JOB DESCRIPTION
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN (ROTATIONAL, DISPENSARY AND WARD BASED SERVICES)
This job description may be subject to change. Such change will only take place following consultation between the Head of Pharmacy Services and the postholder.
Post: Pharmacy Technician
Grade: MTO 2
Accountable To: Director of Operations
Responsible To: Chief Pharmacist
Reports To: Senior Technician (Dispensary)
Responsible For: Any ancillary staff working under his/her supervision
Liaises With: Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants
Ward based pharmacists
Function
To carry out technical duties (total medicines management) on the wards at West Suffolk Hospital with the pharmacists and nursing staff . This will include stock supply, patient counselling, managing and monitoring patients own drugs.
Principal Duties
1. Ward
· Participate in the ward top up service, including visits to outside hospitals and non-stock top
up (when deemed competent)
· Providing inpatient and discharge counselling on drug therapy (when completed accredited counselling course)
· Identify newly prescribed items, co-ordinate the use of patients own drugs, discharge planning alongside the pharmacist
· Ensure adequate storage of pharmaceuticals at ward level to comply with legal and quality standards
· Order specialised and non-formulary drugs
· Check ward controlled drugs stocks weekly
· Identify problems in administration (e.g. nil by mouth), physical limitations (e.g. impaired vision) and other problems that could have an impact on medicines compliance
2. Dispensary
· Dispense items for in-patients and out-patients, in accordance with written procedures
· Dispense controlled drugs, in accordance with written procedures
· Check items dispensed for in-patients from pharmacists’ ward lists
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3. Stockroom
(a) Supervise the work of the Assistant Technical Officer (Pharmacy) in issuing stock items
from a picking list, including dispensed items
(b) Issue ward stock items from a picking list and dispense non pre-pack items in accordance with written procedures
(c) Supervise the Assistant Technical Officer (Pharmacy) in issuing “to follow” items. Inform
the Senior Technician (Dispensary) or an appropriate technician of any delays in supply.
4. Production
(a) Participate in cytotoxic reconstitution and the preparation of TPN, including completion
of all relevant documentation, under the supervision of the Senior Technician (Technical
Services) and the Production Pharmacist.
(b) Participate in extemporaneous dispensing as required, under the supervision of the Senior
Technician (Technical Services) and the Production Pharmacist
General Duties
1. To supervise and check the work of pharmacists, technicians, pre-registration pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and other staff as required (when deemed competent).
2. To participate in a Saturday morning and Bank Holiday rota.
3. To assist in the training of pharmacy staff and other professional staff as required.
4. To ensure that statutory requirements are met at all times and to implement Trust policy as directed by the Head of Pharmacy Services.
5. To attend relevant training courses as appropriate.
6. To undertake other reasonable duties within the framework of the post as directed by the Head of Pharmacy Services.
Notes
It is our intention to develop the role of the pharmacists, technicians and assistants within the pharmaceutical service and all pharmacy staff are actively encouraged to fulfil their CPD Requirements (Continuing Professional Development). To this end we will be adding responsibilities to this job description but will ensure that adequate training is provided and that the Trust will indemnify the individual for this extended role.
GENERAL NOTES:
The duties outlined above are subject to changes which meet the needs of the service as a result of the full implementation of the Trust Plans.
Employees of the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust, are expected to develop the IT skills necessary to support the tasks included in their post. They will, therefore be required to undertake any necessary training to support this.
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The postholder is required to conform to the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust’s Policies on Health and Safety and Fire Prevention, and to attend related training sessions as required.
In the course of their duties employees will have access to confidential material about patients, members of staff and other Health Service business. On no account must information relating to identifiable patients be divulged to anyone other than authorised persons, for example, medical, nursing or other professional staff, as appropriate, who are concerned directly with the care, diagnosis and/or treatment of the patient. If there is any doubt whatsoever, as to the authority of a person or body asking for information of this nature, advice must be sought from a superior officer. Similarly, no information of a personal or confidential nature concerning individual members of staff should be divulged to anyone without the proper authority having first been given. Failure to observe these rules will be regarded as serious misconduct which could result in serious disciplinary action being taken including dismissal.
The duties and responsibilities of the post will be undertaken in accordance with the policies, procedures and practices of West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust, which the Trust may amend from time to time.
In recognition of the Trust’s commitment to health promotion and its health and safety responsibility, the Trust has a no smoking policy which prevents all staff from smoking whilst on duty.
West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust’s duty to ensure that no existing or potential employees receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, marital status, age or disability, or are disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable. All employees are expected to comply with this policy.
Job Desc Disc/JW/SL/june2000
JOB CRITERIA/PERSON SPECIFICATION
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN MTO 2 (ROTATIONAL)
POST: Pharmacy Technician, MTO 2 (rotational)
QUALIFICATIONS: BTEC Pharm Science (or equivalent)
EXPERIENCE: Recent experience of working in hospital/retail pharmacy
Working with members of the public
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES: Good team member
Good communication skills (both verbal and written)
Ability to work in an organised and calm fashion in a busy
Environment
Flexibility to work in different sections of the department
Ability to work to deadlines and to achieve agreed objectives
Good interpersonal skills
Ability to lift, using appropriate lifting aids if necessary
Current driving licence (desirable)
OTHERS: Expected to deal with members of the public and other health care workers in a professional manner
Ability to supervise Assistant Technical Officers and other staff as appropriate (when deemed competent)
Expected to have an all round knowledge of the technical aspects of hospital pharmacy and a broad outlook of pharmaceutical issues
Close liaison with co-workers in the department is vital
Expected to participate in the Saturday morning and bank holiday rotas
Job Desc Disc/JW/June 2000