Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will act as a Radiopharmacy Technician in providing a high quality and specialist radiopharmacy service to meet the needs of the Medway NHS Foundation Trust and neighbouring nuclear medicine departments under Service Level Agreements and play a significant role in the aseptic preparation activities in a licensed radiopharmacy.

Preparation activities include reconstitution of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals to EU Good Manufacturing Practice whilst ensuring compliance with the standard provisions for the Medway NHS Foundation Trust Manufacturer’s ‘Specials’ Licence and all other relevant provisions/guides/EC Directives where applicable to licensed activities.

Radiolabelling of blood products, routine and non-routine product and equipment related quality control testing to defined protocols as laid down in the Radiopharmacy Quality Manual will also be performed.

Ensure all radiopharmaceutical products are accurately and safely produced, appropriately labelled and stored in order to obtain the required quality.

Ensure all radioactive consignments and their corresponding transport documents to the outside centres are appropriately packaged and accurately prepared.

Liaise and deal with complaints or queries arising from the outside centres with regard to, for example, product supply interruptions or specialist technical product related issues.

Perform radiolabelling of blood products to the standards set out in the Radiopharmacy Quality Manual and to ensure that labelled blood products are ready for use by the requested time.

Accurately prepare daily radiopharmaceutical production worksheets in accordance with the needs and requirements of the Department and other outside centres. Ensure records from all production processes are correctly maintained for statutory and audit review purposes.

Perform physical environmental monitoring of the Radiopharmacy including temperature monitoring of the facility and refrigerators, room pressure differential monitoring, routine checking of isolators and radionuclide dose calibrators and microbiological monitoring to written schedules to ensure compliance with current standards and report all quality exceptions to the Production Manager and/or the QA Manager. Record all results in the appropriate records.

Perform microbiological monitoring to defined protocols and schedules and ready the samples for pre-evaluation incubation.

Responsible for ensuring that the minimum level of critical stock such as ‘cold’ kits and raw materials is maintained at all times. This includes regular checking of stock levels and product expiry dates, removal of surplus, expired stock or recalled products and to ascertain requirements. This is to ensure that economic stock levels are held in satisfactory storage conditions and that the products and all raw materials are suitable for use.

Assist in the safe keeping of all radioactive materials handled within the Radiopharmacy, ensuring compliance with the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 where applicable. Assist in the stock control and inventory of hazardous chemicals used in the Radiopharmacy.

Assist in the secure and appropriate storage of hazardous materials used in the Radiopharmacy and assist in the maintenance of the inventory for such materials.

Share responsibility for ensuring that safe working practices are followed and adhered to by all staff working in the Radiopharmacy.

The post holder should be aware of the responsibilities placed upon them under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and other staff members.

Dispose of used and expired radiopharmaceuticals and other radioactive materials in a timely manner with due regards in accordance with local radioactive waste disposal procedures.

Ensure radioactive waste is handled and stored in compliance with current regulations, and that the management of such waste is acceptable to the Environment Agency.

General Duties

Assist with the planning and general organisation of the workload in the Radiopharmacy. Work within a pre-determined Radiopharmacy rota and participate in general clerical and housekeeping duties.

Undertakes initial and ongoing training and re-validation in all relevant aspects of the Radiopharmacy service.

Attend suitable seminars and courses and national and international scientific meetings as part of personal development and to further the work of the Department.

The post holder must abide by their professional code of conduct.