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Job summary

Main area
Pharmacy
Grade
Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
001-PST033-0424
Employer
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Employer type
NHS
Site
University Hospital Wales
Town
Cardiff
Salary
£35,922 - £43,257 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
07/05/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board logo

Parenteral Nutrition Pharmacy Technician

Band 6

WHO WE ARE:

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Board in the UK, employing over 16,000 staff and providing over 100 specialist services. Serving a population of around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health 
and care needs of our local population whilst also working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone and to delivering excellent care and support.


Our mission is “Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together”. We have recently refreshed our strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, which sets out the Health Board’s Vision for improving the health and wellbeing of the populations we serve by 2035 through the delivery of our strategic 
objectives; Putting People First, Providing Outstanding Quality, Delivering in the Right Places, and Acting for the Future. We have challenging times ahead, but we are confident that by tackling these  challenges together, we can support people to live healthier lives and reduce the unfair differences in 
the prevalence of illness and health outcomes we see in our communities today. We aspire to deliver outstanding care and treatment for people when they need it, where they need it; care that compares well with the best in the world, but to do so, we need to transform how we deliver services over the 
next decade and beyond. 

We are a values-driven organisation and out goals will only be realised if our values are at the heart of everything we do. Created by colleagues, patients and their families and carers, our values are:

  • We are kind and caring
  • We are respectful
  • We have trust and integrity
  • We take personal responsibility 

As an organisation we strongly believe that it is vital our leaders exhibit the behaviours and values that we expect from all our staff.

We are a teaching Health Board with close links to the university sector, and together we are training the next generation of healthcare professionals, while working on research that will hopefully unlock the cures for today’s illnesses

Please be advised that there is a temporary top up for Bands 1,2 and 3 to reflect the incorporation of the top up to the  living wage of £12 per hour - £23,465 per annum. This temporary top up will be in place until  the annual pay uplift for 2024/25 is confirmed


 

Job overview

We have an exciting new opportunity for an accredited Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) to join the adult parenteral nutrition (PN) team within specialist services at Cardiff & Vale UHB. The role encompasses both clinical and technical pharmacy remits and as such the post requires the individual to work across two sites University Hospital of Wales (UHW) and St Mary’s Pharmaceutical Unit (SMPU).

The adult PN team support the multidisciplinary home parenteral nutrition (HPN) and intestinal failure service at UHW to provide PN tailored for the needs of each individual patient. Therefore, the candidate needs to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to be able to communicate effectively with both patients and colleagues (inside or outside the Nutrition Support Team (NST) or aseptic pharmacy team).

This is an advanced role and we need a forward thinking, proactive candidate to be responsible for, and ensure timely supply and safe provision of PN for patients; whilst navigating the everyday realities/practicalities/challenges of aseptic production (GCP, GMP compliance, local audit, capacity).

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will perform the following mainstay of activities:

  • Order, schedule and co-ordinate supply of inpatient adult PN (including standard bag dispensing and checking).
  • Process PN formulation throughput using Abacus software (including stability assessment)
  • Audit and oversee PN stock control and usage.
  • Assist in designated aseptic preparation sessions (inside the unit), and also contribute to product approval/release sessions (outside the unit), for Section 10 products (chemotherapy, CIVAS and TPN).
  • Support clinical ward-based activities where possible, including basic patient review, fridge checks, blood test ordering, and patient prioritisation (e.g. for compounded PN)
  • Assist in clinical audit and service evaluation activities relating to the adult PN service (including data collection), to either implement process changes to enhance the needs of the patient, or streamline PN related activities.

The successful candidate will be required to contribute to the weekend and bank holiday rota.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Working for our organisation

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 15,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services.   Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services.

Our mission is  “Caring for People, Keeping People Well”, and our  vision is that every person’s chance of leading a healthy life should be equal.   As an organisation we are unashamedly ambitious for our population’s health, rising to the challenges of today and tomorrow through our 10-year strategy, Shaping our Future Wellbeing.    We are contributing to a healthier Wales with great emphasis placed on innovation and improvement, learning from around the world and leading the way in clinical research.   Partnership working is strong at Cardiff and Vale, and we work closely with our staff and our community.    

Cardiff, the thriving Welsh capital, is a fantastic city to live and work in with an abundance of sports, arts and cultural attractions.    Situated to the west of Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan offers a combination of beautiful Welsh countryside and a dramatic natural coastline.  Whether city life or rural living, Cardiff  and the Vale offers the best of both worlds.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents

 

Person specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
  • Substantial experience as an aseptically trained technician in hospital or commercial sectors
  • Current post Band 5 or above
  • Good team player and sensitive to the need to optimise team performance
  • Good patient communication and interaction skills
  • NVQ L3/BTEC Pharmacy services
  • Good working knowledge of safe dispensing and aseptic practices
  • Knowledge and understanding of GMP and QA and its application to aseptic processing
  • Able to demonstrate excellent organisational skills
  • Good attention to detail and responsible attitude to quality and accuracy
Desirable criteria
  • Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Assurance experience
  • Leeds Aseptic Dispensing Course or Equivalent
  • Experience relating to Abacus, the EM24000 compounder, PN provision, checking or patient review
  • Relevant post qualification Aseptic service courses e.g. APDM, ASFM

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Broad experience of hospital pharmacy
  • Substantial post qualification experience in aseptic services
  • Sufficient experience as checking technician

Skills and Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Good communication skills
  • Computer literate
  • Aware of (and work within) own limitations
  • Manual dexterity to manipulate injections or prepare pharmaceutical products, and good hand-eye co-ordination
  • Strong organisational skills: Documentation skills & Organising skills
  • Good understanding & knowledge of: Operation of aseptic services & safe handling prescribing and use of cytotoxic drugs
  • Good Manufacturing Practice
  • Approachable and professional manner
  • Ability to remain calm in a busy environment
  • Commitment to continuing education and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoAge positiveDisability confident leaderhyderus o ran anableddAccredited Living Wage EmployerDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldArmed Forces CovenantDFN Project Search LogoStonewall Top 100 Employers in 2023Stonewall Top 100 Employers in 2023Core principles

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Welsh language skills are not necessary

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Susanna Harwood
Job title
Parenteral Nutrition Specialist Pharmacist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
02920748109
Additional information

If unavailable, please contact:

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