Lead Pharmacy Technician for Homecare Services

Job description

Job responsibilities

Leadership:

1. To support the Advanced Homecare Medicines Lead Pharmacist with identifying, planning and implementing new opportunities for homecare services,

2. To support the development of a culture within EKHUFT that identifies and communicates the contribution that Pharmacy Homecare makes to an effective and efficient service

3. To liaise and work with the Medicines Value Team and Medicines Procurement Team on any joint initiatives

4. To support the Advanced Homecare Medicines Lead Pharmacist in writing the EKHUFT Strategy for Homecare Medicines and ensure it is implemented

5. To participate in the implementation of the EKHUFT Policy for Homecare Medicines, and contribute to its future development

6. To track & report quality and financial indicators achieved by Pharmacy Homecare activities to facilitate communication to key stakeholders on a monthly basis

7. To ensure all Pharmacy Homecare activities operate in full accordance with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Trust policies to include its Standing Financial Instructions

8. To ensure contract compliance for homecare medicines across the Trust

9. To work in partnership with stakeholders to ensure risks with key suppliers are understood

10. Responsible for contingency planning where appropriate

11. Explore ways of reducing environmental and wasteful expenditure that are financially sustainable

12. Implement and complete appropriate audits with the Advanced Homecare Medicines Lead Pharmacist where necessary, including the RPS audit yearly. Identify and implement improvements where necessary.

Processes:

1. Ensure that all Homecare Pharmacy standard operating procedures are kept updated and adhered to

2. To undertake the Homecare Services Prescription Validation and Clinical Screening Programme and screening accreditation, as well as in-house screening accreditation/ competencies.

3. To liaise with clinicians, clinical pharmacists and other stake holders to define & specify their needs to ensure an effective and compliant homecare process

4. Ensure that homecare companies are systematically monitored at regular intervals against key performance indicators to ensure targets are met and patients receive the best care and treatment experience. Monitor and review the homecare contracts and SLAs

5. To ensure that sustainability is considered with regards to all Pharmacy Homecare activity

6. Responsible for maintaining the IT CMM Homecare system, adding new frameworks, new drugs and contract prices

7. Manages the Blueteq system for homecare drugs

8. Responsible for writing, uploading and amending Homecare SOPs on QPULSE system

9. Monitor and review the homecare contracts and SLAs

10. Compile Freedom of Information requests in a timely manner using the CMM homecare package

11. Participate in the implementation of new drugs via homecare and ensure they are implemented to agreed standards

12. Manage drug shortages, liaising with appropriate stakeholders to identify alternatives and manage patient switches

Partnerships:

1. To actively set up & maintain productive relationships with national, regional and specialised Pharmacy Homecare Teams and lead pharmacists as required to support EKHUFT Pharmacy Homecare

2. To represent EKHUFT Pharmacy Homecare at regional meetings and to update the Pharmacy Senior Leadership Team on any developments.

3. Attend quarterly homecare company service review meetings

4. Work closely with the Advanced Homecare Medicines Lead Pharmacist and Homecare Pharmacist, Pharmacy Procurement and the wider pharmacy teams and clinical staff in the Trust.

5. Liaise with the High Cost Drugs Pharmacist where necessary for new homecare medicines or changes.

6. Work with clinical teams within EKHUFT to help implement new homecare services and provide support for on-going homecare services.

People:

1. Participate in recruitment, training, staff appraisals and development. Line manage the Senior Assistant and lead the homecare team.

2. Organising regular meetings with key stakeholders to improve communication and co-ordination of Pharmacy Homecare activities

3. Support the development of Pharmacy homecare training packages

4. Provide specialist advice on medicines and processes associated with homecare medicines management where appropriate

5. To deal promptly with complaints and concerns from stakeholders, suppliers and patients using careful analysis and judgment and responding positively through the use of empathy, persuasion and negotiation with innovative and effective service solutions where appropriate.

6. Work with clinical teams within EKHUFT to help implement new homecare services and provide support for on-going homecare services.

Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) duties:

1. Complete Accreditation (ACPT) according to CPPE scheme and local policy.

2. Conduct checking duties in dispensary or in a ward dispensing setting for a minimum of 8 hours per month.

3. Provide constructive feedback when informing dispensers that they have made mistakes during dispensing.

4. Report in-process errors following local policy.

5. Ensure that your knowledge is up to date by reading all pharmacy procedures relevant to the accuracy checking of dispensed medicines.

6. Contribute to the quality management of dispensing by suggesting improvements to practice and procedures.

7. Ensure familiarity with dosing, side effects, and common interactions of all medicines accuracy checked

Additional duties* :

1. Completion of the Homecare Services Prescription Validation and Clinical Screening Programme and screening accreditation, as well as in-house screening accreditation/ competencies.

2. To independently check clinical safety and suitability of prescriptions, ensuring effective use of medicines and compliance with medicines legislation (i.e. to clinically screen prescriptions for the pharmacys Homecare service according to its demand) upon completion of point 1.

Other

1. Participate in the weekend and bank holiday Pharmacy services rota.

2. To undertake such other duties as may be required by the Director of Pharmacy in the interest of the service, appropriate for grade and agreed with the post holder

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Hospital pharmacy experience
• Experience of managing a team

Desirable

• Experience of managing change
• Experience of managing drug shortages
• Experience of working with multidisciplinary teams
• Experience of screening prescriptions
• Homecare experience

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills both oral and written
• Excellent organisational and coordinating skills
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills
• Customer service experience and skills
• Ability to work without supervision
• High level of IT skills including Word, Excel, Powerpoint

Desirable

• Developing and implementation of procedures
• Knowledge or experience of biologics/ biosimilars
• Knowledge of managing drug shortages

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ in Pharmacy Services level 3 with BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science as underpinning knowledge or equivalent
• Registration as a member of the General Pharmaceutical Council maintaining mandatory CPD requirement

Desirable

• National Accredited Checking Pharmacy technician qualification
• Homecare Services Prescription Validation and Clinical Screening Programme

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of hospital pharmacy and homecare

Desirable

• Working knowledge of CMM

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Kent and Canterbury Hospital

Ethelbert Road

Canterbury

CT1 3NG

Employer's website

https://www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/ (Opens in a new tab)