Job summary
Employer heading
Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Dispensary
NHS AfC: Band 3
Job overview
**PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY**
Are you interested in a varied role which has ensuring patients experience the best pharmaceutical care at its heart? We are looking for enthusiastic pharmacy assistants to work as a key part of the pharmacy team within our modern automated, dispensary areas. This role involves activities related to dispensing prescriptions for patients in the main dispensary and stock control, within the Pharmacy Department.
If you are interested in this post, you will need previous experience of working in either a hospital or community pharmacy and have a minimum of NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy services or equivalent.
You must be able to demonstrate an enthusiasm for trying new roles and delivering an excellent patient experience.
Bedford Pharmacy operates a 7-day service, and some weekend shifts will be required.
Main duties of the job
To provide medicine dispensing services within the Pharmacy Dispensary.
To supervise the activity of Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians in the dispensary.
To take part in the late dispensary, weekend and bank holiday shift system.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high-quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting-edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To receive prescriptions and other requests into the Main Dispensary or Dispensary Satellites according to the agreed procedures and deal with straightforward problems
To interpret prescriptions and where necessary, contact a pharmacy technician or pharmacist to clarify prescriptions
To undertake dispensing tasks under supervision including use of the pharmacy computer system for labelling
To check and restock the emergency drugs cupboard
To answer the telephone and resolve problems
To replenish dispensing sundries such as bottles and cartons and order stock
To be responsible for ordering and maintaining stock of additional labels
To be responsible for ordering stock and maintaining display of leaflets for outpatient waiting area
To contribute to the dispensary housekeeping rota including stock checks, ensuring working areas are clean and tidy
To perform environmental monitoring of the stores area, e.g. temperature monitoring
To be responsible for the destruction of drug waste in accordance with COSHH principles and Trust waste disposal procedures including completion of necessary paperwork
To assess the appropriateness of return to stock of dispensed medicines no longer required and complete the process (with correct use of JAC) for return for re-use. To collect ongoing data on returned and wasted medicines
To assist dispensary staff in the provision of information on medicines and general health care to out-patients through the use of posters and leaflets
To train other staff members as outlined in their training schedule. This will include Senior Pharmacy Assistants, Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Technicians and Trainee Pharmacists
To cover duties of stores assistants as and when require
To participate in departmental audit programmes
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Basic numeracy and literacy
- NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services
Desirable criteria
- Vocational qualification in IT skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience in a pharmacy, warehouse or customer orientated environment.
- Experience of supervising staff in training
Desirable criteria
- Experience of training other staff
- Use of computer systems
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Understanding of customer care
- Understanding of the need of confidentiality awareness at all times
Desirable criteria
- Familiarity with drug names
Skills
Essential criteria
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Good listening skills
- Ability to organise own day to day work tasks
- Accurate and organised
- Shows initiative
- Ability to deal sensitively with distressed / aggrieved customers / clients
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Standard keyboard skills
Desirable criteria
- Empathetic communication skills
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lianne Watson
- Job title
- Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01234 355122
- Additional information
01234 355122 Ext 6236
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