Senior Pharmacy Technician
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We provide a full range of local mental health services to the Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth London boroughs, as well as specialist forensic mental health services, including specialised services such as national deaf adults and CAMHS inpatients and OCD.
We are committed to providing high quality integrated health and social care for local people with mental health problems in South West London and more specialist mental health services for people throughout the UK. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ however we aim to be ‘outstanding’.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values; being consistent, compassionate, collaborative, respectful and open is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is "making life better together".
When you join us, you’ll be part of something special – an innovative and rapidly growing organisation that is helping to redefine the Mental Health, education and social care landscape in the UK.
As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
The pharmacy team have an excellent opportunity for two pharmacy technicians to join our friendly department providing medicines optimisation services to our community mental health teams and supporting our lead technician in dispensary Monday to Friday – 9 to 5pm – No weekends/Bank holidays/late duty rotas
The role includes supporting patients and staff to ensure medicines optimisation, championing safe and secure handling of medicines, reviewing management of medicines in people's homes, management of supply of high-cost medicines to reduce wastage, monitoring and adherence of FP10 prescription forms, supporting new clinical staff on how to use the electronic prescribing and administration system and clozapine medicines management
These roles will work across our community services in Kingston, Richmond, Merton, Wandsworth and Sutton along with providing regular support to our dispensary team at Springfield Hospital to maintain competencies in dispensary practices and as an accuracy checking pharmacy technician (ACPT)
Career Progression
We offer career pathways to medicines optimisation, dispensary team-leading, practice and educational supervision, procurement, clozapine supply service, medicines information, information technology and further development in leadership skills.In addition, we offer ongoing training and development in pharmacy practice delivered through monthly Continued Education sessions, Technician Development meetings, and Medicine Optimisation meetings
Main duties of the job- To provide a specialist patient focused technical pharmacy service
- To participate in the ongoing development of the technician’s role in Medicines Optimisation at team level for community teams
- To undertake duties of a technical nature, including the dispensing, checking and supply of medication to individual patients
- To be an accredited accuracy checking technician in a technician-led dispensary
- To monitor and supervise the work of pharmacy assistants and trainees at team level
You should have recent previous experience of medicines optimisation and should hold accreditations for both medicines management and accredited checking pharmacy technician (ACPT). Experience of working within mental health services and within a multidisciplinary team, good written and verbal communication, familiarity communication, familiarity with clozapine dispensing and supply services and knowledge of mental health medicines are also desirable.
Agile and flexible working:
As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role you will be able to work Monday to Friday in the time frames from 9 to 5pm, giving you the very best of good work life balance.Once established in role their will be opportunity for some working from home on a regular basis.
Working for our organisation
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ - we aspire to be ‘outstanding’.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world.More developments are planned across our sites and services.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
About our locations:
Springfield University Hospital, Tooting
Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities. A 32-acre public park, shops and cafes are coming soon. Close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To participate in a high quality, patient focused Medicines Optimisation model for technicians, at ward and community team level.
- To monitor and supervise the work of the pharmacy assistants and participate in medication top-up at team base/ward level, to ensure good stock control.
- To be responsible for the safe, accurate and timely supplying of medicines in accordance with agreed stock lists and non-stock items, in line with the changing clinical needs of each clinical environment to minimise waste and reduce risk, and ensuring records are kept.
- To monitor medicines storage on wards, team bases and outside units in line with Medicines Management standards.
- To assist with departmental and Trust wide quality audits to demonstrate compliance with Medicines Management policies.
- To have involvement with the general supervision and development review of pharmacy assistants and technicians according to departmental policy.
- To supervise the internal training scheme for pharmacy assistants/pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians leading to NVQ Level 2/3, in line with London Education & Training guidance, and achieve Practice Supervisor status as required/appropriate, leading to further development as an Educational Supervisor.
- To dispense medication, ensuring compliance with all procedures, for patients ready to receive a final accuracy check.
- To maintain Accredited Accuracy Checking Technician status and perform the final accuracy check of prescriptions in accordance with Trust policy.
- To maintain Accreditation in Medicines Management (HEELASE or equivalent)
- To participate within the pharmacy, when necessary, with the receipt, processing, storage and stock control of medicines and other supplies.
- To counsel patients on the use of their medication, as appropriate.
- To respond to enquiries and requests from staff, patients and carers, in accordance with individual competence and departmental policy.
- To provide training and advice on pharmacy services to ward, nursing, medical and pharmacy staff.
- To assist in the induction of new staff, and in-house training.
- To use pharmacy and other computer systems in the course of performing these duties.
- To provide reciprocal cover for other medicines management technicians in their absence, which may necessitate working at other Trust sites
- To deputise for the Lead Medicine Management Technicians when required.
- To undertake mandatory and statutory training, supervision and annual appraisal as required by Trust policy.
- To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development Review/appraisal.
- To undertake personal development as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP).
Person specification
TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS
Essential criteria- • NVQ Level 3, BTEC or similar nationally recognised qualification in pharmaceutical sciences
- • Accreditation in Medicines Management or equivalent experience
- • Be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- • Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
- • Possession of Accredited Checking technician qualification
- • Practice supervisor qualification
- • Educational Supervisor or equivalent
EXPERIENCE
Essential criteria- • Demonstrable experience of working in a pharmacy as a qualified pharmacy technician
- • Previous hospital experience
- • Experience of checking dispensed prescriptions
- • Experience of medicine reconciliation at ward level
- • Experience of audit work
- • Experience of using JAC dispensing system
- • Supervisory experience
We are Members of Stonewall Diversity Champions and Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion.
As part of the Trust's commitment to Equalities and Diversity, the Trust supports the establishment of Staff Networks groups to promote diversity in the workplace:
- BME (Evolve) Staff Network
- Christian Staff Network
- DiverseAbility
- Deaf Staff Network
- Mental Health Staff Forum
- Women's Staff Network
- LGBTQIA+
We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community and has signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
We provide reasonable adjustments to the interview process for any candidates with a disability.
Please note:
- That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received
- That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3^rd party e-recruitment system
- That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
- That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
- That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
- That your employment is offered subject to successful completion of a Probationary Period depending on your Band (except medical roles)
- That we are a smoke-free Trust