Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technician

Praising NCH&C’s “compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels”, the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.

The trust offers a range of flexibility, including flexible working patterns, and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.

We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.

Job overview

The day to day trust wide management of a defined aspect of the Pharmacy service, provide high quality clinical pharmacy services within Norfolk Community Health & Care. Including:

• Developing, implementing, managing and monitoring safe, effective, efficient and evidence based pharmacy services, particularly but not limited to own defined area of responsibility.
• Ensuring services in own defined area are guided by and compliant with national, local and professional legislation, standards and guidelines.
• To personally work and encourage others to work within these standards and guidelines, but be able to work, and justify working, outside these when there is an urgent clinical or service need in keeping with professional registration requirements.
• Ensuring services in own area are patient centred and are delivered in a manner which meets the needs of patients and other stakeholders.
• Ensuring staff are competent and confident in delivering pharmacy services within own defined area, and that performance of those staff is managed and maximised.
• Managing staff allocation within own area and balancing priorities and demands of other areas within pharmacy.
• To act as an identified deputy for line manager where appropriate in defined areas of responsibility.

You will confidently communicate with patients, carers and healthcare professionals internally and in other organisations to ensure patients are safe with their medicines. This role is key to the medicines optimisation agenda.

1. Team leading, line management, following Trust policies in all areas.
2. Attendance at Pharmacy departmental meetings.
3. Development and implementation of SOPs, guidelines and policies.
4. Responsible for safe and efficient deployment of Medicines Management Technicians.
5. Training and education of other healthcare professionals.
6. Ensure service user involvement in the development of pharmacy services and improve access for service users to pharmacy staff.
7. Review the stock lists for all areas on a regular basis in consultation with Pharmacists and the Ward Manager.
8. Report any technical issues problems with ward visits and any issues from other members of the ward team regarding the clinical pharmacy service to the Pharmacist or Head of Medicines Optimisation.
9. Identify critical incidents in relation to the clinical pharmacy service and make judgments on the most appropriate course of action.
10. Ensure all Medicines Management Technicians are delivering on the duties listed in the medicines management and optimisation duties.

Accountable To:

Head of Medicines Optimisation

Reports To:

Head of Medicines Optimisation

Responsible For:

Pharmacy Technicians

Working for our organisation

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Undertake prescription chart checks in line with SOPs and refer interventions or discrepancies to the appropriate pharmacist or healthcare professional when necessary ensuring that prescriptions are legible, unambiguous and legally acceptable.
2. Conduct ward and clinic level audits, and report results as appropriate.
3. Maintain safe systems of medication supply to wards and teams.
4. Be responsible for the supply of medicines.
5. Complete medicines reconciliation in line with SOPs.
6. Assess suitability, quality and identity of patient’s own medicines (PODs) for extended use on wards and as discharge medicines in line with SOPs and encourage patients relatives or carers to bring in patients own medicines.
7. Monitor stock control and storage of medicines on the wards and at team bases to ensure timely availability whilst minimising waste. Undertake routine statutory storage and controlled drug checks of medicines on wards and in teams.
8. Liaise with wards / teams, pharmacy staff and clinical pharmacists to ensure stock lists are up to date and reflect current and emergency usage in line with trust guidelines.
9. Facilitate discharge through liaison with GP practices, community teams and community pharmacies, to ensure seamless transfer of care and continuity of supply and ensure appropriate use of adherence aids.
10. Liaise closely with other healthcare professionals regarding interface issues affecting patients including GPs community pharmacies and district nurses.
11. Order routine stock for wards and teams in line with service SOPs.
12. Order supplies supplies of medicines for individual patients for use in hospital and at discharge as part of the one stop dispensing procedure.
13. Accuracy check the quantity and quality of drug strength form dose and directions of all medicines contained in the bedside medicine locker at regular intervals during the patient stay to cheque for discrepancies and sufficient quantity of medicines in anticipation of discharge.
14. Identify and address adherence issues liaising with health and social care professionals and carers where necessary, assisting with organising, where necessary, aids for individual patients (medication reminder cards, dosette boxes etc.).
15. Provide information and counselling on the use of medicines to selected patients and or carers taking into account their level of understanding, competence and behaviour.
16. Assess patient's ability to self-administer and monitor patients who are self-administering as per trust SOP.
17. Be responsible for resolving problems, responding to queries and providing advice at ward or team level, reporting or referring where appropriate.
18. Facilitate resolution of medicines supply problems when requested.
19. Destroy expired or unwanted medicines as per local procedures.
20. Ensure wards have appropriate stock rotation systems, stock list and medicines storage.
21. Receive information and answer or refer queries from patients and other members of the multidisciplinary team relating to the technical aspects of the clinical pharmacy service.
22. Record patient interventions and medicines activity in patients record.
23. Liaise closely with ward pharmacist and medicines safety pharmacist.

1. The position will have a degree of autonomy to act on individual patient medicine pharmaceutical care, to deliver safety improvements for individual patients. There is an expectation that the post holder will practice within safe limits and always refer to a pharmacist when unsure or when there is a need to resolve complex or more challenging situations.
2. Support the Pharmacists and Head of Medicines Optimisation to ensure that medicines are handled safely and securely within the organisation.
3. Provide advice and input to patients carers staff on issues relating to medicines management.
4. Identify and take action on pharmaceutical issues as they arise.
5. Support investigation and resolution of medicines related incidents.
6. Support staff when medication errors or incidents occur and identify ways to improve safe and secure handling of medicines.
7. To participate in regular audit and produce audit report if appropriate.
8. Identify need for and assist to develop and implement policies and procedures, patient group directions, clinical guidelines and protocols to support the safe and secure handling of medicines relevant to their work environments.
9. Assist in training of ward staff involved in medicines management and administration as appropriate.

1. Participate in regular reviews of organisational structures skill mix and deployment of pharmacy staff to ensure the service is responsive to changing needs and techniques.
2. Promote the clinical and cost-effective use of medicines throughout the organisation.
3. Interpret financial information on drug expenditure for budget holders.
4. Manage resources and identify cost saving efficiencies within any areas of service and discuss with manager to produce action plans.
5. Communicate succinctly and effectively with patients and other healthcare staff. Interventions that produce direct improvements in patient safety will be recorded to demonstrate effectiveness.

1. Provide inclusive, compassionate and effective leadership for your team by setting clear vision and direction.
2. Develop a culture and environment in which members of staff are encouraged and supported to deliver high- quality services and are supported to innovate and improve services where appropriate.
3. Encourage your team to feel able to raise concerns openly and safely.
4. Support prompt recruitment and participate in the selection and effective induction and onboarding of new joiners to the team.
5. Ensure that all team members have a very positive introduction to the team and a well supported first year.
6. Ensure that key messages are cascaded in your team and that your team are encouraged to put forward suggestions.
7. Show appreciation to your team when they do good work and support them when they are struggling.
8. Consider the individual needs of team members for a healthy work-life balance and think about how their needs can be supported by providing flexible ways of working.
9. Support all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up-to-date and identify the learning and development needs of all team members of the team ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date personal development plan (PDP).
10. Ensure all team members receive a constructive assessment of their performance each year and set SMART objectives for the coming year.
11. Act as a positive role model at all times, encouraging people to feel equal members of the team whilst working within clear frameworks and policies.
12. Ensure that you and your team understand all of the agreed key performance indicators for your service, particularly relating to outcomes and essential standards to be met.
13. Ensure that you and your team understand data quality standards and that all the necessary records for your service are maintained and reported.
14. Ensure that you and your team understand all of the clinical and business action plans relevant to your services.
15. Ensure that you and your team understand all of the monitoring, auditing and reporting systems relevant to your services.

1. Actively seek opportunities for improvement for the services which you and your team provide by identifying research evidence and best practice elsewhere, interpreting/translating and facilitating adaptation for the Trust.
2. Analyse and interpret data to inform the strategic direction of the services which you and your team provide.
3. Ensure multidisciplinary involvement and the use of quality improvement (QI) techniques in service improvement, by negotiating shared solutions, facilitating the resolution of complex or contentious issues and managing any conflict into constructive outcomes.
4. Ensure effective risk identification, analysis, mitigation and management within your services, encouraging all members of your team to be aware of and to manage risks.
5. Ensure that you understand all of the key governance requirements, policies and standards for your services and that these are communicated to your team; make sure your team understand the importance of good governance.

1. Maintain accreditation for the clinical skills relevant to this role.
2. Maintain a portfolio of CPD and undertake an active part in self-directed learning and appropriate training that will contribute to personal and service development.
3. Participate in regular supervision, appraisal and maintain a personal development plan.
4. Act as a role model for junior members of staff.
5. Present a positive professional image and main confidence maintain confidentiality of information at all times in accordance with the Data Protection Act .
6. Comply with the organisation policies and procedures governing personal conduct discipline and confidentiality.

1. Ensure awareness of the many stakeholders to your services (key stakeholders will include all members of your multi-disciplinary team, other teams, service users, families, carers, local communities, other statutory agencies, other healthcare providers etc)
2. Develop and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders, this may include proactive communications to ensure full involvement and engagement in the delivery of services and aims and objectives.
3. Implement and lead effective two-way communications to ensure that the Service areas are responsive to the needs of patients/service users and external pressures.

Person specification

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 - Pharmacy Service / BTEC in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
• Accredited checking technician status or likely to achieve within 3 months
• Current GPhC registration - Pharmacy Technician
• Medicines reconciliation accreditation
• Medicines related patient consultation skills accreditation
• Medicines Management accreditation

• Supervisory skills
• Member of APTUK
• Educational Supervisor or NVQ assessor to A1 standard or equivalent
• Leadership Qualification (e.g. CPPE Leading for Change)

Experience

• Medicines optimisation knowledge and experience
• Experience of working in ward, community services or primary care environment
• Some post qualification experience
• Evidence of CPD
• Basic knowledge of primary care
• Digital pharmacy experience

• Experience of working in community services
• Experience of managing a team
• Experience of writing procedures and training packages
• Experience of managing IT systems
• Experience of report writing
• Experience of conducting audits
• Experience of recruitment
• Experience of managing meetings
• Successful project or change management
• Evidence of team role and multidisciplinary work

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Able to record information accurately
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Ability to work under pressure, dealing with peaks and troughs in workload
• Ability to prioritise and meet deadlines.
• Ability to influence change
• Ability to identify when advice needs to be sought
• Ability to react to and manage the changing situation within the service on a daily basis and motivate and inform staff accordingly
• IT literate in Word, PowerPoint and Excel or equivalent programs
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Able to deal professionally with both staff and patients when dealing with sensitive information
• Able to work independently, show initiative within own authority limits and follow agreed procedures
• Evidence of CPD and study beyond those standards achieved for the BTEC in Pharmacy Services demonstrating commitment to lifelong learning
• Adaptable in approach to work and projects

• Analytical and creative problem solving skills
• Knowledge and training in Quality Improvement
• Knowledge of legislative aspects of medicines supply issues
• Understanding of clinical governance and implications for service including Quality & audit
• Knowledge of Health and Safety at Work, including COSHH

Personal and People Development

• Reflective practice skills

• Experience of supervising or managing staff
• Experience of delivering training to both Pharmacy professionals and other members of the multidisciplinary team

Personal Attributes / Behaviours (Linked to the Trust's Behaviour Framework

• Able to identify with the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults. Able to demonstrate a commitment and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs
• Able to identify with the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
• Highly motivated and reliable
• Effective role model, demonstrating NCHC values of People community, compassion & creativity
• Enthusiastic and willing to learn
• Able to share learning with others
• Adaptable

Other

• The post holder will need to be passed fit to perform full duties of the post through occupational health with any reasonable aids and adaptations if necessary. Some roles require additional level of checks as part of the employment process i.e. roles which come into contact with children, vulnerable adults or their families
• Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle (if applicable)
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

All sites are Smoke Free.

If you are an applicant from outside the UK and do not already hold a self-gained right to work, we recommend you check the Home Office eligibility requirements before making an application.

Please note: Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for some job roles, and this will be identified through filtering questions at the start of any job application on the Trac recruitment system.

Redeployment - Please note that in the first instance priority for this vacancy will be given to NCH&C staff who are on the Trusts Redeployment Register.

However if you are registered with the update service this may not be required.

Closing and Interview Dates -This vacancy may close early if sufficient applicants are received.

Data Protection - A privacy notice detailing how we will handle your data is attached to this advert as a document. Your application will be transferred to our recruitment management system (Trac) once the advert has closed and you will receive notification then detailing how Trac will handle your data.

Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development.

The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives.

We will remain two separate employers until further notice, and this role being advertised will be employed by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.