Job summary
Are you a qualified Pharmacy Technician with an interest in working in Mental Health Services?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our expanding pharmacy team, delivering comprehensive clinical pharmacy services across both community and inpatient mental health settings.
We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Pharmacy Technician to support and further develop the clinical pharmacy service within Kent and Medway Children and Young People's Mental Health Service (CYPMHS).
In this role, you will work closely with the Consultant Pharmacist and Lead Pharmacists for CYPMHS as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting service users across community services and inpatient units. This post offers excellent opportunities for professional development, including support to undertake accredited medicines management qualifications and NHS leadership programmes.
We are looking for a proactive, compassionate individual with strong communication skills and a genuine interest in working directly with young people, families, and healthcare professionals. You will become part of our innovative mental health pharmacy team, committed to ensuring medicines safety is embedded at the heart of patient care.
The base for this role will be Kent and Medway CYPMHS in Dartford with a requirement for periodic travel to other sites across Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.
Main duties of the job
Working within a multidisciplinary team, the post holder will deliver a comprehensive medicines management service across inpatient and community CYPMHS settings.
Key duties include medicines reconciliation, discharge planning, patient counselling, medicine supply, and supporting community clinic pharmacy services.
The role also involves using EPMA/medicines informatics systems, completing physical health checks for children and young people on psychotropic medication and contributing to audits and supporting teaching and training.
Key Responsibilities
Deliver a high-quality clinical pharmacy service to CYPMHS, optimising patient outcomes and supporting care pathways across Kent and Medway in collaboration with wider healthcare partners.Engage directly with young people and their families, ensuring their views inform decisions about their care
If this sounds like the opportunity you've been waiting for, come and join our diverse and compassionate team, committed to delivering excellent care and support for children, young people, and their families.
About us
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Promote improvements in the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of medicines use across the CYPMHS pathway.
- Support the safe transition of patients across care settings, ensuring continuity and seamless pharmaceutical care.
- Provide counselling to patients and carers to support medicines optimisation and adherence.
The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
Please refer to the attached job description for full details and main responsibilities of the role.
What is High Cost Area Allowance?The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month. 5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,258 and a maximum payment of £2,121. (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly).
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Promote improvements in the quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of medicines use across the CYPMHS pathway.
- Support the safe transition of patients across care settings, ensuring continuity and seamless pharmaceutical care.
- Provide counselling to patients and carers to support medicines optimisation and adherence.
The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
Please refer to the attached job description for full details and main responsibilities of the role.
What is High Cost Area Allowance?The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month. 5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,258 and a maximum payment of £2,121. (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly).
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- NVQ level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians or similar
- Registered with GPhC
- Medications management knowledge including appropriate policies and legislation acquired through formal education and specialist training
Desirable
- Accredited Medicine management qualification
- Accredited accuracy checking qualification
- Basic life support/ first aid training
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 12 months post-qualification experience
- Working within a clinical/ward environment
- Working in various disciplines and across organisational boundaries, linking primary and secondary care
- Interest in children and young people's mental health
Desirable
- Experience of working with children or experience of working in mental health
- Education and training of pharmacy staff and other health care professionals
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Advanced IT literacy, especially Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint
- Good understanding of primary care and secondary care
- Able to work as part of a team & Able to work alone to short deadlines
- Good at practical problem solving & Good at practical problem solving
- Excellent communication skills & Good presentation skills - both written and oral
- Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workload
- Able to co-ordinate around a number of complex activities which may require the adjustment of plans
Desirable
- Good understanding of the issues affecting mental health prescribing
- Project management skills
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- NVQ level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians or similar
- Registered with GPhC
- Medications management knowledge including appropriate policies and legislation acquired through formal education and specialist training
Desirable
- Accredited Medicine management qualification
- Accredited accuracy checking qualification
- Basic life support/ first aid training
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 12 months post-qualification experience
- Working within a clinical/ward environment
- Working in various disciplines and across organisational boundaries, linking primary and secondary care
- Interest in children and young people's mental health
Desirable
- Experience of working with children or experience of working in mental health
- Education and training of pharmacy staff and other health care professionals
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Advanced IT literacy, especially Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint
- Good understanding of primary care and secondary care
- Able to work as part of a team & Able to work alone to short deadlines
- Good at practical problem solving & Good at practical problem solving
- Excellent communication skills & Good presentation skills - both written and oral
- Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workload
- Able to co-ordinate around a number of complex activities which may require the adjustment of plans
Desirable
- Good understanding of the issues affecting mental health prescribing
- Project management skills
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
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).
