Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer (Pharmacy Dispenser)

NHS Jobs; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs in Stoke-on-Trent seeks a Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer to support dispensing and daily pharmacy operations. You will handle medication requests for in-patients and outpatients, assist reception duties, and ensure accurate stock management and documentation within the department.

You will participate in audits, maintain computer records, and help with ordering, deliveries, and safe storage of medicines across wards and clinics.

Qualifications

• Experience dispensing medication requests in a pharmacy setting.
• Ability to handle patient enquiries and maintain professional image.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and accurately dispense medication requests for in-patients/outpatients/clinical trials under supervision.
• Assist with reception duties and answer telephone enquiries.
• Maintain stock by checking expiries, ordering, and stocking shelves; document transfers.
• Raise orders with external suppliers/homecare with sign-off by supervisor.
• Monitor fridge temperatures and alert senior staff of excursions.

Skills

Dispensing medications

Reception duties

Customer service

Stock management

Audits

Temperature monitoring

Record keeping

Tools

Pharmacy computer system

Job description

Pharmacy Assistant Technical Officer (Pharmacy Dispenser)

Dispensary Duties

• To interpret and accurately dispense requests for medication for in-patients, outpatients and clinical trials in accordance with department SOPs under the supervision of a pharmacy professional (excluding Controlled Drugs).
• To assist with general reception duties including receiving prescriptions from patients and members of staff, answering the telephone and dealing with enquires where appropriate whilst ensuring a positive and professional image is displayed in keeping with the Trust values.
• Working with customers in a polite and efficient manner - face to face, over the phone, or by electronic methods, to deal with enquiries of a routine nature and referring appropriate queries to the relevant member of the pharmacy team.
• To take part in departmental stock takes and stock maintenance including: expiry date checking ensuring any short-dated / expired items are quarantined. Ordering of stock, checking of orders received against delivery notes and restocking of shelves ensuring good stock rotation is maintained. This will involve the completion of all the necessary documentation and stock transfer using the pharmacy computer system.
• To support with raising orders for external suppliers and homecare. Orders raised will require sign off by a pharmacy technician or pharmacist.
• Undertake the temperature monitoring of the refrigerators and room environments and alert an appropriate senior member of staff of any excursions outside of the normal range.
• To participate in the management of medication returns ensuring recycling and destruction is carried out which will contribute to maximising drug usage and financial resources.
• To liaise with portering and transport services to ensure an adequate service is provided and escalated any failures as appropriate.
• To maintain accurate computer records which include the accurate use of pharmacy computer systems, patients records, the issue and costing of medication being issued to all areas of pharmacy, wards, departments and individual patients.
• Support the team in maintaining the safe storage and security of medicines, prescriptions, confidential information etc.

Ward / Departmental Top-up services

• To participate in the topping-up of ward/ department stock medication and re-order as necessary.
• To participate in the topping-up of stock medicines in the emergency medicines cupboard, ensuring that short-dated drugs are removed and replaced as appropriate.
• To occasionally deliver medication to wards including cytotoxic/cytostatic medicines.

Miscellaneous

• To support the day-to-day provision of the dispensary service to ensure smooth running of dispensary services e.g.: looking after documentation, liaising with patients/service users and troubleshooting problems and queries.
• Support with the procurement of medicines.
• Arrange transport for collection and delivery of urgent items. Pack medicines securely, ready for delivery to wards /departments /clinics. Identify fridge items and pack separately, to ensure that they are kept in the refrigerator until collection.
• Contact wards /departments to advise that prescriptions are ready for collection.
• To monitor the fax and scanner for any prescriptions or orders sent to pharmacy and undertake photocopying, filing and faxing of documents.
• To undertake and participate in audits and to actively participate in the end of year stock take as necessary.
• To support the department in delivering efficiency schemes.
• To attend pharmacy staff meetings and support efficient communication between members of the pharmacy team.
• Follow all departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• To undertake specific duties agreed with the Chief Technicians and line manager in line with the grade and scope of the post.

Training and Development

• Complete mandatory training as required by the Trust.
• Participate in working towards their Personal Development Plan.
• Attend such training courses and meetings as are necessary to achieve personal departmental objectives as agreed with the line manager.
• Take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve knowledge and competence.

Working Arrangements

• The pharmacy department is currently open Monday to Friday but may be subject to change.
• When necessary you may be required to participate in weekend /Bank holiday working to support the provision of pharmacy services across the Trust.
• On occasions you may be required to work at another site to cover staffshortages.

Communication and Relationships

• To provide excellent communication with:
  • o Pharmacy staff
  • o Clinical and managerial staff (irrespective of profession or grade)
  • o Patient/ Service users and carerso
  • o Couriers and porterso
  • o Trust partners e.g. external suppliers, delivery drivers

Systems and Equipment

• Standard keyboard skills are required to use the dispensary computer system for producing dispensary labels and stock sheets using the pharmacy ascribe system.
• Computer skills involving the use of email, word, internet etc.

Decisions and Judgement

• Applies general knowledge effectively to the benefit of service delivery.

Physical/Mental/Emotional demands of the job

• To work across a large Trust, which may, on occasions involve travel from one site to another.
• High levels of concentration and the fine manipulation associated with dispensing, picking and checking stock against delivery/order documents, alongside dealing with interruptions such as attending to drivers, porters, patients.
• To visit clinic/team bases off-site.
• Occasional exposure to unpleasant conditions.
• To carry and pack pharmaceutical supplies and move pharmaceutical goods as appropriate.
• Requirement for frequent concentration whilst processing prescriptions, stock requests and checking off wholesaler orders.
• Dexterity, coordination, for keyboard and telephony skills.
• Use of a VDU for significant proportions of the day.
• The post-holder may experience emotional, distressing situations and have to deal with irate patients/service users e.g. complaints about waiting times, unavailable drugs or general anti-social behaviours.

Responsibility for Policy/ Service Development

• Follows Trust/department Policies/Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as appropriate.
• May be asked to contribute to the development of SOPs.

Responsibility for HR

• Maintain confidentiality.
• Required to complete appropriate training and support required for the role.

Responsibility for Research and Development

• To undertake and participate in audits and surveys as necessary.