Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Homecare

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Homecare to efficiently process homecare prescriptions, create purchase orders, and transmit prescriptions to providers. The role supports the Homecare team in coordinating delivery of homecare medicines.

Key responsibilities include processing invoices, reconciling statements, and ensuring accurate pharmacy stock records, with a focus on timely, secure communications and compliance with financial

Qualifications

• GCSE or equivalent ( Maths and English ) with grade C or above.
• NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services or Pharmacy equivalent with 2 years’ experience OR 2 A levels (pass) + demonstrable relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Identify and highlight potential problems with homecare prescriptions and seek clarification from the senior pharmacy homecare technician or homecare pharmacist if necessary.
• Scan completed prescriptions and file accurately to ensure a record of prescriptions sent to homecare providers is kept.
• Accurately send homecare prescriptions to homecare providers using appropriate secure methods.
• Ensure new prescriptions are taken to the appropriate clinical team to be signed by a prescriber.
• Check all homecare invoices received for accuracy and investigate any query regarding invoice prices and quantities with the supplier before processing.
• Promptly and accurately process invoices using the relevant programs on the pharmacy stock control computer system and send onto the finance department for payment.
• Reconcile supplier statements to identify outstanding invoices and maintain a system for ensuring that queries on invoices are resolved as quickly as possible to ensure timely and accurate payment.
• Enter contract changes and amendments as required by the Senior Homecare Technician or Homecare pharmacist.
• Act as a point of contact for the Trust finance team to help resolve issues highlighted on financial statements from homecare providers.

Job description

Employer Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Pharmacy Department Town Liverpool Salary £25,760 - £27,476 Per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 20/09/2026 23:59

Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Homecare

Band 3

As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision'to bethe best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation'.

We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine including adult cystic fibrosis and diagnostic imaging, both in the hospital and out in the community.

We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.

Heart and lung disease continue to be amongst the biggest killers in the UK and the communities we serve are marked by increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, higher levels of heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease and an ageing population.

Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering thebest carefor our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and facilitated by technology. New and upgraded clinical areas are designed with patients and families fully involved to deliver their needs.

As part of our long term plan, we aim to form strong clinical and organisational relationships where possible. There is clear evidence that partnerships improve patient care and enhance quality and we aim to collaborate with a range of other providers and professionals with the aimto extending access and improve quality.

Our vision is underpinned by five strategic goals:

• Quality:to deliver the highest quality, safest and best experience for patients and their families by providing reliable care
• Service and Innovation:to develop our service portfolio for patients by developing innovative models of care
• Value:to maintain financial viability, enhance service delivery and develop new models of care to improve the health of our patients and safely reduce costs
• Workforce:to be the best NHS Employer by 2019 by attracting and retaining the best staff to deliver excellent patient care
• Stakeholders:to develop productive relationships with key stakeholders in order to enhance our profile and reputation.

Our Mission

“Excellent, Compassionate and Safe care for every patient, every day”

Job overview

To be responsible for the efficient processing of homecare prescriptions by creating purchase orders in pharmacy systems and the accurate and efficient onward transmission of the prescription to the homecare providers.

To be responsible for processing invoices received from homecare providers for homecare pharmaceutical products within the pharmacy stock control system and homecare database.

To support the Senior Homecare Pharmacy Technician and Homecare Pharmacist in the co-ordination of the delivery and development of homecare medicines services within LUHFT.

To answer queries received by the homecare team via email and over the phone. Assist colleagues in answering these queries.

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for the efficient processing of homecare prescriptions by creating purchase orders in pharmacy systems and the accurate and efficient onward transmission of the prescription to the homecare providers.

To be responsible for processing invoices received from homecare providers for homecare pharmaceutical products within the pharmacy stock control system and homecare database

To support the Senior Homecare Pharmacy Technician and Homecare Pharmacist in the co-ordination of the delivery and development of homecare medicines services within LUHFT.

To answer queries received by the homecare team via email and over the phone. Assist colleagues in answering these queries.

Working for our organisation

As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision 'to be the best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation'.

We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine both in the hospital and out in the community.

We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.

Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering the best care for our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and our encouragement of flexible working in a variety of forms.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

a)Identify and highlight potential problems with homecare prescriptions and seek clarification from the senior pharmacy homecare technician or homecare pharmacist if necessary.

b)Scan completed prescriptions and file accurately to ensure a record of prescriptions sent to homecare providers is kept.

c)Accurately send homecare prescriptions to homecare providers using appropriate secure methods.

d)Ensure new prescriptions are taken to the appropriate clinical team to be signed by a prescriber.

a)Check all homecare invoices received for accuracy and investigate any query regarding invoice prices and quantities with the supplier before processing. This is to ensure the correct data is input into the pharmacy stock control computer system.

b)Promptly and accurately process invoices using the relevant programs on the pharmacy stock control computer system and send onto the finance department for payment. This is to ensure compliance with the Public Sector Payments Policy.

c)Reconcile supplier statements to identify outstanding invoices and maintain a system for ensuring that queries on invoices are resolved as quickly as possible to ensure timely and accurate payment. This may involve contacting suppliers to resolve discrepancies.

d)Record reasons for the delay in processing any invoices so that justification for a delay in payment is available.

e)Liaise with homecare providers regarding enquiries concerning the payment of invoices.

f)Liaise with homecare pharmacy staff regarding invoice discrepancies to ensure that the price information on the pharmacy stock control computer system is kept accurate.

g)Enter contract changes and amendments as required by the Senior Homecare Technician or Homecare pharmacist.

h)Act as a point of contact for the Trust finance team to help resolve issues highlighted on financial statements from homecare providers.

a)Receive queries from patients determining the nature of the query and reporting appropriate information back to the patient when necessary and able to. If the query cannot be answered in the homecare team understand the best person or team to direct the query to and relay the query to them in the most appropriate way.

b)Receive queries from clinical teams in the Trust reporting information to them. If the reply to the query will not completely answer the query, information that is held by the homecare team should be collated and supplied to help the clinical team resolve the query.

c)Receive queries from homecare providers, interpreting the nature of the query, who has been included in the query and who is best placed to deliver an accurate, timely reply to the query. If a query cannot be fully answered by the homecare team, information that is held by the homecare team that could help answer the query should be provided to the best placed person or team to answer the query to assist in handling the query. If queries are of a clinical nature ensure that the most appropriate person or team are included in the query, if they are not included the query should be forwarded to that person or team.

d)Receive queries from the Trust Finance team, providing required information to them when possible.

a)Undertake such reasonable duties as may be required from time to time.

b)The post holder will be expected to adapt to changes that may occur, which may affect the current practices within the Pharmacy Department, such as the introduction of new equipment, procedures, policies and hours of working.

c)Ensure that total confidentiality throughout the Trust is always upheld.

a)Co-operate in providing a comprehensive, high quality and cost-effective pharmaceutical service, adhering to policies and procedures and delivering services in an efficient, courteous and professional manner.

b)Participate in audits.

c)Contribute to clinical governance programmes, including clinical risk, incident management, and investigations as required.

d)Ensure compliance with department, trust and national guidelines.

Deliver induction for new pharmacy staff for pharmacy assistants and other trainees rotating through assigned area.

Participate in, and co-operate fully with, the training of all grades of trainees and staff, and when necessary and appropriate to supervise and check their activities.

Co-operate with objective setting, individual personal assessment, and continuing education & training programs, in order to ensure continuing professional development and competence to practice

Person specification

Qualifications and Education

• GCSE or equivalent (such as functional skills) grade C or above (must include Maths and English)
• NVQ Level 2 Pharmacy Services or Pharmacy equivalent with 2 years’ experience working in pharmacy. OR 2 A levels (pass) + demonstrable relevant experience.

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of working in a team
• Ability to meet deadlines whilst paying attention to detail
• Ability to work under own initiative and with supervision
• Ability to maintain mental effort for sustained periods
• Demonstrable experience working in a pharmacy environment
• Experience of working in pharmacy with Pharmacy IT systems
• Experience of dispensing prescriptions OR the preparation of aseptic products
• Knowledge of procedures and practices across core pharmacy services
• Knowledge of hospital pharmacy supply and discharge planning
• Knowledge of stock control systems and storage of medication
• Able to relate to all grades of staff within a multidisciplinary team

Skills and Abilities

• Clear and accurate written communication skills
• Clear and accurate verbal communication skills
• Numerate – able to carry out simple calculations
• Literate – able to follow verbal and written instructions accurately
• Able to prioritise tasks and manage own workload
• Can use own initiative and shows attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Ability to demonstrate that can work in a methodical and accurate manner
• Ability to set routines and implement new working procedures
• Ability to work in a busy, fast paced environment
• Ability to use different IT applications
• Training and mentoring skills
• Ability to adapt to change

Values and Behaviours

• Reliable and flexible to the needs of the service
• Self-motivated and ability to motivate others
• Enthusiasm for the position
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to work as per departmental weekend, evening and bank holiday rotas

The Trust is a no-smoking site.

Flexible Working applications will be considered in line the Trusts flexible working policies.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.