Job summary
Are you a Pharmacy Technician who is passionate about delivering high quality medicines optimisation services? If so, AWP are looking for a forward-thinking, enthusiastic and knowledgeable Technician to join our team.
The main purpose of this role is to work closely with the Clinical Lead to ensure that medicines management technicians and other technical staff contribute fully to medicines management activities, work to appropriate clinical standards and develop the service in line with local and national strategies and standards.
This particular post is based in the East side (BSW) of the Trust. There may be a need to provide cover to other areas and this will be discussed in advance whenever possible.
Main duties of the job
- To support the Chief Medicines Optimisation Technician (B7) in the delivery of Trust-wide medicines management and optimisation.
- To work collaboratively with the Chief Medicines Optimisation Technician to manage the clinical pharmacy technical team, including annual leave, rotas, HR issues and training.
- To engage with stakeholders across the Trust to deliver medicines management and optimisation
- Provision of a pharmacy-led medicines management technician service to the inpatient wards and community teams.
- To undertake and oversee medicine audits.
- To investigate incidents, identify and implement learning.
- Contribute to quality improvement projects.
- Development and implementation of pharmacy standard operating procedures and guidelines.
- To maintain accuracy checking competency through regular checking sessions on the rota.
- To provide support and cover for the Chief Medicines Optimisation Technician.
- To support with recruitment and undertake line management responsibilities of pharmacy technicians.
- To provide mentoring for pharmacy technicians to enable them to achieve competency and knowledge in medicines used to treat mental health disorders.
- Support the clinical use of the electronic prescribing and administration system (ePMA).
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The AWP pharmacy service employs approximately 60 staff. There are two technician-led dispensaries in the Trust (one in Bristol, and one in Calne, Wiltshire), and clinical pharmacy teams embedded in the locality ward/community team bases. Each locality has a locality lead pharmacist, clinical pharmacists and medicines optimisation technicians. As well as managing the medicines supply chain in the trust, we support the safe and effective use of medicines throughout the organisation through our clinical work, enquiry answering, medicines governance activity and many other roles. The team are friendly, dynamic and evolving, with aspirations to improve patient care across the AWP geography.
Please read the full job description, person specification for the role to ensure you meet the essential criteria.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The AWP pharmacy service employs approximately 60 staff. There are two technician-led dispensaries in the Trust (one in Bristol, and one in Calne, Wiltshire), and clinical pharmacy teams embedded in the locality ward/community team bases. Each locality has a locality lead pharmacist, clinical pharmacists and medicines optimisation technicians. As well as managing the medicines supply chain in the trust, we support the safe and effective use of medicines throughout the organisation through our clinical work, enquiry answering, medicines governance activity and many other roles. The team are friendly, dynamic and evolving, with aspirations to improve patient care across the AWP geography.
Please read the full job description, person specification for the role to ensure you meet the essential criteria.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Current General Pharmaceutical Council Registered Pharmacy Technician
- Nationally recognised Medicines Management or Medicines Optimisation accreditation
- Accuracy checking accreditation (ACPT)
Desirable
- Leadership Qualification (e.g. CPPE Leading for Change)
- Advanced Medicines Optimisation Training Unit 3.1 (Clinical Prioritisation)
- Educational Supervisor or NVQ assessor to A1 standard or equivalent
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Significant demonstrable post qualification experience as a pharmacy technician
- Experience of working in a hospital pharmacy or equivalent position
- Significant experience of line management, supervision of staff and managing teams
- Experience of organising and managing in busy and potentially stressful environments
Desirable
- Experience of working in a mental health setting
- Experience of writing procedures and training packages
- Knowledge of specific requirements for mental health medicines, e.g. clozapine
- Experience of chairing meetings /report writing
- Good knowledge of education and continuous professional development strategies
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Proven ability in training staff that have a varying level of ability
- Excellent time management skills
- IT literate in Word, PowerPoint and Excel or equivalent programs
Other
Essential
- Car driver with valid UK licence or otherwise independently mobile
- Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times
- Multidisciplinary working
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Current General Pharmaceutical Council Registered Pharmacy Technician
- Nationally recognised Medicines Management or Medicines Optimisation accreditation
- Accuracy checking accreditation (ACPT)
Desirable
- Leadership Qualification (e.g. CPPE Leading for Change)
- Advanced Medicines Optimisation Training Unit 3.1 (Clinical Prioritisation)
- Educational Supervisor or NVQ assessor to A1 standard or equivalent
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Significant demonstrable post qualification experience as a pharmacy technician
- Experience of working in a hospital pharmacy or equivalent position
- Significant experience of line management, supervision of staff and managing teams
- Experience of organising and managing in busy and potentially stressful environments
Desirable
- Experience of working in a mental health setting
- Experience of writing procedures and training packages
- Knowledge of specific requirements for mental health medicines, e.g. clozapine
- Experience of chairing meetings /report writing
- Good knowledge of education and continuous professional development strategies
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Proven ability in training staff that have a varying level of ability
- Excellent time management skills
- IT literate in Word, PowerPoint and Excel or equivalent programs
Other
Essential
- Car driver with valid UK licence or otherwise independently mobile
- Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times
- Multidisciplinary working
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).