Detailed job description and main responsibilities

COLLEGE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

• To virtually attend college one day per week via MS Teams. You will be required to attend college on-site every 4 to 6 weeks. This excludes college holidays.
• Assignments must be completed to meet college submission dates.
• Skills and knowledge tasks set must be completed to meet college submission dates.
• The candidate must be willing to complete at least 6 hours study outside of working hours.
• To maintain professionalism and participate in all workplace rotations to cover all knowledge and skills relevant to complete the Level 3 qualification.
• To communicate with college, mentors and tutors of any changes that could affect your progress.

ASEPTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The apprentice will be trained in aseptics to the standards required to meet the apprenticeship criteria.

• To gain understanding of the dispensing service for systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) requiring aseptic preparation including cytotoxic medication, gene therapy and monoclonal antibodies from point of prescription receipt.
• To be aware of and always follow all departmental operating procedures and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidance.
• To undertake bench training to simulate the aseptic dispensing of products, non-touch technique and use of an isolator.
• To be fully aware of COSHH regulations particularly regarding the safe storage and handling of pharmaceutical products. To be aware of the Aseptic Spillage procedure and what to do in the event of spillage of a drug product.
• To receive an overview of environmental monitoring with swabs, contact and settle agar plates and be responsible for sending and ensuring environmental monitoring samples are sent to Quality Control in a timely manner.
• To be aware of the aseptic prescription management/administration systems.
• To understand aseptic cleaning processes and undertake regular cleaning duties carried out during the working day.
• To observe set up and assembly work trays according to departmental SOPs in a timely and efficient manner.
• To shadow product approval process.
• To ensure adequate knowledge and understanding of clinical trials products prepared in aseptics relevant to the job role including accountability, stock control and storage requirements. To follow Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidance and undertake, where relevant, data collection for aseptic clinical trial products.
• To understand the system for safe retrieval, storage, and re-issue of returned/ deferred chemotherapy.
• To communicate effectively with healthcare professionals both within and outside the Trust. To ensure good team working with other pharmacy staff, ward staff and other service providers as necessary.
• To assist with stock management including receipt, correct storage, stock count, expiry check and weekly ordering of all aseptic items including medication, diluents, and consumables.
• To be aware of and participate, where required, in departmental audits.
• To perform any other duties as requested by the Chief Pharmacy Technicians for Aseptic Services, the Lead Pharmacist for Aseptic Services or Director of Pharmacy.
• To be responsible for your own personal development within the role through attending relevant in-house, Trust and external training and through review with line manager.

CLINICAL SERVICES DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The apprentice will be trained in clinical services to the standards required to meet the apprenticeship criteria.

• To understand clinical pharmacy technician services on designated wards in conjunction with the ward pharmacy technician and pharmacist, to ensure a high quality, patient–focused clinical pharmacy and medicines supply service to cancer patients is delivered.  
• To understand the process whereby each patient is assessed on admission regarding medicines management, completing accurate medicine reconciliation.
• To understand how to assess the suitability of patients’ own medicines on admission, for use in the Trust, ensuring continuation of supply.
• To understand the assessment of patients for the self-medication scheme in accordance with local policy.
• To understand the weekly top up service for patients on designated wards to ensure continuous supply of medication.
• To understand the process in supply of medication during the patient’s stay in hospital and on discharge, including assessing the suitability of medication for discharge.
• To understand and have a working knowledge of the discharge planning process and liaise with the ward pharmacy technician and pharmacist and other healthcare professionals to ensure prescriptions are processed and delivered to patients in a timely manner.
• To understand how to counsel patients and their carers to ensure a greater understanding of their medicines including its safe use and side effects.
• To have a working knowledge and utilise the Clinical Web Portal (CWP) and National Care Records Service (NCRS) facility to aid the clinical pharmacy technician role on the ward.
• To understand the ePMA system.
• To undertake all clinical duties in accordance with standard operating procedures and all local, Trust and national guidelines.
• To assist in maintaining optimal stock levels of medicines on all ward areas to provide a cost-effective service.
• To participate in departmental, Trust and national risk management schemes such as error reporting systems and intervention monitoring.
• To assist in clinical audit or practice research as required.
• To be aware of the processes on ORTC satellite dispensary and day case SACT units and facilitate the medicine requirements for chemotherapy patients.
• To understand the legal requirements for controlled drugs with respect to receipt, storage and dispensing.
• To support and coordinate provisions of pharmacy services between the wholly owned subsidiary company and ward areas and departments within the Trust.
• To support the provision of ward pharmacy stock replenishment, including the use of automated stock cupboards and training of other pharmacy staff.

CLINICAL TRIALS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The apprentice will be trained in clinical trials to the standards required to meet the apprenticeship criteria.

• To maintain patient records via the CMM computer system to ensure information is accurate and up to date for future reference and complies with the Data Protection Act.
• To provide dispensing services to the Trust including clinical trial medication, oral systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT) and supportive medication, ensuring that prescriptions have been screened, entered onto the computer system, dispensed, and labelled following departmental standard operating procedures.
• To understand how to take in and hand out prescriptions to patients, following departmental guidelines.
• To understand how to counsel patients and carers to ensure the patient’s understanding of their medication is correct and that they are aware of any side effects to promote patient compliance.
• To support all aspects of pharmacy requirements for medicinal products within the context of a clinical trial (handling, dispensing, drug accountability, administration, storage, disposal of medicinal products and attending to monitoring visits).
• To liaise with other healthcare professionals within research teams providing advice and support pertaining to clinical trial pharmacy issues.
• To ensure clinical trial pre-orders and vial allocations are turned around in a   timely fashion to prevent any delay in patient treatment.
• To support the generation of worksheets and labels for Investigational Medicinal Products for both the aseptic service and the dispensary.
• To support the clinical trials team in ensuring supplies of Investigational Medicinal Product are ordered in a timely manner.
• To assist the clinical trials pharmacy team in all areas of R&I administration as required.
• To assist the clinical trials staff in maintenance of pharmacy documentation where required.
• To support regulatory compliance across all clinical research services within pharmacy in compliance with the principles of GCP (Good Clinical Practice), Good Dispensing Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice.

DISPENSARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The apprentice will be trained in dispensary duties to the standards required to meet the apprenticeship criteria.

• To be able to dispense and issue prescriptions including inpatient, discharge, TPN and outpatient prescriptions in accordance with standard operating procedures and all local, Trust and national guidelines.
• To understand how to provide advice to patients and carers regarding their medicines.
• To understand how to supply stock items to wards and departments.
• To undertake an accuracy checking log as part of the Level 3 knowledge and skills, in accordance with standard operating procedures and all local, Trust and national guidelines.
• To have a working knowledge of pharmacy procurement including ordering medications from wholesalers and processes around the replenishment of ward stock.

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To undertake housekeeping duties daily where necessary.
• To report any complaints, incidents or near misses to one of the chief or senior pharmacy technicians and/or pharmacists and record via the internal error reporting system.
• To be fully aware of all departmental operational policies and always follow procedures.
• To comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
• To participate in the extended hours of the department. To be able to participate in weekend and bank holiday working as required by the service. This may be reviewed and altered depending on the service demands.
• To maintain patient records via the pharmacy computer system to ensure information is accurate and up to date for future reference and complies with the Data Protection Act.
• To ensure all mandatory training requirements are up to date.
• To undertake all other related duties which may be required in accordance with the changing needs and practices of the department and organisation.