Medicines Management Pharmacy Technician

Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for a qualified and experienced pharmacy technician to join our established, friendly, and dynamic medicines management team at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

The post holder will support the safe, effective and timely supply of medicines to patients and end users across the Maudsley Hospital, as well as covering some dispensary services.

Main duties of the job

• To participate in the provision of pharmaceutical care initiatives to ensure the safe, appropriate and cost effective use of medicines.
• To provide safe, timely, cost effective appropriate and high quality pharmaceutical services for patients and staff.
• To act as a role model to junior staff and provide support and training
• To assist in ensuring that key processes and procedures are in place
• To supervise Pharmacy Technicians, Assistant Technical Officers and, where appropriate Pre Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians (PTPT)

You will be a registered pharmacy technician with an NVQ level 3 in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent. You will be an accredited checking technician, although applications will be considered from those who are working towards accreditation. Education and training is encouraged and support is provided by the education and training Chief Technician.

As part of the medicines management team , you will have responsibility for the delivery of a high quality service to both inpatients and outpatients at SLaM. This post provides the opportunity to use your skills providing patient care at ward level, as well as delivering an efficient, technician led dispensary service.

The post involves working alongside our clinical pharmacists providing an integrated delivery of pharmaceutical care initiatives for patients in the Trust to ensure safe, appropriate and cost-effective use of medicines.

About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. We are a world leading Trust in research, working closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. Our services include the Maudsley Hospital, Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Ladywell unit at Lewisham Hospital. We are also part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.

The pharmacy department provides a clinical and dispensing service to wards and community teams in Croydon, Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham across three main hospital sites as well as a wide variety of community mental health teams. We provide information about medication to both staff and patients to improve understanding and contribute to evidence-based care.

Job responsibilities

• To provide a comprehensive pharmaceutical Medicines Management service to patients.
• To work as an Accredited Checking Technician and be able to check clinically screened prescriptions.
• To be able to act independently in following department SOPs
• To dispense medication accurately and be able to decide when it is necessary to refer to the Senior Clinical Pharmacists.
• To participate in the provision of patient counselling to patients and their carers
• To participate in the provision of Medicines Reconciliation and PODs service to wards and community units.
• To be carry out stock checks / stock top ups on wards and/or community units.
• To order non-stock items from electronic prescription charts (EPMA) for supply by pharmacy
• To assess and credit returned drugs, following the Pharmacy returns policy
• To provide teaching and support to other health care professionals regarding good dispensing practice, medicine usage and storage, both internally and externally.
• To assist day to day organisation of staff in the dispensary and to facilitate efficient running of service ensuring that procedures relating to good dispensary practice are followed.
• To participate in research and audit undertaken in pharmacy
• To guide and act as a practice supervisor to Pharmacy Assistants, pre-registration pharmacy technicians and Trainee Pharmacists as appropriate in medicines management and dispensary techniques.
• To ensure that the principles of safe and secure handling of medicines are adopted and to take part in quality assurance systems for pharmaceutical services.
• To attend and participate in departmental education and training meetings.
• To maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio.
• To communicate clearly and sensitively about patient medication issues both internally and externally.
• To participate in the dispensary cover rota. This includes taking in prescriptions and verify personal details; take a current drug history from the patient or carer to identify any drug allergies, drug interactions or problems with the medication prescribed; to give out patient medication to patients and counsel the patient on their medication to promote concordance. This will include the name of the medication, dosage, common side-effects and administration details including use of devices. In addition, resolve any queries or concerns a patient may have about their medications.
• To provide accurate record keeping of controlled drugs kept in the pharmacy including supplies to wards and departments and orders received into the pharmacy
• To undertake any other duties as may be reasonably requested by the Director of Pharmacy consistent with the responsibility of the post
• To take part in annual pharmacy stocktake
• To participate in Saturday and Bank Holiday working, when required

Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential

• NVQ Level 3 Pharmaceutical Sciences or recognised equivalent
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), with mandatory CPD
• Accreditation or eligibility to work as an Accredited Checking Technician (ACT) for final accuracy checking in the dispensary.
• HEE Pharmacy Medicines Optimisation accreditation or equivalent

Desirable

• Practice Supervisor accreditation
• Supervisory/management qualification

Experience
Essential

• Hospital Pharmacy experience
• Ability to undertake medicines reconciliation
• Experience in a clinical based ward team
• Experience in stock management, stock control
• Ability to communicate effectively with pharmacists, nursing teams, patients, families, and external providers.

Desirable

• Supervisory/management qualification or experience
• Experience in Mental Health
• Involvement in specialist projects and/or audit.
• Interest and desire to work in Mental Health

Knowledge
Essential

• Good working knowledge of hospital pharmacy systems, WellSky, EPIC, EPMA
• Demonstrable knowledge of medicines management practice and principles
• Awareness of national and local medicines management standards and policies to ensure safe and compliant practice.
• Ability to undertake dispensary duties including labelling, dispensing, and record-keeping.

Desirable

• Ability to help train other pharmacy staff, including mentoring student pharmacy technicians.

Skills
Essential

• Patient counselling skills
• Ability to prioritise and organise routine daily tasks
• Knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office operating systems, software applications

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).

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