Job summary
The Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician, Mental Health position is part of a wider specialist mental health pharmacy team working out of a mental health specific dispensary base in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GHFT) provides the Specialist Mental Health Pharmacy service (under an SLA) to Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC) and to the Learning Disabilities Services.
The post holder will perform a wide range of duties in the pharmacy and at ward and clinic level. Key duties include medicines optimisation, medicines reconciliation, discharge facilitation and accuracy checking of prescriptions.
Past experience in mental health is helpful but not essential to the role as full training will be provided by experienced mental health specialists, and you will be enrolled on to a training schedule based on your existing qualifications and future role requirements. With an established clozapine clinic already in place and being run by our existing pharmacy technicians, and demand for more clinics, this is a great opportunity for the right person to progress into extended technician roles.
Main duties of the job
- To support the dispensary and the ward based clinical pharmacy service to GHC.
- To ensure the provision of high quality patient focused pharmaceutical care.
- To perform a wide range of duties in the pharmacy department including accuracy checking of prescriptions.
- To perform a wide range of activities at ward level including medicines optimisation, meds rec and discharge facilitation.
- To participate in and run a clozapine clinic providing near patient consultations to a specific group of clozapine patients.
- To take responsibility for personal development and support the development of others.
- Conduct oneself in a professional manner and be a role model to less experienced and new staff at all times.
- This post will require travel to wards and units in Gloucestershire;
- Be committed to weekend working (approx. one weekend in 12).
- Consideration may be given to candidates who do not have both ACT and MMT/MO qualifications.
About us
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest employer in the county and with over 8,000 staff, we are one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. We offer a generous annual leave allowance, excellent bank rates, access to the excellent NHS Pension Scheme, discounts for local shops, restaurants and services, access to our health and well-being hub, access to our two on-site nurseries, flexible working options, discounted public transport, reward and recognition schemes, exercise and activity classes and membership to our popular hospital choir.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).Evidence of continuing professional development to comply with GPhC requirements.
- BTEC / NVQ level 3 in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent.
- Accredited checking technician (ACT) qualification with experience & competence (see above).
- Medicines management / optimisation (MMT / MOT) Qualification with experience & competence (see above).
- Able to work alone and unsupervised where needed.
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload including dealing with interruptions.
- Effective oral and written communication with colleagues, nursing and medical staff and patients / service users.
- Intermediate competence in standard range of IT programs.
- Daily manipulation of materials for the accurate dispensing of prescriptions including preparing aids and demonstrating devices to help patients manage their medicines at home.
- Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.
Key Result Areas
Clinical Pharmacy
- Supporting clinical pharmacy services to inpatient wards and community mental health team bases
- Managing patient medication non-stock or one stop supplies
- Liaising with ward staff for any issues relating to medication.
- Educate patients on the use of their prescribed medication referring to a pharmacist for advice when necessary.
- Encouraging compliance with national protocols, and local guidelines and formularies.
- Maintaining appropriate clinical documentation and records, including intervention/contribution monitoring and outcome data
- Participating with pharmacists, technicians and assistant technical officers to ensure a smooth, efficient and co-ordinated overall service.
Dispensary Duties
- Accurately dispense and supply medication as per dispensary standard operating procedures.
- Accuracy checking dispensed prescriptions as per dispensary standard operating procedures.
- Ensuring supplies are ready to be sent to wards & units in a timely manner.
- Accessing the clozapine patient monitoring system and acting accordingly as per process.
- Checking discharge medication summaries & uploading them onto the electronic clinical notes.
- Weekend working commitment for the acute trust dispensary.
Other
- Working in or out of the pharmacy department using laptops or desktop computers.
- Be part of a team to assist in running the clozapine clinic to work alongside nursing staff to monitor physical health for each client on clozapine give out their medication and counsel patients on clozapine.
- Where appropriate, writing procedures / guidelines under direction from line manager.
- Dealing with requests for information on wards, having interruptions during the day to answer queries, responding to telephone calls and email queries.
- Visiting wards, talking to mental health patients and healthcare professionals. Awareness of mentally ill, sick and dying patients. Take responsibility for stock control and security of medicines within daily duties.
- Undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) as required by the GPhC.
- To undertake any other duties as deemed fit by the GHNHSFT management.
- Occasional handling of potentially hazardous substances (e.g. cytotoxic medication) in accordance with standard operating procedures and COSHH regulations.
- Lifting and moving light packages.
Communication and working relationships
- Communicate with and provide appropriate advice to Nurses and other health care professionals regarding medication issues within the post holders experience.
- Communication with Patients and Carers regarding medication issues.
- Communication daily with other members of the pharmacy team.
- Develop and share own clinical knowledge with other members of the wider team.
- An annual appraisal (development conversation) is implemented for all staff with their line manager.
Safe Systems of Work
- Accountable for own professional actions and activities, guided by legislation, national and local policies, procedures and protocols.
- The post holder will be responsible for ensuring a safe working practice and environment through legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act and COSHH regulations, along with local policies and procedures including manual handling
Participation in weekend working rota
- The post holder will be part of the weekend working rota covering the acute trust pharmacy at a frequency of approximately 1 in 12.
Improving quality and developing practice
- Comply with requirements to register with the GPhC and identify own learning needs and ensuring own professional development is maintained by keeping up to date with practice developments.
- Develop and maintain skills and knowledge necessary to deliver the service.
- With supervision and assistance take on increased responsibility recognising own limitations and seeking help appropriately
- Be competent in the use of all relevant Trust IT systems including the use of electronic patient record, email, and other systems where appropriate
- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
- Undertake all mandatory training
- Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources
- Openly question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).Evidence of continuing professional development to comply with GPhC requirements.
- BTEC / NVQ level 3 in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent.
- Accredited checking technician (ACT) qualification with experience & competence (see above).
- Medicines management / optimisation (MMT / MOT) Qualification with experience & competence (see above).
- Able to work alone and unsupervised where needed.
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload including dealing with interruptions.
- Effective oral and written communication with colleagues, nursing and medical staff and patients / service users.
- Intermediate competence in standard range of IT programs.
- Daily manipulation of materials for the accurate dispensing of prescriptions including preparing aids and demonstrating devices to help patients manage their medicines at home.
- Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.
Key Result Areas
Clinical Pharmacy
- Supporting clinical pharmacy services to inpatient wards and community mental health team bases
- Managing patient medication non-stock or one stop supplies
- Liaising with ward staff for any issues relating to medication.
- Educate patients on the use of their prescribed medication referring to a pharmacist for advice when necessary.
- Encouraging compliance with national protocols, and local guidelines and formularies.
- Maintaining appropriate clinical documentation and records, including intervention/contribution monitoring and outcome data
- Participating with pharmacists, technicians and assistant technical officers to ensure a smooth, efficient and co-ordinated overall service.
Dispensary Duties
- Accurately dispense and supply medication as per dispensary standard operating procedures.
- Accuracy checking dispensed prescriptions as per dispensary standard operating procedures.
- Ensuring supplies are ready to be sent to wards & units in a timely manner.
- Accessing the clozapine patient monitoring system and acting accordingly as per process.
- Checking discharge medication summaries & uploading them onto the electronic clinical notes.
- Weekend working commitment for the acute trust dispensary.
Other
- Working in or out of the pharmacy department using laptops or desktop computers.
- Be part of a team to assist in running the clozapine clinic to work alongside nursing staff to monitor physical health for each client on clozapine give out their medication and counsel patients on clozapine.
- Where appropriate, writing procedures / guidelines under direction from line manager.
- Dealing with requests for information on wards, having interruptions during the day to answer queries, responding to telephone calls and email queries.
- Visiting wards, talking to mental health patients and healthcare professionals. Awareness of mentally ill, sick and dying patients. Take responsibility for stock control and security of medicines within daily duties.
- Undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) as required by the GPhC.
- To undertake any other duties as deemed fit by the GHNHSFT management.
- Occasional handling of potentially hazardous substances (e.g. cytotoxic medication) in accordance with standard operating procedures and COSHH regulations.
- Lifting and moving light packages.
Communication and working relationships
- Communicate with and provide appropriate advice to Nurses and other health care professionals regarding medication issues within the post holders experience.
- Communication with Patients and Carers regarding medication issues.
- Communication daily with other members of the pharmacy team.
- Develop and share own clinical knowledge with other members of the wider team.
- An annual appraisal (development conversation) is implemented for all staff with their line manager.
Safe Systems of Work
- Accountable for own professional actions and activities, guided by legislation, national and local policies, procedures and protocols.
- The post holder will be responsible for ensuring a safe working practice and environment through legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act and COSHH regulations, along with local policies and procedures including manual handling
Participation in weekend working rota
- The post holder will be part of the weekend working rota covering the acute trust pharmacy at a frequency of approximately 1 in 12.
Improving quality and developing practice
- Comply with requirements to register with the GPhC and identify own learning needs and ensuring own professional development is maintained by keeping up to date with practice developments.
- Develop and maintain skills and knowledge necessary to deliver the service.
- With supervision and assistance take on increased responsibility recognising own limitations and seeking help appropriately
- Be competent in the use of all relevant Trust IT systems including the use of electronic patient record, email, and other systems where appropriate
- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
- Undertake all mandatory training
- Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources
- Openly question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered with GPhC
- TEC / NVQ level 3 in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent.
Desirable
- Medicines management qualification
- Accredited checking technician
Experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in hospital pharmacy
- Experience of working in mental health pharmacy
Knowledge
Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
- Able to work under pressure
- Good attention to detail
- Able to work alone and unsupervised where needed
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered with GPhC
- TEC / NVQ level 3 in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent.
Desirable
- Medicines management qualification
- Accredited checking technician
Experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in hospital pharmacy
- Experience of working in mental health pharmacy
Knowledge
Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
- Able to work under pressure
- Good attention to detail
- Able to work alone and unsupervised where needed
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
