SACT Pharmacy Technician

Job overview

The post is full time (37.5 hours per week with weekend, late shift and bank holiday working as per rota).

Working as member of the Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT) teams in the Sussex Cancer Centre and the Princess Royal Hospital units, providing a safe and effective service to patients receiving SACT. Striving with the multidisciplinary team to resolve queries as they arise.

Supporting the operational team as and when required with a variety of tasks to ensure timely delivery of Pharmacy supplies.

Accuracy checking to support the dispensary workflow with a weekly rota checking slot.

Taking an up-to-date accurate medication history for all patients and working with the multidisciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

To provide a comprehensive pharmacy service to the patients of University Hospitals Sussex, and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust including units at Brighton and Princess Royal. 

To assist in the provision of a safe, efficient and effective pharmaceutical service, dispensing of out-patient prescriptions. To dispense discharge summaries to wards and departments within the Trust and to assist in the medicines management service.

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength and want you to feel included to help as always put the Patient First, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to success. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Working for our organisation

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Outpatient Duties

To work in the Sussex Cancer Centre or Hurstwood Park Day Unit in PRH as the primary contact person between the out-patient units, Aseptics and the out-patient pharmacy. To problem solve pharmacy related issues that arise at the point of prescribing or drug administration. When necessary, take an active role to resolve any problems that arise. To educate and counsel patients on their chemotherapy supportive medication and when necessary, provide supporting information. To work with scheduled patients’ lists each day ensuring prescriptions have been prescribed and dispensed in advance of patients’ treatment date. Manage stock lists and perform regular stock checks including expiry date checking. Contribute to the development of Standard Operating Procedures. Take an active part in data collection for departmental audits. Have a working knowledge of the cancer prescribing system. Ensure a good system is in place for the management and return of unused drugs. Assist in the monitoring of Blueteq funding forms. Help to manage the oral chemotherapy clinics by ensuring that all required prescriptions are available on the day units prior to the patient’s treatment day. Support the registration of new homecare patients. If necessary undertake drug histories prior to patients attending for chemotherapy. Resolve queries relating to patients’ medications, referring when necessary to pharmacists, hospital doctors, GP’s, nurses, care homes and other health care professionals. Prioritise any urgent requests, communicating the urgency to the relevant people, to ensure the timely receipt of medications to the patient. Undertake any duties that will facilitate the safe and prompt supply of medication to patients in the day units.

Pharmacy Specific Duties:

The post holder will be required to provide a regular commitment to the pharmacy team. This may be in the aseptics unit or the main pharmacy dispensary;

Prepare labels using the pharmacy computer system (JAC) from a requisition/prescription for both in-patients and out-patients, ensuring accurate data entry. Dispense for in-patients and out-patients from a requisition/prescription ensuring each item is accurately dispensed, and in the correct packaging, according to SOPs. Accurately record the batch numbers and expiry dates of named patient medications, unlicensed medications and human blood products according to pharmaceutical SOPs and national requirements. To perform the final accuracy check on dispensed items, from clinically screened prescriptions, on completion of National Accreditation – Accredited Checking Technician course. Upon completion of in-house training and competencies, to label, dispense and check controlled drugs for wards/departments against a ward stock order, without the need for a pharmacist’s final check. Organise the timely supply of to-follow medications to patients on wards and at home. Prioritise and delegate to other pharmacy team members when necessary. Communicate any delays in supply to the appropriate person. After the appropriate training ensure that aseptic duties are carried out according to national standards and the following texts governing aseptic practice: Rules and Guidance for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Distributors. Aseptic Dispensing for NHS Patients (Farwell). Quality Assurance of Aseptic Preparation Services. Isolators for Pharmaceutical Applications and departmental SOPs. Prepare worksheets, accurately calculate doses/volumes required for the product, and accurately enter the data required. Prepare labels using the pharmacy aseptic labelling system from a prepared worksheet ensuring accurate data entry. Prepare labels and issue purchased items using pharmacy computer system (JAC) from a prescription ensuring accurate data entry. Assemble drugs and equipment required for preparation of aseptic products, accurately record the batch numbers and expiry dates Label and pack prepared aseptic products according to SOPs

Medicine Management Duties

Provide medicines management services to the oncology wards in order to maintain competences in all aspects of working as a ward-based technician and provide backfill cover if necessary Complete in-house medicines optimisation training/competencies Check patients’ own medicines brought into hospital on admission against the patients’ drug chart, according to patients own drugs guidelines. Undertake drug history and medication reconciliation early in the admission process, making referrals as appropriate to a pharmacist. Resolve queries relating to patients’ medications, referring when necessary to pharmacists, hospital doctors, GP’s, nurses and other health care professionals and inform ward pharmacist. Transcribe for supply, medications labelled for discharge, on an individual patient basis, against the patient’s drug chart, for patients on wards. According to POD guidelines. Prioritise any urgent requests, communicating the urgency to the dispensary, to ensure the timely receipt of medications to the patient. To improve the supply of medicines to patients on admission and discharge, including the use of PODs and transfer of medicines during inpatient stay. Deliver and evaluate systems to facilitate discharge at ward level. Undertake duties as necessary for facilitating the discharge of patients including transfer of information to primary care and facilitating appropriate follow up of medication that needs monitoring narrow therapeutic drugs/drugs with unusual reducing regimes.

Ordering and stock control duties/ Financial management :

Source medication from alternative suppliers/sources to meet urgent orders or requests to meet patients’ needs. Check controlled drugs receipts from manufacturers/wholesalers for accuracy against delivery note and annotate according to procedure. Enter controlled drugs into appropriate registers and securely store stock in allocated areas ensuring rotation of stock.

Communication

The post holder will be required to liaise with patients, carers, relatives, nurses, doctors, GP surgery staff, pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals. Counsel patients on the use of their dispensed medications, offering advice, and answering any queries they may have. Refer any queries to a more experienced member of staff or a pharmacist when appropriate and understand your own limitations within this. Answer pharmacy or day unit telephone and resolve enquiries as appropriate. Undertake discharge counselling for patients on the ward to ensure the patient understands how to take their medications, as required by the clinical pharmacists. Provide and receive complex and sensitive information from both patients and colleagues related to all aspects of medicines optimisation. Communicate sensitive or complex information both to healthcare professionals and patients.

Service Delivery and Improvement

Undertake in-house accreditations as necessary including: Controlled Drug dispensing, POD and Aseptics preparation and assembly. Train pharmacy staff (new technicians, student technicians, pre-registration pharmacists and assistants) by demonstrating techniques and procedures to undertake labelling, dispensing and the making of extemporaneous preparations within the pharmacy department. Assist the clinical Pharmacists in the training of clinical staff and undergraduates as required. Attend pharmacy and cancer education and training sessions when possible to maintain existing competencies.

People Management and Development

Take responsibility for own CPD and maintain an up-to-date portfolio of evidence to meet GPhC requirements. Train as a Medicines Reconciliation Technician. Train as an Accredited Checking Technician (national accreditation) if deemed appropriate; maintain an up-to-date record of CPD, demonstrating maintenance of competence in this accreditation, in line with both national and local standards.

Personal and Professional Development

Take responsibility for own CPD and maintain an up-to-date portfolio of evidence to meet GPhC requirements. Train as a Medicines Reconciliation Technician. Train as an Accredited Checking Technician (national accreditation) if deemed appropriate; maintain an up-to-date record of CPD, demonstrating maintenance of competence in this accreditation, in line with both national and local standards

Person specification

Entry

Essential criteria

NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services, BTEC Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent. Registered Pharmacy Technician with GPhC Experience in Hospital /Community dispensary

Desirable criteria

Accredited Checking Technician Qualification Accredited Medicines Reconciliation Qualification Knowledge and experience of working in an aseptic unit

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Essential criteria

Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).

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