Dispenser

Grimston Medical Centre; King's Lynn; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local healthcare practice is seeking a Dispenser to support clinical teams with medication queries and ensure safe dispensing processes. The chosen candidate will manage the supply of prescribed medications and provide essential administrative assistance. Responsibilities include conducting clinical audits and maintaining accurate records, while ensuring compliance with legal and practice policies. Ideal candidates should have dispensary experience and relevant qualifications. This role requires effective communication and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Benefits

Friendly working environment

Ongoing professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a dispensary.
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe, accurate, timely supply of prescribed medication.
• Support clinical audits and quality improvement measures.
• Maintain accurate records of medication dispensed.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Self-initiative

Education

GCSE English and Maths at Grade C (4) or above

Tools

Systmone

Clinical systems IT knowledge

Job description

The Dispenser will support the practice clinical teams with queries regarding medication from patients.

The Dispenser will support the Dispensary Lead in ensuring a high level of service is delivered at all times while supporting the multi-disciplinary team in line with the strategic objectives of the organisation.

Main duties of the job

This role will work under the supervision of the Dispensary Lead to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients, and to provide administrative support to the clinicians.

About us

We are a small friendly GP Practice with around 5300 patients. Our clinical team includes 3 GP Partners, Salaried GP, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Paramedic and a team of Nurses and Health Care Assistants. We teach Medical Students and are also a training Practice for GP Registrars.

Job responsibilities

The main responsibilties for the role are as follows;

• Be responsible for checking all medicines dispensed to promote safe dispensing processes
• Support with national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices and care homes. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g., use of antibiotics), supporting quality improvement measures
• Collect prescription charges in accordance with dispensary protocol
• Ensure controlled drugs are maintained in accordance with practice policy
• Ensure the safe disposal of returned and/or out of date medicine and working with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes, and reducing wastage
• Receive and store supplies in accordance with current policy, ensuring the cold chain is maintained
• Ensure all repeat prescriptions are processed within the allotted timeframe
• Provide support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines
• Process prescription requests via all means of communications
• Provide patients with advice regarding all prescription matters
• Process multi-compartment compliance aids (Dosette box)
• Assist the Dispensary Lead in the preparation of monthly returns
• Always maintain accurate records, including appropriate coding entries
• Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing
• Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits
• Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children
• Be an integral part of the general practice team
• Demonstrate initiative and be creative in finding solutions to problems
• Support in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events
• Be aware of guidance to ensure that the dispensary conforms to regulatory guidance
• Undertake stock-takes in accordance with guidance
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed
• Contribute to public health campaigns (e.g., flu clinics)
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
• Support any new joining and trainee dispensing staff
• Participate in formal training events promoting best practice in area of expertise
• Contribute to the delivery of local policy, procedures and protocols for the organisation to improve identification, assessment, ongoing support for patients and their family carers
• There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working in a dispensary
• Experience of working with the general public and patients
• Ability to communicate information effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Understanding of safeguarding adults and children
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to follow legal, ethical and professional policies/ procedures and codes of conduct
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion, and sensitivity
• Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good organisational skills
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Knowledge of and ability to work to key policies and procedures
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Experience of working in a primary care setting
• Good clinical system IT knowledge
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure
• Knowledge of Systmone and other IT systems including the ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required

Qualifications

• GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths at Grade C (4) or above

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.