Pharmacy Assistant - Outpatients

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a diligent Dispensary Clerk to support the outpatient pharmacy. You will dispense prescriptions, assist in reception duties, and ensure accurate data entry and stock control to maintain a high quality service for patients.

The role emphasises accuracy, customer care, and teamwork within a busy hospital environment; prior pharmacy experience is preferred and attention to detail is essential.

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths at grade 4–9 or equivalent.
• NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Service Skills / BTEC Level 2 in Pharmaceutical Science (QCF) or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Dispense prescriptions with clinical check; refer any doubt to the Responsible Pharmacist
• Provide quality customer service to outpatient pharmacy customers and healthcare professionals
• Contribute to high quality, timely outpatient service for patients
• Assist with safe and accurate issue of completed dispensed prescriptions to patients
• Carry out validation, labelling, dispensing and issue of prescriptions in outpatient pharmacy
• Handle reception duties: take in/hand out prescriptions, take payment, respond to queries
• Use Electronic Patient Record system to locate/print outpatient prescriptions
• Input data onto the computer system and maintain records
• Assist with stock control and ordering of medicines in outpatient pharmacy
• Support monitoring of till for transactions
• Monitor stock storage, expiry dates, and rotation
• Maintain tidy shelving and stock areas

Skills

Excellent customer service skills

Calm under pressure

Flexible approach

Teamwork and interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Written procedures

Oral and written communication

Interpersonal skills

Organised and methodical

Routine documentation

Reliability and punctuality

Microsoft Office

Numeracy skills

Education

GCSE English and Mathematics (grade 4–9)

NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills / BTEC Level 2 in Pharmaceutical Science

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

CHS is able to offer a wide range of services. Our scale enables us to offer competitive rates and we have a long track record of providing high quality, customer-focused services.

We offer comprehensive estates, facilities management, medical engineering, catering solutions and procurement services supporting the provision of safe, effective healthcare to our communities. We are committed to delivering our Green Plan goals of reducing carbon emissions, air pollution, waste generation and improving recycling throughout delivery of our services. We also enable profit to go back into patient care.

CHS recognises that its staff are its greatest asset and that its business is its people. The company aims to create an environment and culture of openness, trust and honesty. We encourage and celebrate diversity because broader perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge will enrich and enhance the value we bring to each other, our clients, shareholders and other stakeholders.

Job overview

To assist in the provision of a high-quality patient focused dispensary service to outpatients at the Trust.

Main duties of the job

• To accurately dispense clinically checked prescriptions referring any areas of doubt to the Responsible Pharmacist
• To provide quality customer service to all outpatient pharmacy customers including multidisciplinary healthcare professionals
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of a high quality and timely outpatient service for patients
• To contribute to the safe and accurate issue of completed dispensed prescriptions to patients

Working for our organisation

At CHS we understand the differences in delivering our services in complex environments and we have a flexible approach to meet the needs of our customers. Our Estates and Facilities management functions alongside our Clinical Engineering, decontamination, Outpatient Pharmacy and procurement service, provides the following:

• Fully managed estate and building maintenance
• Clinical Engineering and Decontamination
• Outpatient Pharmacy service
• Procurement advice, guidance and governance
• Capital project management
• Transport
• Grounds maintenance.
• Portering
• Catering
• Cleaning (including robot and deep cleaning)

All provided to nationally recognised standards giving you assurance that your premises and equipment will be the best they can, and your customers will have confidence in you as a provider.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See briefing pack for further details

Dispensary Duties

• To carry out the validation, labelling, dispensing and issue of prescriptions in the outpatient pharmacy
• To calculate varying degrees of complex doses and quantities to supply on prescriptions
• To undertake an in-process accuracy check of assembled prescribed items prior to the final accuracy check
• To work on the pharmacy outpatient reception, taking in and handing out prescriptions, taking payment and dealing with customer queries
• Use the Electronic Patient Record system to locate and print outpatient prescriptions
• To securely and accurately input data, patient and prescription details onto the computer system and assist with the maintenance of records relating to work and workload statistics
• To participate in the ordering, receipt of goods, stock checks and stock control of medicines in the outpatient pharmacy, ensuring efficient use of pharmaceuticals and resources
• To assist with the dispensing, recording, maintenance, issue and receipt of Controlled Drugs as appropriate
• To work under the supervision of site pharmacy manager within the outpatient dispensary to ensure efficient workflow and pharmacy provision
• To carry out general duties, including stock and preparation of bottles, sundry items, additional information and labels, packaging, and counting and cleaning equipment
• To use the prescription tracking system to record patient information and monitor and audit the transit of prescriptions through the dispensing, checking and delivery processes
• To assist with the monitoring of the till to enable the team to process transactions efficiently
• To monitor and record safe storage of stock by carrying out environmental temperature checks, expiry date checking, stock checks and assisting in the rotation of stock
• To clean shelving where pharmaceuticals are stored, keeping them in a tidy, organised and fit for purpose condition

Communication

• To provide / receive routine information that may require tact or persuasive skills where there may be difficulties in understanding, especially when answering the telephone
• To provide medication information verbally or in written format to outpatients or their representatives

General Duties

• To work flexibly to support the team and service needs
• To adhere to all policies and procedures for CHS and CHFT
• To complete all mandatory training
• To participate in and contribute towards an annual individual appraisal, with the dual goals of enhancing performance and developing a personal development plan
• To carry out duties with due regard to the Trust's Equal Opportunity policy
• To seek advice and support from Line Manager whenever necessary
• To maintain professional conduct including appearance at all times

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GCSE English and Mathematics passed at grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent)
• Completed NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy Service Skills / BTEC Level 2 certificate in Pharmaceutical Science (QCF) or equivalent Pharmacy Assistant course approved by GPhC

Knowledge & Skill

Essential criteria

• Excellent customer service skills
• Calm and professional manner under pressure
• Flexible, enthusiastic approach
• Evidence of good team working and interpersonal skills
• Able to pay meticulous attention to detai
• Able to understand and follow written procedures
• Demonstrate good oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills - able to form positive relationships
• Organised, tidy and methodical
• Able to clearly and accurately complete routine documentation
• Able to deal with frequent interruptions, stressful situations or changing priorities whilst completing planned work
• Reliable, trustworthy and punctual
• Keyboard skills. Able to use basic Microsoft Office application
• Demonstrate accurate numeracy skills, without using a calculator, including - Simple calculations e.g. Addition, subtraction, division and multiplication; and Percentages, decimal, fractions and ratios

Desirable criteria

• Able to deal with difficult, angry, annoyed patients and/or healthcare colleagues

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of direct customer facing contact
• Able to work under pressure in a busy environment
• Experience as a Pharmacy Assistant

Desirable criteria

• Experience working in the hospital environment

Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions (CHS) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.