Dispenser

St George's Medical Centre; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

A rural GP Practice is looking for a Dispenser for up to 30 hours per week. The ideal candidate will assist the Dispensary Manager with daily operations including processing prescriptions and managing stocks. Strong customer service and communication skills are essential along with the ability to work effectively as part of a team. Candidates should hold GCSEs in English and Maths at Grade C or above, and experience in a dispensary is preferred. This role offers a supportive work environment focused on staff development.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a dispensary is essential.
• Experience in primary care and general practice knowledge is a plus.
• Ability to follow practice policies and procedures strictly.

Responsibilities

• Support the Dispensary Manager with day-to-day tasks.
• Process patient prescriptions and manage medication stocks.
• Maintain a clean and safe working environment.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

IT skills

Teamwork

Problem solving

Cash management

Education

GCSE in English and Maths at Grade C or above

Tools

SystmOne clinical system

Office and Outlook

Job description

We would like to recruit a Dispenser for up to 30 hours per week. The post-holder will support the Dispensary Manager with day-to-day tasks, allowing the Dispensary Manager to focus on development of the dispensary.

These day-to-day tasks include processing patient prescriptions, managing medication stocks, maintaining records, and dealing with patients medication requests and queries.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an enthusiastic and diligent person who has excellent customer service and communication skills. The successful candidate will be organised and willing to learn, good with IT, and fit well with the dispensary team. Excellent communication skills are a must along with a willingness to support the wider team.

About us

St Georges is a successful and thriving medium-sized rural GP Practice with 13,000 patients, based in a modern purpose-built building. We are rated as Good with Outstanding features by CQC and rated 5‑stars by our patients on NHSChoices. We are committed to excellent patient care, family‑friendly working, and staff development.

We are an accredited GP‑training Practice, and encouraging learning and development for all our staff is part of our ethos.

We have a strong clinical team of four HCAs, five Practice Nurses, five Nurse Prescribers, and seven GPs, who are supported by experienced administration, dispensary and management teams. One of our GP Partners is the Clinical Director of the local Primary Care Network.

Our small team of four dispensers work closely with one another and provide medication services to around 2,500 of our registered patients.

Job responsibilities

Job summary

Patients who live more than a mile from a pharmacy are able to get their medication from their GP Practice. We offer our dispensing patients a service between 0800 and 1800 Monday to Friday. The Dispensary hatch is closed between 12:00 and 14:00.

The post-holder will support the Dispensary Manager in all areas of dispensing, ensuring a high‑quality service is delivered, and freeing‑up the Dispensary Manager to focus on managing and developing the dispensary.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the dispensary assistant. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels.

• Acting as the focal point for patients, answering the dispensary phone and hatch.
• Collecting prescription charges in accordance with dispensary protocol.
• Maintaining stock levels within the dispensary, liaising with the dispensary manager to facilitate reordering.
• Receiving and storing supplies in accordance with current policy, ensuring the cold chain is maintained where applicable.
• Safe disposal of returned and/or out‑of‑date medicines.
• Supporting the processing of repeat prescriptions, ensuring a 48‑hour turnaround is achieved.
• Process prescription requests via email, fax, face‑to‑face and online.
• Assisting the Dispensary Manager in the preparation of monthly returns.
• Maintaining a clean and safe working environment at all times.
• Keeping accurate records at all times, coding entries appropriately.

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the dispensary assistant may be required to:

• Partake in audit as directed by the audit lead. For example, drug monitoring recall and audits.
• Remain current with the latest guidance ensuring the dispensary conforms to NICE, CQC etc. guidance.
• Maintaining effective security of the dispensary at all times.

Other general requirements include:

• Ensure all paperwork and admin is of high‑quality and completed without undue delay.
• The post-holder will be expected to ask for clarification, support or second‑opinion from peer colleagues when required.
• Maintain appropriate levels of communication with patients and other agencies.
• Ensure professional and respectful conduct with patients and colleagues at all times, and ensuring appearance and attire is suitable for a health professional.
• Be aware of and comply with all relevant Practice policies and guidelines (e.g. prescribing, confidentiality, infection control, data protection, health and safety, appraisal).
• Report any issues that may affect their ability to work or work performance.
• To take responsibility for their own, and others, health and safety in the working environment.
• Carry out any additional duties as may be reasonably required in negotiation with the Dispensary Manager.

Probationary period

The first six months of employment is considered a probationary period, during which time the period of notice of termination is four working weeks (for both employee and employer). After the initial probationary period is successfully passed, the mutual notice period is three calendar months.

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, including:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation, particularly the Equalities Act 2010 and UK employment legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming, non‑judgmental and respectful of patient and colleagues circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
• St Georges will make Reasonable Adjustments to support the post-holder fulfil their role and duties.

Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)

This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities to for staff to maintain their health, well‑being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder will have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carer(s), practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data. Breaching patient confidentiality is likely to be considered misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

Safeguarding

As a member of St Georges Medical Centre team, the post-holder has an obligation to understand, and follow the policies, procedures and practices that keep patients safe from harm, including raising concerns where necessary.

As a safe employer, before being offered a contract, the recruiting manager will need to be satisfied with the outcome of all three of the following:

• The documentary evidence of identity, educational qualifications, and the right to work in UK.
• The results of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) report.
• The outcome of two verbal references from a current, and a previous, employer (or equivalent).

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Good standard of general education.
• GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths at Grade C or above.

Experience

• Experience of working in a dispensary.
• Experience of working in primary care.
• Broad knowledge of General Practice.
• Experience working with the general public/patients.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
• Clear, polite telephone manner.
• Ability to work as a team member.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Problem solving & analytical skills.
• Ability to follow policy and procedure.
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook.
• SystmOne clinical system skills.
• Capable of managing cash payments.
• Ability to effectively manage stock, including ordering, rotation, disposal etc.
• Polite and confident.
• Flexible and co‑operative.
• Motivated and diligent.
• High level of integrity.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Additional criteria

• Available to work between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.
• Satisfactory Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
• Satisfactory references from previous employers / education.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.