Pharmacy Assistant

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking dedicated Pharmacy Assistants to join their dynamic pharmacy team. This role involves essential tasks such as labeling and dispensing prescriptions, managing stock distribution, and supporting chemotherapy supply. The ideal candidates will possess strong communication, literacy, and numeracy skills, ensuring they can effectively contribute to patient care. With a commitment to equality and diversity, this forward-thinking organization fosters a supportive work environment where employees can thrive. If you're passionate about making a difference in healthcare, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Good communication skills are essential for interacting with patients and staff.
• Must have literacy and numeracy skills, assessed during the selection process.

Responsibilities

• Label and dispense prescriptions accurately for patients.
• Assist in stock management and distribution within the pharmacy.
• Perform daily checks on stock levels and expiry dates.

Skills

Communication Skills

Literacy

Numeracy

Teamwork

Organizational Skills

Education

Maths GCSE grade A-C (or equivalent)

NVQ or Equivalent level 2 in Pharmacy Services

Tools

Pharmacy Computer System

Microsoft Office

Job description

We currently have vacancies for full-time Pharmacy Assistants to work in the pharmacy department University Lewisham Hospital within Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

You will be joining a friendly, forward thinking pharmacy team and will work in the dispensary, stock distribution and technical services providing a valuable service to our patients

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post

Main duties of the job

The role includes:

• Labelling and dispensing prescriptions
• Issuing stock drugs to wards and clinics
• Assisting in the supply of chemotherapy
• Ward visits to top-up stock drugs

We are looking for hardworking, reliable candidates with good communication skills. You will also need to have good literacy and numeracy skills which will be assessed during the selection process. It is vital that you list your educational qualifications on the application form in order to be shortlisted for interviews.

Please ensure that you use your supporting statement to demonstrate how your skills and experience match the person specification.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post

About us

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

• To assist in the day-to-day duties of the Pharmacy Store, Dispensary and Technical Services on a rotational basis

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To accept and sign receipt for deliveries of pharmaceutical products from suppliers, checking that delivery is for pharmacy department.

2. To unpack goods received and:

Check items and quantities received match delivery notes

Check are in good condition

Check have adequate shelf life

Check prices match those on delivery note

Sign delivery note to accept goods into the pharmacy.

3. To accurately use the computer system to receive goods into the pharmacy store.

4. To answer initial enquiries and when authorised, contact suppliers to resolve delivery queries (on the telephone and in person).

5. To distribute cardiac boxes to wards and departments and when necessary return any out of date boxes to the pharmacy and complete appropriate documentation.

6. To accurately put received goods into their correct location within the pharmacy, ensuring stock rotation.

7. To accurately use the computer system to issue stock items list to replenish stocks on wards, departments and community clinics. This includes creating picking tickets and delivery notes for the required items.

8. To accurately select items on picking tickets ready for checking.

9. To accurately check items previously picked by another staff member and pack appropriately ready for delivery to required areas.

10. To accurately check picking tickets created by other staff members to ensure correct issues.

11. To accurately check community clinic orders, record details and complete time sheets for courier

12. To be responsible for processing the return of excess ward stock into the pharmacy stores, checking remaining appropriate shelf life and confirming quantities.

13. To accurately record batch numbers and expiry dates of all vaccines issued to wards/ departments and community clinics.

Dispensary

1. To accurately dispense prescriptions for both in and out patients. Prescription types will include: outpatients; inpatients; discharges; controlled drugs and clinical trials. This will involve inputting of patients details into the Pharmacy computer system and subsequently produce dispensing labels. The label, prescription and product are collected together and assembled. Any additional items such as spoons, bags etc are also added. The prepared items are checked for accuracy and passed to the pharmacist/accredited technician for final checking.

2. To take in prescriptions from outpatients and verify their details; taking a current drug history from the patient or carer or parent to identify any drug allergies, drug interactions or problems with the medication prescribed.

3. To assist with the collection of prescription charges. To take in cash, cheques and card payments from outpatients and to use the pharmacy till according to procedure.

4. To replenish stocks of medicines in the dispensary. This requires the generation of an order on the computer system, accurate collection of the items from the store and shelf placement, ensuring stock rotation.

5. To perform the daily random stock check. This involves checking stock levels in dispensary against a random list produced by the computer system and also checking expiry dates.

6. To ensure adequate stocks of containers, bags and sundry items for dispensing.

7. To pre-pack items for wards and departments following the process as outlined in point one.

8. To assist with the top-up of drugs to the emergency drug cupboard. To visit and replenish stock drugs to a pre-set level, ensuring stock is correctly stored; temperature and expiry dates are checked.

9. To ensure that all dispensed inpatient items are placed in sealed bags at the appropriate times for collection by the pharmacy porter. This duty will also include processing of items returned to the dispensary from the wards.

10. To file prescriptions and other pharmacy documents.

11. To be responsible for the checking and recording of fridge temperatures and to refer to manager in the event of any anomalies.

12. To receive drug charts and prescriptions from the inpatient hatch and record details in the dispensary logs.

13. To issue completed prescriptions and controlled drug supplies to ward staff.

Technical Services

1. To assemble ingredients, complete relevant areas on worksheets and labels. To prepare finished sterile and non-sterile products from the assembled raw materials.

2. To accurately weigh and measure volumes during the preparation of non-sterile products

3. To assemble ingredients and transfer into the aseptic suite and isolator rooms, raw materials for adult and neonatal parenteral nutrition and other sterile products as required.

4. To accurately transfer assembled trays from the prep area into the isolator room and clean room, following the spraying in procedure.

5. To assist with the aseptic preparation of products having been assessed as competent.

6. To pack cardiac boxes, complete associated documentation and facilitate the cardiac box monthly recall when necessary.

7. To carry out and record daily monitoring of fridge temperatures and manometers and to report any out of range readings to a senior permanent member of technical services staff.

8. To complete relevant areas on worksheets and labels for over-labelled items. To label the items with the previously prepared labels which have pre-defined instructions.

9. To complete relevant areas on worksheets and labels for pre-pack medicinal products. To accurately pack the product and to label with previously prepared labels which have predefined instructions.

10. To accurately issue and transfer items used in technical services to appropriate cost centres using the computer.

11. To collect and pack used clean room clothing ready for collection by contractor. This includes completion of a request for order, which must be authorised by a Senior/Principal Technician.

12. To deliver used forceps to the Hospital Sterilization Decontamination Unit (HSDU) and return sterilised ones to pharmacy.

13. To replenish stocks of medicines in the technical services area. This requires the generation of an order on the computer system, accurate collection of the items from the store and shelf placement, ensuring stock rotation.

14. To photocopy sufficient supplies of worksheets available for use in the department.

15. To file paperwork.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

• Maths GCSE grade A-C (or equivalent)
• NVQ or Equivalent level 2 in Pharmacy Services

Experience

• Use of computers
• Previous Hospital/Pharmacy Experience
• Work from written procedures
• Dealing with the public

Knowledge & Skills

• Literate and Numerate and be able to perform simple calculations - tested at interview
• Team player
• Ability to work under pressure
• Able to organise self
• Enthusiastic about hospital pharmacy

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.

Lead Pharmacy Technician Dispensary Services