Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to work alongside the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Lead for Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance to maintain and develop our Trusts management of Controlled Drugs and Quality Assurance procedures at Bedford Hospital.
The post holder will advise the Pharmacy team and wards in the safe and secure handling of controlled drugs, assisting with the investigation of incidents and producing reports for local and national use as required by the Trust Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer.
This challenging role requires the post holder to demonstrate excellent leadership and organisational skills. The ability to prioritise and independently manage your own workload is also a requirement of the role.
The post holder will also be the line manager for a number of staff within the Pharmacy department.
The successful post holder must be registered with The General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician. They should be an Accredited Checking Technician.
Main duties of the job
- To actively undertake, support and promote activities to maintain and enhance the safety and governance of Controlled Drugs within the Trust. Undertake incident investigations of incidents involving Controlled Drugs and to work closely with Pharmacy or ward based staff to provide additional training and/or implement and monitor mitigations.
- To undertake accredited checking of dispensed prescriptions and ward based medicines management support.
- To act as a professional role model for junior pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants, actively demonstrating integrity, ownership and leadership in all aspects of the role
- To co-ordinate and facilitate the quarterly controlled drug and medication storage audits, and be responsible for disseminating the results within the Trust.
- To provide and co-ordinate quality assurance services at Bedford Hospital.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Controlled Drug Governance
- Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) to actively organise and analyse the storage and record-keeping audits of Controlled Drugs at ward level, devise and supervise the implementation of action plans and maintain close links with the Matrons
- Undertake investigations of incidents involving Controlled Drugs at Bedford Hospital, and to work closely with Pharmacy or ward based staff to provide additional training and/or implement and monitor mitigations
- Work with the other members of the Pharmacy department to identify and action strategies to reduce the potential of medication errors associated with Controlled Drugs
- Implement Trust-wide strategies and policies to reduce the risks related to specific medicines as identified by local incident reporting, trigger tools or indicated by alerts from NHS England, Public Health England, MHRA and other bodies. To undertake regular audit of previous responses to safety alerts
- Coordinate the completion of quarterly CD storage and documentation audits in a timely fashion, ensuring that results are collated and reported to the Chief Pharmacist, Corporate Nursing Team, Quality Lead, Matrons and Ward Managers. To identify themes and work with the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) and the CD Accountable Officer to implement mitigation and learning interventions
- Identify themes from the Safe and Secure Storage of Medicines Audit and work with the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) and Senior Managers to implement mitigation and learning interventions in relation to Controlled Drugs
- Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) in the writing and dissemination of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to Controlled Drugs for wards and the Pharmacy department when necessary
- Compile the quarterly Controlled Drug LIN report for the CD Accountable Officer for the Bedford Hospital site
Clinical Governance - Assist the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Dispensary) in the provision of specialist advice on quality assurance (QA) issues related to the storage, supply and documentation of medicines
- Create and maintain standard operating procedures for the storage, supply and documentation of unlicensed medicinal products in line with legal requirements and in-house policies
- Support the Purchasing Medicines for Safety (PMfS) Group with rapid QA assessments of unlicensed or off contract medicines procured to ameliorate the effect of critical medicines shortages. To support risk mitigation of use of medicines highlighted through the contracting process as having potential safety in-use issues
Job description
Job responsibilities
Controlled Drug Governance
- Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) to actively organise and analyse the storage and record-keeping audits of Controlled Drugs at ward level, devise and supervise the implementation of action plans and maintain close links with the Matrons
- Undertake investigations of incidents involving Controlled Drugs at Bedford Hospital, and to work closely with Pharmacy or ward based staff to provide additional training and/or implement and monitor mitigations
- Work with the other members of the Pharmacy department to identify and action strategies to reduce the potential of medication errors associated with Controlled Drugs
- Implement Trust-wide strategies and policies to reduce the risks related to specific medicines as identified by local incident reporting, trigger tools or indicated by alerts from NHS England, Public Health England, MHRA and other bodies. To undertake regular audit of previous responses to safety alerts
- Coordinate the completion of quarterly CD storage and documentation audits in a timely fashion, ensuring that results are collated and reported to the Chief Pharmacist, Corporate Nursing Team, Quality Lead, Matrons and Ward Managers. To identify themes and work with the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) and the CD Accountable Officer to implement mitigation and learning interventions
- Identify themes from the Safe and Secure Storage of Medicines Audit and work with the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) and Senior Managers to implement mitigation and learning interventions in relation to Controlled Drugs
- Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Education & Training and Controlled Drug Governance) in the writing and dissemination of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to Controlled Drugs for wards and the Pharmacy department when necessary
- Compile the quarterly Controlled Drug LIN report for the CD Accountable Officer for the Bedford Hospital site
Clinical Governance - Assist the Principal Pharmacy Technician (Dispensary) in the provision of specialist advice on quality assurance (QA) issues related to the storage, supply and documentation of medicines
- Create and maintain standard operating procedures for the storage, supply and documentation of unlicensed medicinal products in line with legal requirements and in-house policies
- Support the Purchasing Medicines for Safety (PMfS) Group with rapid QA assessments of unlicensed or off contract medicines procured to ameliorate the effect of critical medicines shortages. To support risk mitigation of use of medicines highlighted through the contracting process as having potential safety in-use issues
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Services or equivalent
- GPhC registration as Pharmacy Technician
- Accredited checking pharmacy technician (ACPT)
Desirable
- Formal management course
- Investigation Training
Experience
Essential
- Experience of audit
- Experience of staff recruitment
- Experience of formulating standard operating procedures
- Validated competence in medication counselling of patients
- Validated experience of dispensary services
- Customer orientated services
Desirable
- Experience of using continuous improvement techniques
- Qualification or experience in QA
- Experience of service development
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of importance of monitoring quality of service
- Good up to date knowledge of medication safety issues
- Computer literacy/file maintenance
- Good up to date knowledge of medicine use
- Understanding of the need of confidentiality awareness at all times
Desirable
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office software
- Knowledge of Root Cause Analysis
Personal Skills
Essential
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Negotiation skills
- Ability to appropriately prioritise competing demands
- Ability to analyse complex problems
- Able to work in a multidisciplinary team
- Able to work independently to meet agreed objectives
Desirable
- Report writing and presentation skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Services or equivalent
- GPhC registration as Pharmacy Technician
- Accredited checking pharmacy technician (ACPT)
Desirable
- Formal management course
- Investigation Training
Experience
Essential
- Experience of audit
- Experience of staff recruitment
- Experience of formulating standard operating procedures
- Validated competence in medication counselling of patients
- Validated experience of dispensary services
- Customer orientated services
Desirable
- Experience of using continuous improvement techniques
- Qualification or experience in QA
- Experience of service development
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of importance of monitoring quality of service
- Good up to date knowledge of medication safety issues
- Computer literacy/file maintenance
- Good up to date knowledge of medicine use
- Understanding of the need of confidentiality awareness at all times
Desirable
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office software
- Knowledge of Root Cause Analysis
Personal Skills
Essential
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Negotiation skills
- Ability to appropriately prioritise competing demands
- Ability to analyse complex problems
- Able to work in a multidisciplinary team
- Able to work independently to meet agreed objectives
Desirable
- Report writing and presentation 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.
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).
