Job summary
Are you a passionate and experienced pharmacy assistant looking to take the next step in your career? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic healthcare environment? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!
The Pharmacy department is looking for Lead Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer to become part of our friendly, patient centred team at SLaM (Post holders will be based at Bethlem Royal Hospital with visits to Ladywell unit at Lewisham hospital expected as part of the role)
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified pharmacy assistant to join our dynamic, innovative team who are dedicated to improving our services within the pharmacy department. You will work with the operations and medicines management teams to lead the dispensary service and implement, deliver and continually improve services provided for both in-patient and patients cared for by our various community mental health teams.
As a Lead Pharmacy ATO at Bethlem Royal Hospital, you'll play a pivotal role in supporting our pharmacy department. You will be responsible for:
- Leading and managing the day-to-day activities of our dispensary team.
- Ensuring the accurate and timely preparation, dispensing, and distribution of medications to various hospital departments.
- Providing guidance and training to junior staff, ensuring excellent patient care.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for someone with experience and a passion for this area of work in hospital pharmacy with natural leadership qualities. Your role will involve helping to implement, deliver and continually improve the Pharmacy services within the pharmacy Department at Bethlem Royal Hospital
You must have excellent communication skills and enjoy working in a large multi-disciplinary team. You must also be friendly, approachable, adaptable, flexible, willing to learn new skills and committed to continuous professional development.
The department actively promotes development, education and training. To apply you will need to have good GCSEs or equivalent and obtained a full NVQ level 2 in pharmacy services or equivalent.
When appropriate entry criteria are met you will be expected to undertake relevant training and development to become an Accuracy Checking ATO (meeting the requirements of the nationally agreed framework). Adhere to the agreed in house framework for accuracy checking of medicines by ATOs and participate in daily checking slots once qualified.
This is a full time post and the post holder will be required to participate in the weekend rota.
About us
South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. We are a world leading Trust in research, working closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. Our services include the Maudsley Hospital, Lambeth Hospital and Bethlem Royal Hospital. We are also part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.
The pharmacy department provides a clinical and dispensing service to wards and community teams in Croydon, Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham across four hospital sites and a wide variety of community mental health teams. We also provide information about medication to both staff and patients to improve understanding and contribute to evidence based care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job purpose
To plan, supervise and prioritise daily workload within the dispensary, producing staff rotas to ensure appropriate staffing and skill mix.
To support the Operations Manager to ensure the dispensary runs efficiently and is patient and customer focused.
To support the provision of ward based services relating to the supply of medicines.
To work closely with the Operations Manager and Lead Pharmacy technicians to ensure that training needs for ATOs and PTPT apprentices are met and their relevant competencies are completed.
To view the main duties and responsibilities, please see the attached the Job Description and Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job purpose
To plan, supervise and prioritise daily workload within the dispensary, producing staff rotas to ensure appropriate staffing and skill mix.
To support the Operations Manager to ensure the dispensary runs efficiently and is patient and customer focused.
To support the provision of ward based services relating to the supply of medicines.
To work closely with the Operations Manager and Lead Pharmacy technicians to ensure that training needs for ATOs and PTPT apprentices are met and their relevant competencies are completed.
To view the main duties and responsibilities, please see the attached the Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Education and training
Essential
- NVQ level 2 / BTEC level 2 in pharmacy services or equivalent
- Holds national level 3 apprenticeship in Leadership or has equivalent experience
- Holds or is willing to work towards accuracy checking dispensing assistants qualification (National Framework)
Desirable
- Practice Supervisor qualification
- Other qualifications such as management or education & training qualifications
- Leadership skills training
- Qualified first aider
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience working in hospital pharmacy
- Demonstrable experience supervising others
- Demonstrable experience of managing staff /others
- Experience in dealing with patients, healthcare professionals at all levels, the general public and challenging situations
Desirable
- Experience of Wellsky
- Experience of pharmacy EPMA / Prescription Tracking systems
- Experience in staff training
- Experience of managing and/or leading a team
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of Health and Safety at work, manual handling and COSHH
- Understanding of dispensing, stock control and supply systems and processes
- Knowledge of pharmacy dispensing systems
- Excellent IT knowledge covering a range of systems such as Microsoft Office.
- Understanding of providing a service in line with cost effectiveness and working practices to reduce waste
Skills
Essential
- Excellent team player, and also ability to work individually
- Good understanding of manual handling requirements
- Good interpersonal skills, and patient focused
- Ability to make decisions in the best interest of the service
- Good attention to detail and a responsible attitude towards quality and accuracy
Other
Essential
- Flexible attitude to work in accordance with service needs
Person Specification
Education and training
Essential
- NVQ level 2 / BTEC level 2 in pharmacy services or equivalent
- Holds national level 3 apprenticeship in Leadership or has equivalent experience
- Holds or is willing to work towards accuracy checking dispensing assistants qualification (National Framework)
Desirable
- Practice Supervisor qualification
- Other qualifications such as management or education & training qualifications
- Leadership skills training
- Qualified first aider
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience working in hospital pharmacy
- Demonstrable experience supervising others
- Demonstrable experience of managing staff /others
- Experience in dealing with patients, healthcare professionals at all levels, the general public and challenging situations
Desirable
- Experience of Wellsky
- Experience of pharmacy EPMA / Prescription Tracking systems
- Experience in staff training
- Experience of managing and/or leading a team
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of Health and Safety at work, manual handling and COSHH
- Understanding of dispensing, stock control and supply systems and processes
- Knowledge of pharmacy dispensing systems
- Excellent IT knowledge covering a range of systems such as Microsoft Office.
- Understanding of providing a service in line with cost effectiveness and working practices to reduce waste
Skills
Essential
- Excellent team player, and also ability to work individually
- Good understanding of manual handling requirements
- Good interpersonal skills, and patient focused
- Ability to make decisions in the best interest of the service
- Good attention to detail and a responsible attitude towards quality and accuracy
Other
Essential
- Flexible attitude to work in accordance with service needs
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Bethlem Royal Hospital, Pharmacy Department, Wakefield House
Monks Orchard Road
BECKENHAM
BR3 3BX
Employer's website
https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
