Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen, and we are currently seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated Senior Assistant Technical Officer (SATO) to join and support our busy team in the Pharmacy Department at the Whittington Hospital. The post is varied, and you will be supporting the provision of pharmacy services across the trust. You will provide a professional, efficient and customer focused service following agreed departmental policies and procedures.
The successful candidate will have, good customer service and interpersonal skills, you will communicate well, you will have demonstrated ability to prioritise and organise work in order to meet deadlines, you will have the ability to work to a high standard within the team or using your own initiative and also the ability to work under pressure. You will also have the ability to input data accurately and self-check as you work. This is a vital role that requires a conscientious and methodical person who is able to keep pace with the work.
Main duties of the job
This is a ward integrated post which will support ward services through managing the ward top ups and stock control on the ward. It will also support dispensary and stock distribution services.
The post holder will work closely with the Ward Pharmacists and Medicines Management Pharmacy Technicians and support them in the assessment of patients own drugs, ordering individual patient's medications and dispensing TTAs.
The post holder will assist in medicines management activities i.e. ward top up, near patient dispensing, stock management and assessing Patient's Own Drugs (PODs) for suitability of re-use.
About us
Medical services have been delivered on the Whittington Hospital site for over 500 years. On 1st April 2011, Whittington Health was launched as a new Integrated Care Organisation (ICO) comprising The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, NHS Islington and NHS Haringey. The Whittington and the community health services in Islington and Haringey are award winning organisations, delivering acute and community based health services to a population of 443,000 people.
The organisation is the biggest employer in the area, with over 4,500 staff; delivering healthcare not only on the acute hospital site which has 420 beds, but also from a variety of other community based health centres and through visits to patients homes across the boroughs to address the health needs of the local population. Whittington Health also works with other health, social care and voluntary sector partners to support patients and service users from their initial appointment whether it be with a community health team or at the hospital, all the way through to treatment and tailored after care.
We are one of the three main teaching campuses for the Royal Free and University College Medical School.
Our ICARE (Innovation, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence) Values not only help us shape what we do, but also how we do it and why. They are fundamental to the way we do business and care for our patients.
For more information, please access the following link: https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/
Job description
Job responsibilities
Daily stock replenishments of medicines on assigned wards, to resolve any stock problems and communicate stock issues to the ward pharmacy team and other healthcare professionals, always upholding good medicines management practicesTo carry out regular expiry date checks and to remove any redundant or expired medication from the ward and report these to the ward pharmacist and ward manager.To always maintain safe storage of medications on the ward and monitor the room and fridge temperatures to ensure medications are kept at optimal levelsDispense discharge medicines on the allocated wards and ensure pharmacy sundries are replenished regularly.To maintain stock control on the wards, to include regular expiry date checks and ensuring sufficient stock is kept as per stock list.After a successful probation period to work towards the HEE medicines optimisation qualification for checking patients POD medications and identify and order medications for ward level.To carry out medicines management activities on the wards as required, including assessing Patients Own Drugs (PODs) for re-use and electronically ordering medicines. after appropriate training.To manage and ensure the smooth transfer between wards or return of medicines to the pharmacy department, following patient transfer or discharge, by liaising with ward staff and/or by checking CareFlow on the Trust computer system.To supervise and participate in the safe processing of medicines returned to the pharmacy department, in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures for this processTo liaise with nursing staff to ensure controlled drug orders are placed early in the morning.
Please see JD & PS attached for more details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Daily stock replenishments of medicines on assigned wards, to resolve any stock problems and communicate stock issues to the ward pharmacy team and other healthcare professionals, always upholding good medicines management practicesTo carry out regular expiry date checks and to remove any redundant or expired medication from the ward and report these to the ward pharmacist and ward manager.To always maintain safe storage of medications on the ward and monitor the room and fridge temperatures to ensure medications are kept at optimal levelsDispense discharge medicines on the allocated wards and ensure pharmacy sundries are replenished regularly.To maintain stock control on the wards, to include regular expiry date checks and ensuring sufficient stock is kept as per stock list.After a successful probation period to work towards the HEE medicines optimisation qualification for checking patients POD medications and identify and order medications for ward level.To carry out medicines management activities on the wards as required, including assessing Patients Own Drugs (PODs) for re-use and electronically ordering medicines. after appropriate training.To manage and ensure the smooth transfer between wards or return of medicines to the pharmacy department, following patient transfer or discharge, by liaising with ward staff and/or by checking CareFlow on the Trust computer system.To supervise and participate in the safe processing of medicines returned to the pharmacy department, in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures for this processTo liaise with nursing staff to ensure controlled drug orders are placed early in the morning.
Please see JD & PS attached for more details.
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE English & Maths at A* - C or equivalent.
- NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy services or equivalent
- One year's experience as a pharmacy assistant (or pharmacy related work) or the ability to demonstrate the equivalent level of pharmacy knowledge and procedures
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Able to follow written procedures and verbal instructions accurately.
- Able to communicate effectively with all grades of staff throughout the Trust (verbally and in writing)
- Pharmacy Computer/IT skills
- Numeracy Skills
- Able to organise and prioritise workload, and to meet pre-determined deadlines
- Good clear anEffective Customer Service Skills - able to meet the needs of the customers of the department and to meet the standards of the Trustd well-spoken English
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of the principles of efficient stock control e.g. stock rotation, expiry dates, and minimum stock-levels and re-order levels.
- Awareness of the dangers associated with handling potentially hazardous products such as flammable liquids and cytotoxics.
- Awareness of the need for patient confidentiality
- Experience of working in an environment requiring attention to detail and working to pre-determined deadlines
- Experience of working in an environment requiring the handling of a wide range of different but similar products.
- Experience of working in a large multi-disciplinary team
- Previous experience of working in a Hospital or Retail Pharmacy Customer Services
Desirable
- Experience of using computer systems in a workplace setting
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Reliable
- Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
- Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
- Can work using own initiative and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Commitment to continuing personal development.
- Demonstrates initiative, motivation & enthusiasm for the post.
- Able to work alone and as part of a team
- Ability to be flexible in approach to work
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE English & Maths at A* - C or equivalent.
- NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy services or equivalent
- One year's experience as a pharmacy assistant (or pharmacy related work) or the ability to demonstrate the equivalent level of pharmacy knowledge and procedures
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Able to follow written procedures and verbal instructions accurately.
- Able to communicate effectively with all grades of staff throughout the Trust (verbally and in writing)
- Pharmacy Computer/IT skills
- Numeracy Skills
- Able to organise and prioritise workload, and to meet pre-determined deadlines
- Good clear anEffective Customer Service Skills - able to meet the needs of the customers of the department and to meet the standards of the Trustd well-spoken English
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of the principles of efficient stock control e.g. stock rotation, expiry dates, and minimum stock-levels and re-order levels.
- Awareness of the dangers associated with handling potentially hazardous products such as flammable liquids and cytotoxics.
- Awareness of the need for patient confidentiality
- Experience of working in an environment requiring attention to detail and working to pre-determined deadlines
- Experience of working in an environment requiring the handling of a wide range of different but similar products.
- Experience of working in a large multi-disciplinary team
- Previous experience of working in a Hospital or Retail Pharmacy Customer Services
Desirable
- Experience of using computer systems in a workplace setting
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Reliable
- Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
- Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
- Can work using own initiative and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Commitment to continuing personal development.
- Demonstrates initiative, motivation & enthusiasm for the post.
- Able to work alone and as part of a team
- Ability to be flexible in approach to work
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.
