Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician Apprentice Cross Sector
If your values align to ours, and you would like to join us in aspiring to deliver world class patient care, we would love to hear from you.
Job overview
We are looking to appoint a cross sector pre-registration pharmacy technician. This is a two-year fixed term post which offers the trainee the opportunity to complete an advanced apprenticeship leading to application for registration with The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to practice as a professionally registered Pharmacy Technician.
The successful candidate will develop, the knowledge, skills, and competencies to achieve a QCF Level 3 Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship . This will be through a structured rotational training program with RJAH, community pharmacy and General Practice.
Main duties of the job
Whilst in training the post holder will carry out pharmaceutical duties, under the direct supervision of an appropriate person in all aspects of the pharmacy service, including Community Pharmacy, General Practice and RJAH Pharmacy.
Some of the duties will be in the form of training exercises and competence-based assessments in conjunction with Level 3 Pharmacy Technician (Integrated) apprenticeship standard qualification. The content of these courses will be provided via an online programme with allocated protected learning and training time.There will be further agreed sessions within your working week to undertake learning activities.
Working for our organisation
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic NHS Trust (RJAH) is one of the leading orthopaedic hospitals in the country, with some of the highest levels of staff and patient satisfaction, as well as a strong reputation for research and innovation.
Joining RJAH is more than just a job – we want our people to have the best opportunities to thrive in their role.
We have a range of fantastic staff benefits on offer to everyone who joins RJAH and you'll have access to outstanding professional development opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities – including our recently-opened £6 million Headley Court Veterans’ Orthopaedic Centre (the first unit of its kind in the UK).
RJAH has strong links with a range of universities including Staffordshire, Keele, Glyndwr, Chester and Birmingham.
The hospital is located on a site outside Oswestry in Oswestry, just off the A5. The nearest train station is in Gobowen, approximately two miles from the hospital. The station is part of the Chester to Birmingham line.
We are based in North Shropshire, close to the border with North and Mid Wales. It is one of the most attractive parts of the country, with a rich historic culture and excellent transport links. It offers outstanding opportunities for anyone who enjoys an outdoor lifestyle or is looking to raise a family.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS- Chief Pharmacist / Deputy Chief Pharmacist’s
- Senior Pharmacy Technician
- Primary Care Network (PCN) Lead Pharmacist
- Pharmacy General Manager
- ICB Pharmacy Technician
- Senior Pharmacy Technicians
- Pharmacists / Pharmacy Technicians / Assistants / Support staff
- Administration Team
- External BTEC/NVQ/ QCF training providers
- Pharmacy delivery personnel
- Patients
- Hospital Staff
- Practice ANPs, Nurses and other practice staff
- Prescribing clerks and practice admin and reception staff
- GP prescribing lead and GPs
- Other Allied Health Professionals
- Practice and primary care pharmacists
KEY AREAS
The placement will consist of block rotations across the sectors with time spent in Hospital, Community and Primary Care to enable proficiency in all areas of practice.
Dispensary and stores work area duties- To dispense prescriptions in accordance with professional and ethical standards set out by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
- Complete a dispensing and checking log as part of the pharmacy technician qualification.
- To assist in stock management including date checking; recalls and alerts. Outstanding items and stock ordering for the dispensary.
- Support Pharmacy staff with “topping up” service to the wards, thus ensuring adequate stock holdings in ward areas. Deliver medicines to clinical areas.
- Receipt of orders into the pharmacy stores area.
- To serve customers according to their requirements and in line with pharmacy policies to deliver high quality, exemplar customer service.
- To issue medication to patients and counsel them on the correct and safe usage of their medication so that patients are well informed and able to comply with their medication regimen.
- Working with the ward pharmacy team identify patients for discharge, supply medicines ready for discharge, ensure continued supply of medication for the patient, relabelling medication or ordering medication where indicated.
- Counsel patients regarding their discharge medicines as part of the discharge service and ensure timely referral to the discharge medicines service (DMS) in community.
- To ensure that accurate drug histories are obtained for identified patients by communication with the patient/carer and/or by liaising with external organisations including GP practices, community pharmacies and nursing/residential homes. Refer any problems identified to the Medicines Management Technician or the Clinical Pharmacist in a timely manner.
- To undertake patient counselling on selected patients and to work with the ward pharmacy team to ensure patients understand their discharge medication.
- To be responsible for ensuring that medicines, which are returned to pharmacy from wards, are either returned to stock or disposed of in accordance with current procedures.
- To maintain up to date handover to ensure effective communication to other pharmacy staff.
- To support the medicines safety team with audits to evidence ward compliance with CQC standards
- Undertake the preoperative pharmacy technician training to ensure medicines reconciliation is completed in accordance with local policies.
- To always work under the supervision of the Supervising Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician.
- To always follow all workplace Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Respond to prescription queries from community patients, nursing/care home staff, pharmacy staff and GPs, to source alternatives to medicines which are unavailable.
- Use Eclipse system to review safety alerts and action them for surgeries in the cluster. This might include organising monitoring for high-risk drugs that may have been omitted by surgery protocols.
- Identify blood tests, recalls and reviews using established protocols and forward these to the appropriate clinician.
- Add medication from hospital discharge letters, organising monitoring if needed. Contacting patients to ensure they are aware of any medication changes, counselling where appropriate, set up pharmacy nominations, check concordance, enquire about side effects and refer to appropriate clinician when indicated.
- Support practice safe prescribing initiatives through on-going monitoring of medication safety, IIF (Investment and Impact Fund) and deliver the DES (Direct Enhanced Service) contract.
- Check new care home resident medication reconciliation through MAR (Medication Administration Record) charts, allergies, drug compliance and timings. Checking previous hospital discharge and clinic letters to make sure that the GP record and MAR charts are correct.
- Visit care homes with the practice pharmacist to carry out annual reviews. Medication reconciliations (as above), checking care plans, RESPECT forms and filling out GP record care home templates with care home staff and the patient. Flag issues such as falls, swallowing problems, mobility with respect to current medications to the pharmacist.
- Liaising with GP and community pharmacy with respect to medication supply and care home medication changes following medication review in point 7 above.
- Clinical safety audits for GP practice to make sure patients are safe and practices are CQC compliant.
- Actioning MRHA alerts, as necessary.
- Averaging home blood pressure readings, recording them on to the clinical system and arranging an appointment with the appropriate clinician when out of range, as per local protocol.
Community Pharmacy responsibilities:
- To always work under the supervision of the Supervising Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician.
- To always follow all workplace Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- To learn about Medicines Optimisation and how Pharmacy Technicians contribute to Community Pharmacy services. This will involve a patient-facing role.
- To assist the Pharmacist in retrieving electronic prescriptions (EPS) as per SOPs.
- To receive prescriptions and ensure they are legal and valid and advise patients on completing the declaration.
- To use the Pharmacy’s Patient Medication Records (PMR) system to create dispensing labels, record any patient significant medical or medicine related information, and to print accessible information and Medicine administration (MAR) sheets.
- To dispense prescriptions including FP10’s & Private Prescriptions and monitored dosage systems (MDS) and confirm accuracy as per community / dispensing pharmacy SOPs.
- To issue prescriptions and counsel patients on how to use their medicines.
- To dispose of returned and unwanted medication as per SOPs.
- To record controlled drugs in the CD register and conduct controlled drug balance checks as per SOPs.
- To order, receive, store, and maintain stock as per SOPs.
- To support the community pharmacist with medicines reconciliation in accordance with protocols, highlighting discrepancies to ensure patients’ medication records are up to date and liaising with general practice to ensure the correct medicines are continued following transfer of care.
- To complete OTC sales and recommendations for common minor ailments under the supervision of a pharmacist / trained Pharmacy Staff.
- To support the Pharmacist to complete the New Medicines Service (NMS) and Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS).
- To support the Pharmacist to complete NHS commissioned enhanced services e.g., stop smoking and blood pressure services, and help manage tier service referrals like urinary tract infection (UTI) appointments.
- To liaise with General Practice regarding prescription issues, and medicine shortages.
Other Duties:
- To document errors and support process review and improvement to reduce internal and external error rates in accordance with clinical governance guidelines
- Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare professionals and providers
- Conduct regular audits on medicines storage and waste, ensuring local and national guidelines are adhered to and issues are reported to the appropriate party.
- Contribute to the Trust’s Clinical Incident Reporting system to ensure identification of medicine incidents and help with sharing of the learning.
- To take responsibility for specific areas of work or projects as may be agreed from time to time, including contributing towards team goals and objectives.
- To assist with the cleaning and maintenance of the work areas, equipment, and clothing.
- To ensure a tidy work environment, so that space is effectively utilised and bench space is kept clear and clean so good dispensing practice is maintained this includes stock rotation and expiry checks.
- To ensure all complaints about the service are recorded and dealt with effectively and promptly according to procedure.
- To undertake such other reasonable duties as may be required from time to time.
- To participate in weekend and bank holiday service in accordance with departmental rotas.
- Participate in monthly personal reviews and work to achieve set objectives.
- Develop professional and pharmaceutical skills through participation in the rotation of working in community pharmacy, General Practice through the PCN, and RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation Trust.
- Undertake study in own time when necessary.
- Be aware and work within departmental procedures and policies, accepted standards of practice and relevant legislation (E.g., Health and Safety, Medicine Act).
- Physical Skills and Effort Long periods of standing, Exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances is rare.
- Working conditions; there is a requirement for the use of VDU equipment.
- Ability to travel between cross sector sites.
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Person specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential criteria- 5 passes or more at GCSE (C grade equivalent or above) – biology/human biology; chemistry (or physics with chemistry, or Integrated Science (two unit level)); English; mathematics; and one other
- A-level or equivalent healthcare science qualification
Experience
Essential criteria- Working as part of a team. Working under supervision
- Familiar with healthcare systems and with pharmacy services
Skills and Competencies
Essential criteria- Ability to work accurately under pressure and meet agreed deadlines.
- Ability to apply theory to practice. Excellent communication skills
- Ability to meet the travel needs. The post holder will be required to travel between placement sites.
- Ability to learn simultaneously – undertake projects/assignments in own time
- Able to use word processing and data spreadsheets.
- Familiar with computer systems
- Driving / use of a car
Knowledge (including specialist or technical knowledge required)
Essential criteria- Demonstrable willingness to learn
- Able to undertake BTEC Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians Qualification and to meet all organisational commitments associated with the course.
- Previous experience working in healthcare.
Important
Your application form must include a complete record of your employment history. Please explain any gaps in your employment/education history and reasons for these gaps. The Trust maintains the right to withdraw an employment offer or terminate employment if it is later found that an application for employment contained false, mis-leading or inaccurate information.For the avoidance of doubt this would include omissions of previous periods of employment or reasons given for gaps in employment.
Please be aware that we reserve the right to close this job advert early where sufficient applications have been received.
For Information
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHSFT embraces diversity, equality and inclusion and our aim is to be diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability and ethnicity.
We are committed to ensuring disabled workers aren’t disadvantaged when applying for and doing their jobs and offer an interview to all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised post. Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.
Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (MLCSU) process recruitment on behalf of Robert Jones Agnes Hunt. Further information on how your personal data is managed can be found on the supporting Privacy Notice.
Your application will be made in Trac, the MLCSU's preferred third party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs and also available in your candidate account.
If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
In submitting an application form to Trac, you are giving your consent for parts of your application data to be transferred to the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and other secure, internal NHS Workforce systems. This is to support and manage your recruitment and employment within your employing organisation.You also authorise the RJAH Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record IAT process should you be appointed to the post.