Dispensary Assistant

This post is 30 hours a week to be worked at Pound Piece Surgery, Maiden Newton and Tunnel Road Surgery, Beaminster.

**Job Summary**

To work as an effective member of the dispensary team and wider practice team, helping the Partners and staff to provide the highest possible quality of care to patients. To provide services which result in the safe and efficient generation of repeat prescriptions and dispensary functions, ensuring patient confidentiality in all matters.

**Primary Responsibilities**

The following are the core responsibilities of the Dispenser. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:
b. Maintaining stock levels within the dispensary, liaising with the dispensary manager to facilitate reordering

c. Supporting the team to carry out regular stock checks, ensuring stock rotation and checking expiry dates.

d. Receiving and storing supplies in accordance with current policy, ensuring the cold chain is maintained where applicable

e. Supporting the team in the safe disposal of returned and / or out of date medicines

f. Collecting prescription charges in accordance with dispensary protocol

h. Assisting the Dispensary Manager in the preparation of monthly returns

i. Maintaining a clean and safe working environment at all times

j. Maintaining accurate records at all times, read coding entries appropriately

k. Supporting the Reception team, providing cover for breaks

**Secondary Responsibilities**

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the dispensary assistant may be requested to:
a. Partake in audit as directed by the audit lead

b. Remain current with the latest guidance ensuring the dispensary conforms to NICE, CQC etc. guidance

c. Maintaining effective security of the dispensary at all times

**Generic Responsibilities**

All staff at Ammonite Health Partnership have a duty to conform to the following:
**Equality, Diversity & Inclusion**

A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I creates and environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do, and it is required by law.

**Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)**

This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities to for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.

**Confidentiality**

This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters, pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times. It is essential that if, the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained that all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

**Quality & Continuous Improvement (CI)**

To preserve and improve the quality of our output, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do, but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.

This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver health care with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement, where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.

**Induction Training**

On arrival at the practice all personnel are to complete a practice induction programme; this is managed by the HR Manager.

**Learning and Development**

**Collaborative Working**

All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working. Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments. Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.

**Service Delivery**

Staff at Ammonite Health Partnership must adhere to the information contained with practice policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are adhered to at all times. Staff will be given detailed information during the induction proce