Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1.    Communication

·         To develop and maintain effective working relationships, which inspire confidence in the pharmacy department, with staff and patients in all rotation specialties.

·         Work effectively as a member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.

·         To inform and educate patients, carers and members of the public about the safe use of medicines.

·         Pharmacy admin duties including receiving prescriptions from patients, ward staff and other clients, identify, resolve or refer any queries at point of reception, and forward prescriptions to the correct location for dispensing.

2.    Analytical and Planning

·         Be responsible for planning and organising own workload in accordance with the requirements of the rotation specialty.

3.    Clinical Duties

·         Dispense inpatient, outpatient and TTA (discharge) prescriptions. Process prescriptions using the pharmacy stock control and ePrescribing system, select, count, package and label prescription items according to department procedure. Make records as necessary.

·         Dispense Clinical trial material according to trial procedures.

·         Final check clinically screened prescriptions and orders prepared by other Pharmacy staff before release to the patient.

·         Hand out completed prescriptions with appropriate counselling.

·         Answer drug information queries from patients, nursing and medical staff using appropriate reference resources, and refer to Pharmacist when necessary.

·         Maintain Controlled Drug register, make appropriate entries into the register, stock check and investigate then raise any issue to the most appropriate senior member of staff.

·         Process owing prescription items; follow up outstanding orders, dispense package and dispatch.

·         Assess suitability of medication for return to stock. Return items to stock using the pharmacy stock control and ePrescribing system or dispose of according to departmental procedure.

·         Assist in stock-keeping duties e.g. unpacking, putting away, stock checking and expiry checking within the pharmacy when required.

·         Perform ward based medication reconciliations.  Identify and document any medication discrepancies, referring to the ward pharmacist, GP, or medical team when necessary.

·         Assess the suitability of patients own medicines for use in Hospital.

·         Check patient locker contents and order individual patient medication for supply by the dispensary, liaising with the ward Pharmacist.

·         Check the TTA prescriptions against patients own drugs, arrange for further supplies to be dispensed if necessary and remove discontinued medicines.

·         Identify patient compliance issues: arrange dispensing of blister packed medicines, liaising with doctor and community Pharmacy. Provide other compliance aids as necessary.

·         Supply/administer medication against approved patient group directives (PGDs) ensuring records are kept as appropriate.

·         Assist with the day to day running of the homecare service.

·         Set up and maintain Homecare supplies for suitable patients in conjunction with the specialist Pharmacists, Prescribers and Homecare companies.

·         Dispense Intravenous chemotherapy - select, count, package and label prescription items according to department procedure.

·         Order outsourced chemotherapy and liaise with suppliers when needed.

4.    Policy and Service Development

·        Investigate incident reports as requested by the Senior Pharmacy Technician.

5.    Financial and Physical Resources

·         To participate in the delivery of Trust/department objectives and business plans.

·         Take payment for prescription charges and issue receipts and refunds according to departmental procedures.

·         Ensure the safe and secure storage of pharmacy stock of drugs and other materials.

·         Monitor the safe and secure storage of drugs on wards.

·         Work closely with pharmacists for discharge facilitation and reuse of patients’ own medicines.

·         Take part in general housekeeping duties as required.

6.    Staff Management

·        At the discretion of the Pharmacy Operations Lead, supervise Student Technicians and ancillary staff involved in any of the duties listed above.

7.    Information Resources

·         Assist in the day-to-day maintenance of all Pharmacy IT systems.

·         Assist users both over the phone and face to face with Pharmacy and ePrescribing Wellsky technical issues.

·         Respond in a timely manner to user emails regarding queries and user account set up.

·         Assist with planning and rolling out upgrades to Pharmacy IT systems.

·         Run and maintain pharmacy reports (user activity, financial and prescribing).

·         Keep accurate patient medication and drug issue information using the appropriate Trust IT systems.

·         To assist with the information regarding intervention monitoring by regularly recording clinical interventions and activities.