Rotational Pharmacy Technician inGuernsey inGuernsey PUBLISHED FRI 22 NOV 2024

The States of Guernsey are looking for a Rotational Pharmacy Technician to join the team at Pharmacy.

The role will entail working as part of the pharmacy team, undertaking the full range of duties within a rotational program to provide comprehensive services including dispensing (for in and out patients), manufacturing, aseptic preparation, radio-pharmacy, Medicines Management and ward services to all hospitals in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

The post holder will report to the Head Pharmacy Technician and is accountable to the Pharmacy Manager. They will liaise with Health and Social Care staff of all disciplines and at all levels, members of the public, doctors in private practice, other external agencies, staff of other departments and other pharmacy staff.

About us

Medicines Supply and Dispensary:

To participate in general dispensary duties, ensuring services are provided in accordance with departmental procedures, and legal requirements for in-patients, outpatients and satellite units attached to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital in relation to:

• Receiving, storing and transporting prescriptions.
• Checking prescriptions for accuracy and suitability, contacting prescriber or ward to solve problems, after checking with the ward pharmacist.
• Generating accurate medication labels.
• To use and participate in the monitoring programs for specific medications e.g. clozapine.
• Dispensing - accurately dispensing medication for in-patients, out-patients and private patients including non-formulary items for community prescriptions, controlled drugs and cytotoxic drugs.
• Checking - performing a final accuracy check on items dispensed by other members of staff (after completion of nationally approved Accuracy Checking Course).
• Issue dispensed items to patients, patient's representatives, other hospital staff or healthcare professionals, ensuring any required documentation is completed, providing or arranging counselling and advice as necessary.
• To assist in maintain a clean and tidy dispensary.
• To assist in the provision of stock controlled drugs to the wards, following the SOP's and legislation, including assisting in the updating and revision of stock and signature lists.
• To take an active role in assessing the fitness for use of and processing previously dispensed items returned to the department and either returning them for re-use or disposing of them following the relevant SOP's.
• To receive, process and pack outpatient clinic boxes, ensuring they are completed in a timely manner for delivery at the designated time.
• To receive process and pack sales to community pharmacies and other agreed customers, arranging delivery and collection of said items, following relevant procedures and ensuring that all required documentation is completed correctly.
• To be involved in the departmental stock control program through routine stock checking, stock rotations and date checking of all areas of the department. As well as investigating and reporting any discrepancies found following the departmental SOP's.
• To actively engage in maintaining optimal stock levels in all areas of the department, communicating with those in charge of ordering when issues are found or you are aware of increased use of products to ensure that immediate and future needs can be met.
• To receive and check incoming goods including controlled drugs.
• To ensuring all work areas are safe, clean and tidy with sufficient stock (both medication and consumables) for working.
• To be responsible for the review of stock lists on long stay wards ensuring that these are in line with the patient and ward requirements liaising with nursing staff and Ward Pharmacists in this role and to aid the assistants in the distribution of medication via ward Top-ups to ensure that the wards have the necessary stock items to provide care to the Patients.
• To take part in the packing and checking of Cardiac Arrest boxes supplied by the department to the wards.

Medicines Management and Ward Services:

• To assist in the provision of a Medicines management service in conjunction with other medicines management technicians to the long stay and acute wards organising a sufficient supply of medication to inpatients in these areas during their stay in an efficient and timely manner.
• To assist the Pharmacist in taking accurate medication histories, assessing and reviewing medications bought into the hospital by patients, and reviewing suitability for use.
• Undertaking Medicines Reconciliations in conjunction with the Ward Pharmacist.
• Where appropriate liaise and communicate with the patients, nurses, prescribers and community Pharmacy's in order to ensure seem less care by accurate transmission of medicines related information in both directions.
• Participate in and assist in developing Technician lead Drug Administration rounds.
• Help to educate the patient about treatment changes and the best way in which they can manage their own medicines.
• To answer queries about the medication supplied and side effects which have occurred(with assistance/supervision from Pharmacists) and to also supply Medicines Information to Medical and Nursing staff or arrange for complex enquiries to be passed on to the Medicine Information Pharmacist for investigation.

Technical Services and Radiopharmacy:

To participate in dispensing of cytotoxic and aseptic preparations, parenteral nutrition, radiopharmacy, and extemporaneous preparations following appropriate training and passing competencies and in accordance with internal standard operating procedures, GMP, MHRA and COSHH requirements. This includes;

• Preparation of worksheets and labels.
• Carrying our dosage calculations and formula checks.
• Collecting consumables and ingredients required for production and recording their Details.
• Carrying out checks on worksheets, formula's and consumables and ingredients prepared/collated by other members of staff.
• Cleaning and environmental monitoring of rooms and work areas.
• Working with a clean room environment, wearing approved clothing and working within an isolator.
• Accurate measurements of ingredients using balances, graduated measures and syringe.
• Disposing of all waste products and used consumables in a safe manner following the approved SOP's.
• These duties require a high level of manual dexterity, concentration and understanding, knowledge and practical competence will be continually assessed.
• To take part in the storage, disposal and destruction of waste produced within the department, including cytotoxic products, radioactive waste and controlled drugs following the required SOP's.

Supervisory and Training Responsibilities:

• To assist in the induction, supervision, training and assessment of new staff, pharmacy students and colleagues working through their competency assessments, NVQ or other approved training programs.
• To participate in the provision of training to ward staff in the area of Medicines Management in conjunction with the Lead Technician Medicines Management and the head Pharmacy Technician.
• To undertake such training courses and competencies both in- house and off-island as is deemed appropriate by the Pharmacy Senior Management Team and to remain up to date with the required Continual Professional Development requirements required to maintain professional registration.

Governance:

• To take part in the departmental and organisational audit process when required and to be active in the recording of errors, near misses and stats used to review performance and maintain appropriate standards of service and safety to comply with the Safe and Secure Handing of Medicines Policy to ensure that these principles are adopted and our service level agreements are worked within.
• To efficiently, responsibly and in line with SOP's use the computer programs accessed by the department including JAC, Data Comp 2 and Chemo Care ensuring that all data protection and confidentiality guidelines are followed entries saved to these programs are accurate and complete.

Other duties:

• To have an active role in departmental and organisational meetings including staff and patient safety meetings.
• To ensure compliance with Health and Social Care's Health and Safety Policy, Clinical Governance Policy and other relevant departmental and HSC policies and to adhere to departmental SOP's. Ensuring that the appropriate personal responsibility and care is applied to your practice with regard to the health and safety of yourself, other employees of the organisation, patients and members of the public that you come into contact with.
• To comply with the principles contained in the Data Protection Law 20concerning improper disclosure, misuse or breach of confidentiality in respect of information held on computer systems or otherwise.
• To undergo an appraisal with the line manager at least annually, as part of the Personal Development Review {PDR) process, to ensure the development of an appropriate Personal Development Plan {PDP) to suit both personal and professional training needs, and to maintain CPD requirements as required of the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain.
• To participate in the Dispensary, Distribution and weekend services as required, including organisation of rota's to cover weekends and Bank Holidays.
• To undertake any other duties that may be required from time to time by the Head Technician or the Pharmacy Manager.