a team.

- Resource management

To be responsible for the secure storage and distribution of stock to wards and departments.To perform daily stock checks using reports generated from the EPIC system.To be responsible for organising the filing systems in Distribution and the Dispensary to ensure that a consistently high standard of service is provided.To handle cash and card transactions in respect of prescription charges for NHS and Private prescriptions. This could be over the phone.To prepare private patient invoices using the Epic system.To be responsible for the security of the department and of pharmaceutical supplies.

- People management

To actively take part in the departments CPD program.To attend study days as appropriate.To take part in the training of Pharmacy and hospital staff as required.To plan the daily workload and staffing in conjunction with the Senior Patient Services team when required.

- Information management

To be proficient in the use of the Epic Pharmacy Stock Control and Dispensing computer system and Omnicell automated storage computer systems in order to meet the job requirements.To input accurate data on the Epic system to ensure that appropriate patient care is provided.To ensure that the issue of goods to wards and departments is correctly carried out.To input the return of goods to Pharmacy on the computer system.To regularly look at both the EPIC system and the Omnicell automated drug cupboard system for goods owed to wards and departments and book out goods which have arrived in stores.To assist with updating ward/department stock lists on the Pharmacy computer system.To have a full understanding of the automated dispensing system (ROBOT) and participate in the daily maintenance schedule.To be competent in the use of the Omnicell automated drug cupboard and EPIC software systems to maintain accurate stock control including stock ordering, stock maintenance, bulk issues, adding items to orders and receiving medicines into stock in the Pharmacy and on the ward.To ensure that the delivery of goods is correctly input onto the Pharmacy stock control computer programme and into the automated drug cupboards.To be proficient in all Microsoft office software

Person Specification

Skills and Abillities

Essential

• Good communication skills
• Computer literate

Experience

Essential

• Previous pharmacy experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ2
• GCSEs Maths and English grade C

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Harefield Hospital

Hill End Road

Harefield

UB9 6JH

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)