Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To carry out routine supply of medicines under the supervision of a qualified member of staff with the appropriate support for the assistants level of training and experience including:

Inpatient dispensing

Controlled drugs dispensing

Recycling and returning medicines no longer needed

To receive prescriptions, labelling and dispensing routine items for in patients and out patients, seeking advice from senior staff where appropriate.

To dispense and self-check medications both manually and with the use of a computerised automated dispensing system. This requires use of bar code technology and scanners.

To dispense non routine medicines e.g. complex prescriptions and compliance aid boxes under the direct supervision of a pharmacy technician.

To operate at all times within the local standard operating procedures relevant to the area of work.

To work on reception in the provision of hatch and associated duties receiving work from wards and departments through the pharmacy reception entering details onto the pharmacy tracker system.

To carry out filing, photocopying and scanning of paperwork within the department when required.

To fill up bottles, bags tops and sundry items ensuring availability of items at all times.

To answer the telephone handling routine enquiries and referring all non-routine to the specified personnel to ensure accurate communication channels are maintained within the hospital.

To store stock in the correct shelf locations ensuring appropriate stock rotation measures are in place.

To check expiry dates and undertake stock rotation of stock held within individuals area of responsibility

To recycle, return and destroy any unwanted medicines from wards and departments following standard operating procedure and under the supervision of a technician

To dispense and record appropriate details according to written protocols for unlicensed and named patient medicines within pharmacy.

To dispense controlled drugs to be held as stock on wards and for the completion of TTO medicines completing the necessary legal documentation.

To maintain accurate records of prescription pads including receipt and issuing of both internal and FP10 prescriptions to assigned areas.

Study towards an NVQ level 2 qualification if not already held.

To participate in any education and training programmes 

To assist in ensuring that a high quality Pharmacy service is maintained.

To undertake the in-house ATO training programme, passing competencies proving ability within each area of the dispensary

To demonstrate on request appropriate tasks to unqualified and support staff.

To participate in education and training programmes when appropriate and ensure that accurate records are kept of Continuous Professional Development.

To participate in the provision of extended hours of service, including evening working, Saturdays and Sundays and bank holidays, according to formal rota arrangements.

To report any suspected or observed defects in medicines, medicinal products and equipment to a senior pharmacist on duty

To be familiar with, and maintain, safe standards of work and adequate records of all processes.

To have due regard for, and to conform at all times with, those aspects of the General Pharmaceutical Council’s  Code of Professional Ethics that apply to technical and support staff.

To have due regard for, and to conform at all times with, directives and circulars associated with the provision of pharmaceutical services, including the Medicines Act, the Duthie Report, relevant Controls Assurance requirements and associated Trust policies and procedures.

To have due regard for all statutory guidance applicable to the pharmacy, including Health and Safety at Work, Manual Handling and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).

To maintain at all times the rules relating to patient confidentiality.

Assist in ensuring a clean and tidy department