Pharmacy ATO Dispensary

Assist the pharmacy technicians and pharmacists in the provision of the broad range of pharmacy technical services provided across the Trust working on their own initiative, referring to their supervisor - a pharmacy technician or pharmacist when necessary. Support the work in the provision of an extended hour's service. Assistant Technical Officers are expected to expand and broaden their skills and abilities. Nonetheless, they must operate at all times under the direct supervision of a qualified Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacist unless operating according to agreed procedures that have been approved by the Director of Pharmacy. Provides pharmacy service including dispensing medicines to patients.

Main duties of the job:

• Carry out the labelling & dispensing of medicines under the supervision of a pharmacy technician or pharmacist to patients.
• This will be in both pharmacy departments based at New Cross, Wolverhampton and Cannock Chase Hospital.
• All applicants must have good communication and organisational skills.
• They must be flexible and able to work well under pressure.
• The post holder must hold, be working towards or be willing to work towards a level 2 NVQ in Pharmacy Services Skills and the relevant underpinning knowledge.
• Four GCSEs, including Maths, English and a Science subject are essential.
• Experience in hospital pharmacy is desirable but not essential as full training will be provided for the successful candidate.

Job responsibilities:

• To carry out routine supply of medicines under the supervision of a qualified member of staff with the appropriate support for the assistant's level of training and experience including controlled drugs dispensing, recycling and returning medicines no longer needed.
• To receive prescriptions, labelling and dispensing routine items for inpatients and outpatients, seeking advice from senior staff where appropriate.
• To dispense and self-check medications both manually and with the use of a computerised automated dispensing system.
• To dispense non-routine medicines e.g. complex prescriptions and compliance aid boxes under the direct supervision of a pharmacy technician.
• To operate at all times within the local standard operating procedures relevant to the area of work.
• To work on reception in the provision of hatch and associated duties receiving work from wards and departments through the pharmacy reception entering details onto the pharmacy tracker system.
• To carry out filing, photocopying and scanning of paperwork within the department when required.
• To fill up bottles, bags tops and sundry items ensuring availability of items at all times.
• To answer the telephone handling routine enquiries and referring all non-routine to the specified personnel to ensure accurate communication channels are maintained within the hospital.
• To store stock in the correct shelf locations ensuring appropriate stock rotation measures are in place.
• To check expiry dates and undertake stock rotation of stock held within individuals area of responsibility.
• To recycle, return and destroy any unwanted medicines from wards and departments following standard operating procedure and under the supervision of a technician.
• To dispense and record appropriate details according to written protocols for unlicensed and named patient medicines within pharmacy.
• To dispense controlled drugs to be held as stock on wards and for the completion of TTO medicines completing the necessary legal documentation.
• To maintain accurate records of prescription pads including receipt and issuing of both internal and FP10 prescriptions to assigned areas.
• Study towards an NVQ level 2 qualification if not already held.
• To participate in any education and training programmes.
• To assist in ensuring that a high quality Pharmacy service is maintained.
• To undertake the in-house ATO training programme, passing competencies proving ability within each area of the dispensary.
• To demonstrate on request appropriate tasks to unqualified and support staff.
• To participate in education and training programmes when appropriate and ensure that accurate records are kept of Continuous Professional Development.
• To participate in the provision of extended hours of service, including evening working, Saturdays and Sundays and bank holidays, according to formal rota arrangements.
• To report any suspected or observed defects in medicines, medicinal products and equipment to a senior pharmacist on duty.
• To be familiar with, and maintain, safe standards of work and adequate records of all processes.
• To have due regard for, and to conform at all times with, those aspects of the General Pharmaceutical Councils Code of Professional Ethics that apply to technical and support staff.
• To have due regard for, and to conform at all times with, directives and circulars associated with the provision of pharmaceutical services, including the Medicines Act, the Duthie Report, relevant Controls Assurance requirements and associated Trust policies and procedures.
• To have due regard for all statutory guidance applicable to the pharmacy, including Health and Safety at Work, Manual Handling and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).
• To maintain at all times the rules relating to patient confidentiality.
• Assist in ensuring a clean and tidy department.

Person Specification:

• Qualification: NVQ2 Pharmacy Service Skills or working towards GCSEs in subjects other than those listed above. Willing and enthusiastic to take on NVQ Level 2.
• Experience: Experience of working within a pharmacy dispensary. Experience of working within a hospital environment.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.