Advanced Specialist Pharmacist Pre-Assessment Clinic Lead

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team as a Lead Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary. This is a 12-month fixed-term post.

This challenging role requires the post holder to demonstrate excellent leadership and organisational skills. The ability to prioritise and independently manage your own workload is also a requirement of the role.

The post holder will also be the line manager for a number of staff within the Pharmacy department.

This is an exciting time to join the department as we expand our Senior Dispensary Team.

1. To lead and manage the coordination and organisation of day-to-day work of pharmacy dispensary staff as requested by the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary.
2. To prioritise work and be able to redirect all dispensary-based staff to work in appropriate areas and ensure that technical staff remain flexible in their duties.
3. To work with the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary to build and maintain a team approach to service requirements.
4. To be accountable for the quality of their own work and the day-to-day performance of staff in their area.
5. To assist with the planning and introduction of service developments.
6. To manage specific members of the Dispensary Team as assigned by the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary.
7. To manage the day-to-day operation of the electronic controlled drug management system and related processes and act as the systems manager.
8. To be the Dispensary lead for the Prescription Tracking System (PTS), dealing with any issues/problems that may arise.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.

You will be joining a friendly, high-performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region, you will have access to a programme of high-quality training and development to help you grow your career. We have state-of-the-art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting-edge healthcare. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient numbers of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.

All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.

Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.

1. To ensure excellence in standards of customer care, maintaining a strong patient focus.
2. To supervise and manage the day-to-day activities of the dispensary and when required, seek support from the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary.
3. To manage the technical elements of the dispensing process carried out by the team of pharmacists, technicians, pre-registration technicians, senior pharmacy assistants, and trainee pharmacists.
4. To personally receive prescriptions into dispensary, including ensuring prescription charges are collected where appropriate.
5. To participate in the labelling and dispensing of inpatient, outpatient, controlled drugs, day-case prescriptions, and discharge prescriptions in accordance with the departmental procedures.
6. To support staff in any problem-solving that arises, including contacting other healthcare professionals.
7. To be the named line manager for a number of staff as determined by the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary.
8. To monitor near-miss dispensing error rates and report and devise strategies to resolve any problems or training gaps identified.
9. To participate and support the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary in the investigation of dispensary-related incident reports (near-miss and trust-wide).
10. When appropriate, to ensure the continuing efficient running of the Robotic dispensing machine in conjunction with advice and assistance from the Lead Pharmacy Technician for IT and Automation, including producing and participating in the robot maintenance rota.
11. To manage the day-to-day operation of the outpatient payment kiosk.
12. To manage the day-to-day running of the electronic controlled drug management system and related processes, including:
    1. Arranging training of new starters.
    2. Setting up new drug lines and users onto the server, ensuring compliance with departmental procedures.
    3. Maintaining the server in conjunction with the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary.
    4. Investigating and resolving stock discrepancies in a timely manner to meet legal requirements, liaising with the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary as appropriate.
13. To attend meetings as a representative of the department and act as a link person and disseminate information to other staff.
14. Chair weekly dispensary meetings.
15. Participate in all dispensary operations, including supporting external services.
16. To manage the dispensary rotas alongside the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary and be responsible for allocating days off for weekend working, approving late/weekend shift swaps, and study leave from the dispensary, so as to ensure continuity of service.
17. To monitor the service on a regular basis and to identify and manage any changes necessary to maintain a high-quality responsive service.
18. Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary/Principal Pharmacist, Operations/Head of Pharmacy with the development of the service.
19. To support the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary in collecting, recording, and summarising performance data and review service performance to meet locally agreed standards for timeliness, accuracy, stock control, and customer satisfaction.
20. To supervise and support all persons working in the dispensing areas and ensure they receive the relevant training.
21. To be responsible for stock management and ongoing daily stock reviews, ensuring accurate stock balances are maintained, and the investigation and reconciliation of stock discrepancies is carried out in a timely manner.
22. To ensure there is a robust induction process for all new staff required to work in the dispensary, in conjunction with their line manager, including those who are not regularly working in the dispensary.
23. To ensure that staff training records are maintained.
24. Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary in dispensary CPD sessions and supporting education and training within the dispensary team.
25. To be responsible for ensuring that regular dispensary Controlled Drugs stock checks are carried out by the dispensary staff, and to ensure all discrepancies are identified, investigated, and resolved immediately.
26. Participate in the Accredited Checking Technician Scheme in order to conduct final dispensing accuracy checks for prescriptions that have already been clinically screened and to maintain competence.
27. Be an educational supervisor for staff undertaking the ACPT course.
28. To participate in the training and assessment process of trainee Pharmacists and Pre-registration Pharmacy Technicians.
29. Be responsible for writing and updating dispensary procedures.
30. To counsel individual patients regarding correct use of medicines, assist in the training of staff in patient counselling and the correct use of medicines, and provide information on medicines through the use of leaflets and posters.
31. To contribute to the Quality Assurance of all pharmacy services by ensuring effective systems of work are used, participating in audit, recommending, and facilitating implementation of change if required to develop the service.
32. Cover the duties of colleagues when necessary, including those of more senior staff.
33. Assisting in staff recruitment and appraisal system in conjunction with the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary.
34. Manage and monitor housekeeping rota.
35. Perform any other duties as determined appropriate by the Principal Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary, the Head of Pharmacy, or their deputies.
36. To undertake further training opportunities, which may involve continuous professional development in personal time.
37. To participate in late, weekend, and bank holiday rotas.

Qualifications

Essential Criteria

1. Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
2. BTEC National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science, NVQ level 3 Pharmacy Services, or equivalent.
3. Accredited accuracy checking technician.

Desirable Criteria

1. Educational supervisor for ACPT.
2. Leadership and Management qualification or equivalent experience.

Experience

Essential Criteria

1. Competence in medication counselling of patients.
2. Experience of dispensary services and service development.
3. Formulation of standard operating procedures.
4. Customer-orientated experience.
5. Training, mentoring, and supervision of staff.
6. Staff recruitment.
7. Significant hospital experience of a range and level relevant for the post.

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience of Team Leading.
2. Conducting and supervising audits.

Knowledge

Essential Criteria

1. Up-to-date knowledge of current legislation and accepted standards of practice, pharmaceutical guidance, and Medicines Optimisation.
2. Good IT literacy skills to be able to use computers in all aspects of the job, including a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, and other commonly used applications.
3. An understanding of incident reporting and risk management systems.

Desirable Criteria

1. Good presentation skills.
2. To be able to deal with complaints from patients and other healthcare staff.
3. Understanding of the importance of monitoring quality of service and clinical audit skills.

Personal Skills

Essential Criteria

1. Strong team working skills and ability to work effectively with other teams.
2. Good verbal and written communication skills.
3. Negotiation skills.
4. Able to thrive on development/change.
5. Ability to lead a team.
6. Self-motivated and organised.

Applicant Requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020, and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.