Rotational Senior Pharmacy Assistant

The Inpatient Pharmacy at the Royal Berkshire Hospital has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Pharmacy Assistant/Dispenser to join our pharmacy team. Candidates must possess or be working towards NVQ Level 2 qualification, or show willingness to complete training. We are looking for hard working and highly motivated individuals to join our welcoming and innovative team.

Here in Pharmacy we strive to deliver an efficient, safe and resourceful service to our patients. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop their skills in many aspects of the Pharmacy service, from dispensing specialised medicines, liaising with a range of different healthcare professionals and assisting the Monitored Dosage System (MDS) team.

If you believe you are the right person for the job, we welcome your application. For further information please contact Kirsty Waters, Lead Technician - Dispensary Services, on 0118 322 7792 or email kirsty.waters@royalberkshire.nhs.uk

Undertake duties on a rotational basis across Pharmacy Stores and the multi-disciplinary Dispensary teams. Performing a range of tasks to assist and support the provision of a variety of Pharmacy services.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest District General Hospitals in the country. The hospital achieved Foundation Trust status on 1st June 2006. It was the first Foundation Trust in the South Central Strategic Health Authority. The Trust has a successful track record of delivering high quality acute medical and surgical services for 500,000 patients across West Berkshire, an area extending from Newbury in the west to Henley-on-Thames in the east, and including Wokingham and parts of Hampshire to the south and parts of Oxfordshire to the north. The Trust is Reading’s biggest employer.
PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Technical

• Receive prescriptions and book into the Prescription Tracking System (PTS)
• Assist in the dispensing of inpatients prescriptions under the supervision of the Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacist by following ‘Guide to Good Dispensing Practice’
• Assist in ensuring adequate stock control, rotation and monitoring environmental conditions for storage of medicines.
• To respond to telephone inquiries and requests for information, retrieving and relaying information accurately, referring if beyond remit of role.
• Understand the legal requirements when handling different types of pharmaceutical stock, including unlicensed medications, devices and controlled drugs.

Teaching and Training

• Assist with the training of new pharmacy staff.
• Undertake performance review in accordance with departmental guidelines and timetables to participate in the planning and development of Personal Development Plans.
• Be responsible for undertaking work, study days, reading and self-directed study as a means of personal development, especially towards the organisational needs of the post

Dispensary

• To accurately label and dispense inpatient prescriptions under the supervision of a Pharmacy Technician according to department SOP’s, including Monitored Dosage System (MDS) trays.
• To assist in ensuring adequate medicinal supplies are available and stock rotation is achieved within the dispensary.
• To participate in the dispensing of ward stock Controlled Drug requisitions and undertake other Controlled Drug duties as requested.
• To assist in assembling and recalling Emergency Drug Boxes.
• To perform quality checks on medicines returned from the wards and departments in order to return or dispose of the medicines according to the SOP’s.
• Provide reception cover for the inpatient dispensary service, liaising with a multitude of other healthcare professionals face to face and over the phone.
• To respond to telephone inquiries and requests for information, retrieving and relaying information accurately, referring if beyond remit of role.
• To undertake any other duties that may be assigned by Lead Technician and maintain a flexible approach to carrying out roles and responsibilities within the department.
• Ensure inpatient and discharge prescriptions are printed from the e-prescribing system, booked into the prescription tracking system and passed to the dispensary team for processing in priority order.
• Pack checked & dispensed prescriptions and other items into the ward bags for transportation to the wards/theatres & departments to facilitate timely delivery in accordance with the porters delivery schedule.
• Top-up non-robot stock and dispensary stock.
• Top-up patient information leaflets including photocopying and update of master-copies and to ensure that there is an adequate number of all current blank forms.
• Carry out daily cyclical stock checks under the supervision of the Pharmacy Technician, ensuring returned stock/medicines are dealt with appropriately
• Maintain stocks of consumables and dispensary sundries i.e. bags, bottles, cartons etc. and notify Senior Pharmacy Technician if stock go below the minimum stock level.
• Ensure prescriptions and stock requests are filed correctly on a daily basis, and archiving is maintained.
• Ensure health and safety regulations are observed.
• Adhere to Departmental security procedure and NHS Foundation Trust/Pharmacy policies.

Pharmacy Stores

• Assist in ensuring adequate medicinal supplies are available and stock control management and monitoring of environmental conditions for storage of medicines is monitored.
• Count ward stock and issue pharmaceutical products according to ward stock lists.
• Process to-follow requests for ward stock.
• Pick goods accurately and pack ready for safe delivery and distribution according to departmental standard operating procedures.
• Check non –robot items picked by other staff members for accuracy.
• Assist in the delivery of medicines to the wards, putting away stock if necessary.
• Assist with receiving, checking and recording all pharmaceutical products delivered to the Trust according to standard operating procedures.
• Liaise with delivery drivers and sign for deliveries, checking that parcels are labelled correctly and packages requiring special storage are dealt with correctly.
• Verify all EAN codes against the Trust ePMA system and accurately record new EAN codes ready for addition.
• Return medical products to suppliers to ensure the Trust is appropriately refunded if necessary.
• Follow standard operating procedures when handling substances subject to Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, including deliveries containing dry ice.
• Complete training on using an electric tug vehicle.
• Report stock discrepancies and assist with cyclical stock takes, following departmental standard operating procedures.
• Hand over packages containing pharmaceutical stock to internal and contracted staff, obtaining signatures where required and ensuring storage and handling requirements are maintained and communicated.
• To perform quality checks on medicines returned from the wards and departments and return or dispose of the medicines according to the SOP’s.

Other Role responsibilities

• To participate in the late, weekend and bank holiday rota as required by the department.
• To ensure working areas are kept clean and tidy, adhering to Trust Policies, Health and Safety and COSHH regulations.
• To ensure that compliance with legal, ethical and other applicable standards is achieved in the provision of pharmacy services. Also adhere to the Medicines, Ethics and Practice guidance (MEP).
• To undertake any other duties that may be assigned by your line manager in consultation with the Senior Technical Team and maintain a flexible approach to carrying out roles & responsibilities within the department.
• All duties must be carried out in line with Trust policy and procedure. You must not undertake any duties that are beyond your remit area of skill or knowledge level. If you are uncertain you must refer and seek clarification from a senior member of staff.

This job description is not exhaustive and will be subject to periodic review in association with the post-holder.