Job summary
This role is suitable for Pharmacy Technicians from all areas of Pharmacy, including Hospital, Community Pharmacy, Prison service, Primary care etc.
Due to recent promotion of some of our Band 4 Pharmacy Technicians, we are looking for an enthusiastic, adaptable and forward-thinking Pharmacy Technicians to join our Dispensary Team
Pharmacy technicians have a key role in the hospital pharmacy team, being involved in many aspects of the use and management of medicines within the Trust.
The Pharmacy currently has approximately 140 staff operating across both sites, and our two main Dispensaries based at Whiston Hospital and St Helens Hospital have new Omnicell Automated Dispensing Systems installed last year.
It is vital that applicants are adaptable and prepared to work with us to help us deliver the Trusts vision of 5-star patient care.
An enhanced DBS Certificate with the checking of both the Children's and Adults' Barred Lists is required for this post.
Interview date TBC
Main duties of the job
We are pleased to inform you that the plans for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust to come together as one new organisation have now been formally approved by the Secretary of State. Our new Trust will be called Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and will officially launch on Saturday 1st July 2023.
Any applicants who secure an offer of employment and/ or are due to commence their new role from 1st July 2023 onwards are advised that their conditional offer and contract of employment will be issued as per our normal recruitment process but will be under the new name of the organisation. All the details of the offers of employment and contracts of employment will remain as advertised and these changes will not affect your employment with us.
For further information on the new plans, please see:
Our Future Plans (sthk.nhs.uk)
Opportunities can be provided on a rota basis to train as an accuracy checker by undertaking the BTEC Level 4 Diploma in Dispensing Accuracy checking.
The Pharmacy operates a 7 day service and as part of this role you will be expected to participate in the evening and weekend working rota providing both ward and dispensary services to the Trust.
Applicants must have a BTEC National Certificate and NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Service skills or GPhC recognised Equivalent or be awaiting their certificate.
About us
St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and one of the few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by the Care Quality Commission.
We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 360,000 and provide tertiary services across a much wider area in the North West, North Wales, and Isle of Man. We are a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.
Our '5 Star Patient Care' strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.
Our latest achievements include:
- Acute Trust of the Year - HSJ Awards November 2019
- Trust rates Outstanding by CQC - Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Best acute Trust in the North West for quality of care (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
- Best place to work in the North West (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
In the NHS Staff Survey 2021 the Trust scored the highest marks in the North West for the following areas.
- Standard of care
- Best place to work
- Care of patients being the Trust's priority
- Staff engagement
- Staff morale
- Compassionate and inclusive
- Providing a safe environment for staff
Benefits of working for us
We provide many benefits for staff. Please see attached Staff Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To dispense controlled drug prescriptions and record according.
- To assist in the receipt of controlled drugs.
- To assist in stock control within the pharmacy, wards, departments and clinics.
- To transcribe information from medicines kardexes on wards and liaise with ward staff on the appropriate supply of non-stock medication.
- To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions
- To take payment for prescriptions according to the departmental procedure.
- To maintain an accurate balance of cash in the dispensary tills and cash up at the end of the day.
- To communicate with patients regarding their own medication that they have brought into the hospital and the continuation of supply.
- To assist in the preparation and assembly of supplies for delivery to wards and departments.
- To counsel patients on the correct use of their medication and assess their understanding of the medicines and devices prescribed.
- To extemporaneously dispense medicines, occasionally using specific equipment (e.g. fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures. Weighing and measuring must be accurate as there are narrow margins for errors.
- To assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties
- To co-operate in the provision of an efficient and cost effective service.
- To answer phone calls and queries from patients and other health care professionals.
- To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
- To assist in the preparation and assembly of resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes according to trust policy.
- To participate as necessary in weekend, evening, bank holiday and on call rotas in response to the changing needs of the service.
- To participate in the band 4 rota to the dispensary at St Helens.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
- To dispense controlled drug prescriptions and record according.
- To assist in the receipt of controlled drugs.
- To assist in stock control within the pharmacy, wards, departments and clinics.
- To transcribe information from medicines kardexes on wards and liaise with ward staff on the appropriate supply of non-stock medication.
- To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions
- To take payment for prescriptions according to the departmental procedure.
- To maintain an accurate balance of cash in the dispensary tills and cash up at the end of the day.
- To communicate with patients regarding their own medication that they have brought into the hospital and the continuation of supply.
- To assist in the preparation and assembly of supplies for delivery to wards and departments.
- To counsel patients on the correct use of their medication and assess their understanding of the medicines and devices prescribed.
- To extemporaneously dispense medicines, occasionally using specific equipment (e.g. fume cupboards and weighing balances) and taking protective measures. Weighing and measuring must be accurate as there are narrow margins for errors.
- To assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties
- To co-operate in the provision of an efficient and cost effective service.
- To answer phone calls and queries from patients and other health care professionals.
- To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
- To assist in the preparation and assembly of resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes according to trust policy.
- To participate as necessary in weekend, evening, bank holiday and on call rotas in response to the changing needs of the service.
- To participate in the band 4 rota to the dispensary at St Helens.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BTEC NC/NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Service skills or an equivalent qualification recognised by the GPhC.
- Must be registered with The General Pharmaceutical Council, or be a final year Trainee Pharmacy Technician about to successfully qualify and register
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience in Hospital or retail pharmacy.
- Experience of Working with computer systems.
Desirable
- Experience in using the JAC Pharmacy Computer System
Skills
Essential
- Maintains professional behaviour and upholds professional standards at all times
- Good verbal and communication skills both face to face and using telephones.
- Ability to talk to patients, staff and other senior health care professionals
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
- Good administration skills including record-keeping
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and able work under pressure
- Hardworking with a determination to overcome obstacles
- Self-motivated with the ability to motivate the team performance to achieve objectives
- Reliable and well organised with good time management skills
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel between hospital locations in own car / car assisted driver
- Supportive of colleagues of all grades
- Ability to participate in the departmental rota for late working
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BTEC NC/NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Service skills or an equivalent qualification recognised by the GPhC.
- Must be registered with The General Pharmaceutical Council, or be a final year Trainee Pharmacy Technician about to successfully qualify and register
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience in Hospital or retail pharmacy.
- Experience of Working with computer systems.
Desirable
- Experience in using the JAC Pharmacy Computer System
Skills
Essential
- Maintains professional behaviour and upholds professional standards at all times
- Good verbal and communication skills both face to face and using telephones.
- Ability to talk to patients, staff and other senior health care professionals
- Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail
- Good administration skills including record-keeping
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time and able work under pressure
- Hardworking with a determination to overcome obstacles
- Self-motivated with the ability to motivate the team performance to achieve objectives
- Reliable and well organised with good time management skills
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel between hospital locations in own car / car assisted driver
- Supportive of colleagues of all grades
- Ability to participate in the departmental rota for late 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.
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).
