Pharmacy Technician (Band 4 with progression to Band 5) in Knowsley

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations. Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Pharmacy Technician to join our Pharmacy team at MWL. We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Pharmacy Technician who wants to make a real difference to patient care and contribute towards developing our Pharmacy Services. Applicants must hold a Level 3 Diploma in Pharmacy Service skills or approved equivalent and should be registered as a Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC (Applications will be accepted from Pre‑Registration Trainee Technicians who have completed their course and are awaiting certificates, and GPhC registration.)

The initial banding of the postholder will depend on past experience as a Pharmacy Technician and/or completion of a progression competency training pack. You will work between Whiston and St Helens Hospitals, where we have established automated dispensing systems within the dispensaries on both sites, and the Trust has a long‑standing reputation as a Teaching hospital and for being a rewarding place to work.

Interviews will take place week commencing 3rd August.

Main duties of the job:

• To provide a dispensing service to all patients of the Trust to include the labelling and dispensing of prescriptions, taking medication histories, counselling patients and accuracy checking of all medications belonging to and supplied to patients in our busy dispensaries as well as rotation onto wards once training is completed.

Working for our organisation:

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites. We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Our services:

• Acute Care: Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
• Primary Care: Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
• Community Services: Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire.
• Specialist Regional Services: We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Key Duties:

• To final accuracy check dispensed prescriptions, including ‘one stop dispensing’ items in accordance with departmental procedures.
• To dispense prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
• To provide a one stop dispensing service to inpatients at ward level.
• To participate in the dispensing process of all prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices and departmental procedures.
• To be responsible for the stock control of dispensed medicines on wards, departments and clinics.
• To assist in the maintenance of the stock control of non-dispensed medicines on wards.
• To liaise with appropriate medical staff, clinical pharmacists, ward staff, GP’s, Primary Care Trust staff, community pharmacies and other professional bodies regarding any issues with patients’ medication.
• To order stocks and special line items to fulfil prescriptions.
• To provide individual dose dispensing and blister packing services for patients who have difficulty with normal medicines packaging.
• To assist in the preparation, assembly and final accuracy check of emergency resuscitation and anaphylaxis boxes.
• To assist the Chief Technician in the recruitment of staff including participation on interview panels.
• To participate in a rota which enables the department to provide a full 7 day service.

Clinical & Professional Responsibilities:

• To maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• To maintain continuing professional development in line with GPhC requirements.
• To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
• To undertake any training and assessment required to maintain competency in their role.
• To maintain security and the safe storage of medicines within the dispensaries in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• To assist in the receipt of prescriptions accurately according to safe working practices.
• To be responsible for making appropriate records in the Controlled Drug Register.
• To be responsible for organising own daily workload within allocated areas.
• To carry out prescription charge transactions accurately.
• To train and counsel patients on their suitability for the use of compliance aids.
• To assist other members of staff in the performance of their duties.

Teaching & Training Responsibilities:

• To assist in the training and development of all grades of staff in the systems used.
• To assist in the training and support of ATOs and pre‑registration pharmacy graduates.

Financial Responsibility:

• To co‑operate in the provision of an efficient and cost effective service.

Research & Audit:

• To carry out and assist in audit research projects to improve and develop the service provision.

Person Specification:

• Experience in Hospital or retail pharmacy.
• Experience of Working with computer systems.
• Experience in using the JAC pharmacy computer system.

Skills:

• Maintains professional behaviour and upholds professional standards at all times.
• Good verbal communication skills both face to face and using telephones.
• Ability to talk to patients, staff and other senior health care professionals.
• Ability to work accurately and efficiently with good attention to detail.
• Good administration skills including record‑keeping.
• Reliable and well organised with good time management skills.

Qualifications:

• BTEC NC/NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Service skills or an equivalent qualification recognised by the GPhC.
• Must be registered with The General Pharmaceutical Council, or be a final year Trainee Pharmacy Technician about to successfully qualify and register.

Our Values:

• We are Kind.
• We are Open.
• We are Inclusive.

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward‑thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.