Nvq2 Dispensary Assistant

Crondall New Surgery; Crondall Road Heath; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 19,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Job summary

Crondall New Surgery in the Surrey/Hampshire border area is seeking a Dispenser (NVQ Level 2) for approximately 16 hours per week, with some flexibility to pick up extra shifts. The post-holder will work under the Dispensary Manager to ensure safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication within a general practice setting.

Key duties include preparing weekly dosette boxes, dispensing medications, and auditing patient safety in prescribing.

Qualifications

• Qualified Dispenser (NVQ Level 2) required.
• GCSE English and Maths at Grade C (4) or above.

Responsibilities

• Prepare weekly dosette boxes for care homes and patients.
• Dispense medication to patients as part of a team.
• Check medicines dispensed to promote safe dispensing processes.
• Support with medication queries from patients and support medicines optimisation.

Education

NVQ Level 2 Dispenser

GCSE English & Maths (Grade C or above)

Job description

Job summary

We are seeking a dispenser for approximately 16 hours per week with the potential to pickup other shifts. The post-holder is a qualified Dispenser NVQ2and is an integral part of the general practice team, working within their professional boundaries. This role will work under the supervision of the Dispensary Manager to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients, and to provide administrative support to the clinicians. The Dispenser will support the practice clinical teams with queries regarding medication from patients. The Dispenser will support the Dispensary Manager 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. The Dispenser will complete audits regarding patient safety in the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical team.

Main duties of the job

• Preparation of weekly dossette boxes for care homes and patients in the local community.
• Dispensing medication to patients as part of a team.
• In addition:Be responsible for checking all medicines dispensed to promote safe dispensing processes

About us

Crondall New Surgery is a part-dispensing GMS practice in the village of Crondall, between Fleet and Farnham on the Surrey Hampshire border. We are part of Fleet PCN which in turn is part of Frimley ICB. We have 6000 patients, the list size is growing steadily with local housing developments. We currently have partners and salaried GPs, practice nurses, HCA, phlebotomists, dispensers, first contact physio, mental health practitioner and a first class admin team. Home visiting is provided by an excellent paramedic practitioner home visiting service, employed by the local federation. We cover 4 local care homes and a supported living facility, with weekly GP visits to each establishment. Extended access commitment is currently one evening a week on a shared basis. There is a high quality local out of hours provider. We use EMIS web and the Ardens clinical support package. Our ethos is to offer first class patient care whilst maintaining a personal feel to the practice. We know our patients well and have historically low prescribing and referral patterns. We are a friendly and supportive practice. We strongly believe that a good work-life balance is key to a fulfilled team. We can support flexible working patterns and clinicians wishing to develop specialist skills or interests. The team share lunch on a weekly basis, and have regular meetings. Local educational opportunities are excellent.

Job responsibilities

The post-holder is a Dispenser and is an integral part of the general practice team, working within their professional boundaries. This role will work under the supervision of the Dispensary Manager to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients, and to provide administrative support to the clinicians. The Dispenser will support the practice clinical teams with queries regarding medication from patients. The Dispenser will support the Dispensary Manager 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. The Dispenser will complete audits regarding patient safety in the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical team. The core responsibilities of the Dispenser in delivering health services.

• 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, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
• 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 Manager 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
• Supervise practice reception teams in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs to review the more clinically complex request
• 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

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

Essential

• Experience of working in a dispensary
• Experience of working with the general public and patients

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care setting

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified Dispenser (NVQ Level 2)
• GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths at Grade C (4) or above

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• 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

Desirable

• Good clinical system IT knowledge

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.