Band 3 Pharmacy Assistant - Callington Road Hospital

Would you like to start your career in pharmacy or would you like to expand your knowledge and experience in pharmacy?
An opportunity has arisen to join our motivated, friendly and forward thinking team supporting the supply of medicines from Callington Road pharmacy. We are seeking individuals who are enthusiastic about improving the lives of those living with mental health issues. Previous experience in hospital pharmacy is not required, as you will be provided with competency based training and support to help you expand on your knowledge and experience.
Candidates require training in pharmacy equivalent to a NVQ level 2 for this post.
Working hours are 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday, with an occasional commitment to the Saturday and bank holiday rotas. Working hours for weekends and bank holidays are 10am-1pm., We are seeking a individual who is enthusiastic about improving the lives of those living with mental health issues. You will perform general pharmaceutical duties under the supervision of a Dispensary Manager (or deputy) and/or Pharmacist, in line with current policies and procedures. You will be based at Callington Road Hospital.
Previous experience in Mental Health or secondary care is not required, as you will be provided with competency based training and support to help you expand on your knowledge and experience., 1. To assist in the provision of a safe and effective dispensary service, under the supervision of the Dispensary Manager or Team Leader in line with current policies and procedures.
2. Dispense prescriptions according to the prescribers' instructions and referring any unusual dosages or features for confirmation or revision to a Pharmacist before dispensing, whilst ensuring that local and national procedures and guidelines are followed.
3. Use the pharmacy IT system to produce labels accurately conveying the prescribers' instructions.
4. Dispense and label controlled drugs, keeping accurate records in line with local procedures and relevant legislation.
5. Dispensing clinical trial materials and completing associated paperwork in line with policies and protocols.
6. Dispensing special items e.g. cytotoxics, after appropriate training and following current procedures and health and safety guidelines.
7. Dispensing compliance aids (MCAs) to meet the needs of the patient in line with departmental procedures. This includes manual fills and compliance aids dispensed using the MTS (Omnicell) robot.
8. Contacting nursing staff regarding problems encountered on prescriptions, referring to the appropriate Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacist where needed.
9. Receive enquires regarding information about medication, ensuring that adequate detail is obtained and the urgency is established. To escalate or answer these enquires where appropriate, to the appropriate Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacist.
10. Undertaking manual top-up of medication, obtaining stock from stores and storing appropriately in the dispensary.
11. Book taxis or arrange ad hoc transport if required, after confirmation with section manager and in line with procedures.
12. Performing stock checks and expiry date checks as required.
13. Assisting in quality assurance procedures such as the monitoring of all near miss and critical errors, ensuring that they are logged and reflective practice is carried out after critical errors leaving the department.
14. Maintaining safe systems of work at all times, being responsible for the quality and accuracy of all dispensing undertaken.
15. Keeping the department clean and tidy, undertaking tasks as required in the relevant procedures.
16. Assist with the training of new and existing members of staff as required
Pharmacy Stores.
1. To assist in the provision of a safe and effective pharmacy stores and distribution service, under the supervision of the Pharmacy Procurement Technician and in line with current policies and procedures.
2. Raise orders with suppliers and receipt them on the pharmacy computer system when they are received.
3. Visit nominated wards if required, checking the levels of stock drugs against standard stock levels and arranging to issue the required amount to top them up to that level.
4. Receiving orders from hospital suppliers, checking the quantities against the delivery notes and putting away the items according to their required storage (taking into account controlled drugs and maintaining the cold chain). This will include signing for deliveries from drivers.
5. Highlighting any errors with items delivered and liaising with the Procurement Technician to rectify the problem. Liaising with the suppliers and delivery companies where required.
6. Issuing all stock items direct to the ward from printed picking tickets and accurately picking medication.
7. Putting together orders from various hospital clinics, departments and outside units.
8. Receive enquires regarding information about supply of medication, escalating to the appropriate senior member of staff as appropriate.
9. Delivering urgent items and to-follow items to the dispensary during the day as required.
10. Using the allocated programs on the pharmacy's computerised stock control system as required.
11. Performing stock checks and expiry date checks as required.
12. Maintaining safe systems of work at all times, being responsible for the quality and accuracy of all work undertaken.
13. Keeping the department clean and tidy, undertaking tasks as required in the relevant procedures.
General Duties
1. To take responsibility for own personal and professional development and agree objectives in discussion with line manager.
2. Foster and maintain good relationships with pharmacy and other AWP staff.
3. Ensuring that all lifting follows the Trust manual handling guidelines.
4. Ensuring that stock is stored in such a way to allow good stock rotation and showing that those items with the shortest expiry date are used first.
5. Maintain such documentation and records of the work as may be required.
6. Refer requests for information on drugs to the appropriate Pharmacist.
7. Maintain safe systems of work at all times, ensuring all work is undertaken in line with department policies and follows local health and safety guidelines.
8. Participating in the weekend and bank holiday services in line with departmental rotas to meet the needs of the service.
9. To manage own workload effectively and efficiently ensuring that work is completed to agreed timescales.
10. Demonstrate the capability to multi task when required.
11. Ability to adapt and respond to a variable workload with unexpected interruptions.
12. Complete in house training program and competencies.
13. Demonstrate knowledge in the use of Pharmacy and Hospital information systems.
Other Duties
The post holder may be required to perform duties other than those given in the job description for the post. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to post may vary from time to time without
changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibilities entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and would not of themselves justify the re-evaluation of a post. In cases,
however, where a permanent and substantial change in the duties and responsibilities of a post occurs, consistent with a higher level of responsibility, then the post would be eligible for re-evaluation.
We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with 'lived-experience' of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities,- we are a 'Disability Confident Employer' offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.
Please apply to join us, we would love to hear from you. Any personal details you supply to us are kept safe in line with the General Data Protection Regulations.
Adverts normally close for application a few minutes before midnight on the closing date and we will let you know if we are offering you an interview by email via our recruitment system 'TRAC'. We contact all applicants within 4 weeks after the closing date, so please check your emails regularly once you have submitted your application; you are welcome to contact us, via the TRAC system, if you have any queries about your application.
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Working for our organisation
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.