Medicines Optimisation Technician

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust; Truro; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in Cornwall is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to join their ward-based pharmacy team. The ideal candidate will hold relevant accreditations and have significant experience in hospital pharmacy. Responsibilities include optimizing patient medication use, taking drug histories, and supervising staff. The trust is dedicated to safe medicine practices and offers opportunities for flexible working. Interested candidates should have the required qualifications and a commitment to high standards of care.

Qualifications

• Accredited Checking or Medicines Optimisation courses required.
• Must have significant experience in a hospital pharmacy.
• Experience with Top Up systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Optimise safe and effective use of medicine.
• Supervise junior staff and trainees.
• Participate in departmental audits.

Skills

Patient counselling

Drug history assessment

Audit and review

Education

Registered Pharmacy Technician's GHPC

Pharmacy Technician Certificate (City & Guilds or equivalent)

Accredited Checking or Medicines Optimisation Accreditation

Job description

The post holder is expected to have the relevant accreditations to meet the criteria for a Pharmacy Technician, band 5 or be willing to undertake both ACT and Medicines Optimisation courses. You will be working as part of the ward-based pharmacy team to optimise safe and effective use of medicine. This includes working on wards and surgical units, taking and recording patient drug histories, assess patients own medications, counselling patients on their medicines and supporting discharge. The post holder will also contribute to audit and review of safe medicines practice in clinical areas. This role includes supervision of junior members of staff and trainees on a planned basis.

The post holder will be expected to provide final accuracy checking support to the dispensary on a rotation basis.

Main duties of the job

To undertake or train to undertake a ward based medicines optimisation service.

To work within SOP procedures for this activity to take drug histories and document details of patients' drugs on admission including documentation of allergies and other adverse reactions.

To assess patients' own drugs for quality and as part of the pharmacy team organise where necessary compliance aids for individual patients.

Where required; manage the effective top up and stock checks of controlled drugs.

To participate in departmental audits and pilot schemes as required.

About us

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with

visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million.

We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School.

The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles.

Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is a research active organisation.

It's established South West Clinical School in Cornwall exists to promote clinical academic career opportunities for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals interested in research and evidence-based activities. Read their research paper to find out more.

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

• Identity Checks
• Professional registration and qualification checks
• Employment history and reference checks
• Occupational Health clearance
• Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check
• Right to work in the UK

For further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

We reserve the right to close this advert early.

We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.

We may be able to offer sponsorship but this is not guaranteed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Pharmacy Technician's GHPC.
• Pharmacy Technician Certificate through City & Guilds, Apothecaries Hall, BTEC or NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Science
• Accredited Checking or Medicines Optimisation Accreditation
• The second accreditation underway; either Accredited Checking Technician status or Medicines Optimisation

Experience

• Significant experience in a hospital pharmacy
• Experience of Top Up systems

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.