Senior Pharmacy Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post-holder must ensure that all duties are performed following SOPs

Supervisory

liaise with Lead Technicians to ensure adequate Assistant Technical Officer cover at all times

liaise with the Stores Senior Assistant Technical Officer to ensure adequate staffing levels are maintained in all areas

prepare work rotas for the Assistant Technical Officers as required

liaise with Portering services to ensure an adequate service is provided and continually monitored and audited

co-ordinate the work of other Assistant Technical Officers in the team

ensure that the team carries out the duties required of them to the accepted standards and within the acceptable timescale

ensure that all members of the team are trained appropriately for the duties expected of them

ensure supervised staff follow relevant departmental and Trust policies, procedures and guidelines

responsible for ensuring the team are fully aware of the correct procedures for collection and disposal of all waste materials including cytotoxic waste and that these procedures are followed

Prescription Process/Prescription Issue/Prescription Receipt

undertake reception duties including the receipt, validation and prioritisation of prescriptions and the issuing of prescriptions to wards/departments or other health care professionals

check the exemption status of the patient on receipt of an out-patient prescription and, where appropriate, calculate the prescription charge due and ensure that documentation is completed and passed to finance for payment according to Trust SFIs

enter the patients details on the prescription tracking database, where applicable

take responsibility for the dispensing and issue of all prescriptions within their knowledge and skills including oral cytotoxic regimes, clinical trials, in-patient and out-patient prescriptions using the pharmacy computer system, Ensuring that accurate documentation and records are maintained to comply with legal requirements

develop their own robust self-checking technique to ensure accurate dispensing and calculation of doses are carried out prior to passing for a final check.

Controlled Drugs

dispense controlled drug prescriptions and stock orders

ensure accurate entries are recorded in controlled drug registers to maintain stock control and legal requirements

ensure the receipt, storage, safe and secure handling and supply of controlled drugs

undertake controlled drug audits in line with Trust policies and procedures

Emergency Drug Cupboard/ Boxes

monitor issues from the Out of Hours Emergency Cupboard daily and ensure stock is replaced

check expiry dates once a month and ensure stock is ordered in advance to maintain availability

Inform the Lead Technician of any discrepancies

assist in the issue of emergency boxes, ensuring accurate records are maintained

Ward Supply

provide an individual stock replenishment service (top-up) to designated wards and departments to ensure that good stock control is maintained at all times. This will include the checking of expiry dates of ward stock, ensuring that wards and departments have a sufficient stock of medicines

input stock top-up requisitions onto the pharmacy computer system

perform six monthly ward stock list reviews, liaising with both the nursing staff and ward based pharmacy team to ensure that wards and departments are appropriately stocked, to ensure that patients treatment is uncompromised

accurately assemble ward top-up orders and book out ward supplies using the pharmacy computer system

process returned stock from wards and departments

communicate with the appropriate person regarding any supply problems.

Stock Control

ensure that dispensing areas are adequately stocked

order out of stock medication and to process to follow items

ensure the receipt, storage, safe and secure handling and supply of pharmaceutical products is undertaken

utilise the automatic ordering system in a timely and effective manner to produce purchase orders for internal and external suppliers

ensure that any problems upon receipt of goods are forwarded promptly to the procurement team to enable any discrepancies are dealt with in a timely manner (including return to suppliers, damaged and short dated stock)

Maintain the Intravenous Fluid storage area ensuring good stock rotation is carried out

Ensure that all nutritional products are booked out and supplied to requesting wards on a daily basis

ensure that all working practices comply with Good Distribution Practice (GDP)

ensure that all ambient and refrigerated temperatures are recorded on a daily basis in all areas within pharmacy and that any circumstances where temperatures differ from the recommended level are reported to the Lead Technician or Pharmacist

handle and dispose of waste or expired medicines correctly

participate in regular stock checks and expiry checks within the department

ensure stock is rotated correctly whilst putting dispensary stock away

check expiry dates on a regular basis. Book out expired stock from the computer system and highlight items that are close to their expiry date.

ensure stock is booked out to the correct patient, consultant and ward to aid accurate financial reporting through the pharmacy computer system and that stock levels are correct and sufficient

highlight stock discrepancies to the Lead Pharmacy Technician

Medicines Management

use their judgmental skills to carry out certain aspects of authorised checking after suitable training

undertake the assessment of patients own drugs to assess their suitability for continued use within the hospital

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working in a hospital pharmacy
• Dispensing experience
• Working knowledge of live pharmacy stock control systems (including robotic systems)
• Demonstrate experience of working in a team

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Good computer and keyboard skills
• Organised, methodical and accurate approach to tasks and able to demonstrate this approach in a busy environment
• Excellent skills for dealing with people
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Evidence of personal development
• Understanding of Stock control

Desirable

• Evidence of implementing change
• Patient counseling
• Previous supervisory experience
• Commitment to CPD

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE English and Maths (Grade C and above) (or equivalent)
• NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent experience)
• Have obtained or be willing to commence 2 appropriate units of the NVQ3 in pharmacy services within 6 months of employment
• Qualification in Supervisory Management or to commence training within 12 months of employment

Desirable

• Medicines management experience
• Have completed the ATO Competency and Training framework

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.

Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW

Employer's website

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)