Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary:

To be a key member of Pharmacy team and rotate across the following areas within the department: Dispensary, Technical Services, Stores, and ward based Medicine Management teams.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

Dispensary 

1. Accurately dispense and check prescriptions for inpatients and outpatients using manual and automated services. Prescription types will include: outpatients, inpatients, discharges, controlled drugs and clinical trials. This will involve inputting of patient details into the Ascribe computer system and subsequently produce dispensing labels. The label, prescription and product are collected together and assembled. Any additional items such as spoons, bags etc, are also added. The prepared items are checked for accuracy and passed to the pharmacist/accredited technician for final checking.
2. To receive drug charts and prescriptions from the inpatient hatch and record details in the dispensary logs.
3. To successfully complete competencies covering the dispensing of medication over a range of prescriptions for inpatients, outpatients and TTA’s.
4. To help investigate stock level discrepancies within the Dispensary in line with current procedures.
5. To perform the stock check of the emergency cupboard ensuring correct temperature and medicine expiry dates.
6. To issue completed prescriptions and controlled drug supplies to ward staff.
7. To remove any prepared prescriptions that have not been collected and return them to stock/destroy in accordance with Pharmacy procedure.
8. To supply stock controlled drugs, and related controlled stationary to wards and departments.
9. To perform controlled drugs stock checks, to audit and report any discrepancies to the Dispensary Manager or the Deputy Dispensary Manager.

Ward Based Duties – Medicines Management

1. To compile and verify electronically or on paper a patient’s drug history by communicating with the patient, carers, GPs and other health professionals.
2. To endorse electronic or paper prescription charts with relevant medicine related information following trust policies and procedures.
3. To document allergies to medicines.
4. To undertake a review of patient’s own drugs to accurately assess the suitability of continued use while the patient is in hospital.
5. To participate in the discharge planning of patients with ward staff and other healthcare professionals both in secondary and primary care.
6. To give out patient medication to patients and counsel the patient on their medication to promote adherence. This will include the name of the medication, dosage, common side-effects and administration details including use of devices. In addition, resolve any queries or concerns a patient may have about their medications.
7. Document consultations where appropriate in the patient’s records.
8. To minimise delays in discharge by ensuring that medication is available at the appropriate time.
9. To dispense prescriptions if required.
10. To assess patients to see if a compliance aid is required to help concordance.
11. To provide verbal and written medicines related advice and information for patients and/or carers regarding prescribed medication and their devices with the primary aim of improving patient outcomes through medicines optimisation.
12. To assist with stock control and stock management of medicines on designated wards in communication with the ward pharmacist, ward managers, medicines management pharmacy assistants and rotational pharmacy assistants/apprentices.
13. To assist with the workload on designated wards in communication with the ward pharmacist, ward managers, Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy, Technicians, medicines management pharmacy assistants and rotational pharmacy assistants/apprentices and Preregistration Pharmacists.
14. To identify and return unwanted or out of date medicines to Pharmacy for disposal or for safe return to Pharmacy stock in accordance with local procedures.
15. To arrange the supply and return of controlled drugs from the wards in an efficient manner.
16. To transcribe and order medication that are clinically screened or awaiting a clinical screen by a pharmacist in accordance with trust policy.
17. To support the implementation of self-administration by patients and/or carers where possible
18. To support the efficient transfer of medicines between wards.
19. Ensure the safe and secure handling of medicines during medicines management visits; identify issues and feedback to ward/team managers.
20. To communicate with external organisations as necessary for admission and discharge processes (e.g. community pharmacies, GP surgeries).
21. To undertake and complete the relevant sections of the Medicines Optimisation Program or its equivalent.
22. Obtains consent from patient for all appropriate actions.
23. To carry out and record daily monitoring of fridge and ambient temperatures for where medicines are stored, e.g. satellite rooms, and escalate any issues to the appropriate senior member of staff.

Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) duties:

1. Complete Accreditation (ACPT) according to CPPE/HEE LaSE scheme and local ACPT Policy.
2. Conduct checking duties in dispensary or in a ward dispensing setting for a minimum of 8 hours per month.
3. Provide constructive feedback when informing dispensers that they have made mistakes during dispensing.
4. Report in-process errors using the Right First Time Procedure.
5. Arrive promptly for arranged checking sessions.
6. Ensure that your knowledge is up to date by reading all pharmacy procedures relevant to the accuracy checking of dispensed medicines and the ACPT Policy.
7. Contribute to the quality management of dispensing by suggesting improvements to practice and procedures.
8. Inform the ACPT facilitator on your base site before your accreditation expires, so that they can arrange for your reaccreditation.

Technical Services:

1. To adhere to and maintain a strict cleanroom environment in the Technical Services department including the wearing of cleanroom clothing and use of personal protective equipment as required in standard operating procedures.
2. To successfully complete validations covering the preparation of worksheets and labels, tray assemblies and accuracy of measuring chemotherapy doses.
3. To successfully complete checking validations covering the preparation of worksheets and labels, tray assemblies and accuracy checking of measured chemotherapy doses.
4. To successfully perform broth test validations for the preparation of Cytotoxics and to maintain validation status.
5. To participate in the training of all staff new to the Aseptic Unit, including pre-reg pharmacists and technicians, and assistants in principles and procedures relating to aseptic dispensing and smooth running of the department.
6. Supervise and prioritise the daily workload in the aseptic cleanroom to ensure the safe and efficient preparation of chemotherapy medicines.
7. To prepare aseptic products for use within the Trust.
8. To receive telephone confirmation of chemotherapy doses and check the original prescription is located in the department and then to prioritise the workload in order of necessity.
9. To carry out and record daily monitoring of fridge temperatures and room pressure readings (manometers) and to report any out of range readings to the Principal/Senior Technician.
10. To ensure the completion of daily, weekly and monthly environmental and physical monitoring, and cleaning as required in standard operating procedures. To accurately issue and transfer items used in Technical Services to appropriate cost centres using the pharmacy computer system.
11. To assist in the stock control and dispensing of outsourced Parenteral Nutrition and ready to administer chemotherapy products.
12. To produce and approve purchase orders for chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition products using the Ascribe computer system and the manufacturer’s online ordering software.
13. To deputise for the senior technicians in their absence in relation to operational issues.