Senior Pharmacy Technician

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

An opportunity exists for a Senior Pharmacy Technician with South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust. The role involves supervising pharmacy assistants and trainees while ensuring high standards in medicines optimisation services. Applicants should hold an accreditation with the GPhC and have prior experience in a pharmacy setting, particularly in mental health.

Benefits

Flexible working

Career development opportunities

Variety of benefits for a positive work environment

Qualifications

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Demonstrable experience as a qualified pharmacy technician.
• Experience of training and supervising junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical pharmacy services to inpatient wards.
• Supervise pharmacy assistants and trainees.
• Contribute to the development of quality standards.

Skills

Attention to Detail

Communication Skills

Adaptability

Leadership

Education

Accreditation in Medicines Management

NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Accredited Checking Technician Qualification

Tools

JAC Dispensing System

Job description

Go back South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Senior Pharmacy Technician

The closing date is 08 June 2025

The SWLSTG pharmacy team have an excellent opportunity for a pharmacy technician to join our friendly department delivering our medicines optimisation and dispensary services in our brand-new state of the art building and pharmacy dispensary. Our pharmacy currently operates Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and does not open on weekends, bank holidays or have late duty shifts.

The postholder will need to be adaptable to new situations, conscientious, have good attention to detail, excellent communication skills and be able to work alone and as well as part of a team prioritizing the workload to ensure the needs of the patients, service and pharmacy are met in a timely manner. You will actively contribute towards on-going service development and will provide support and leadership to junior pharmacy technicians, Pre-registration Trainee pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants and students. You will take an active role in Medicines Management issues bypromoting good practice on the wards and in training sessions,monitoring drugs in trolleys in accordance with amendments topatients' prescribed medication and sharing of information with wardstaff in a clear, accurate and timelymanner.

Applicants must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a Pharmacy Technician, or be in the final stages of qualification and registration.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for the provision of pharmacy medicines management services and provide support to the pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, provide operational support where required, provide a clinical pharmacy service to inpatient wards and work with the multidisciplinary team to ensure the delivery of a safe and effective service to our patients. This includes the delivery of education & training sessions to our pharmacy and multidisciplinary team colleagues.

You will have opportunities to participate in reviewing and monitoring the clinical pharmacy standards and working closely with the senior pharmacy managers to identify service gaps. You will also be involved in co-ordinating, undertaking and presenting of reports on audits and projects to evaluate and improve services alongside pharmacy and trust priorities and objectives.

You should have recent previous experience of medicines optimisation and should hold accreditations for both medicines management and accredited checking pharmacy technician (ACPT). Those without these essential criteria will be considered for a band 4 to 5 progression, with a tailored development programme. Experience of working within mental health services and within a multidisciplinary team, good written and verbal communication, familiarity communication, familiarity with clozapine dispensing and supply services and knowledge of mental health medicines are also desirable.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Springfield University Hospital, Tooting

Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities. A 32-acre public park, shops and cafes are coming soon. Close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.

Job responsibilities

• To participate in a high quality, patient focused Medicines Optimisation model for technicians, at ward and community team level.
• To monitor and supervise the work of the pharmacy assistants and participate in medication top-up at team base/ward level, to ensure good stock control.
• To be responsible for the safe, accurate and timely supplying of medicines in accordance with agreed stock lists and non-stock items, in line with the changing clinical needs of each clinical environment to minimise waste and reduce risk, and ensuring records are kept.
• To monitor medicines storage on wards, team bases and outside units in line with Medicines Management standards.
• To assist with departmental and Trust wide quality audits to demonstrate compliance with Medicines Management policies.
• To have involvement with the general supervision and development review of pharmacy assistants and technicians according to departmental policy.
• To supervise the internal training scheme for pharmacy assistants/pre-registration trainee pharmacy technicians leading to NVQ Level 2/3, in line with London Education & Training guidance, and achieve Practice Supervisor status as required/appropriate, leading to further development as an Educational Supervisor.
• To dispense medication, ensuring compliance with all procedures, for patients ready to receive a final accuracy check.
• To maintain Accredited Accuracy Checking Technician status and perform the final accuracy check of prescriptions in accordance with Trust policy.
• To maintain Accreditation in Medicines Management (HEELASE or equivalent)
• To participate within the pharmacy, when necessary, with the receipt, processing, storage and stock control of medicines and other supplies.
• To counsel patients on the use of their medication, as appropriate.
• To respond to enquiries and requests from staff, patients and carers, in accordance with individual competence and departmental policy.
• To provide training and advice on pharmacy services to ward, nursing, medical and pharmacy staff.
• To assist in the induction of new staff, and in-house training.
• To use pharmacy and other computer systems in the course of performing these duties.
• To provide reciprocal cover for other medicines management technicians in their absence, which may necessitate working at other Trust sites
• To deputise for the Lead Medicine Management Technicians when required.

Training and Development

• To undertake mandatory and statutory training, supervision and annual appraisal as required by Trust policy.
• To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development Review/appraisal.
• To undertake personal development as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP).

Person Specification

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

• oNVQ Level 3, BTEC or similar nationally recognised qualification in pharmaceutical sciences
• oAccreditation in Medicines Management or equivalent experience
• oBe registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• oEvidence of continuing professional and personal development
• oPossession of Accredited Checking technician qualification
• oEducational Supervisor or equivalent

EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrable experience of working in a pharmacy as a qualified pharmacy technician
• Post-registration hospital pharmacy experience
• Experience of checking dispensed prescriptions
• Experience of medicine reconciliation at ward level
• Experience of training and supervising junior members of staff
• Experience of audit work
• Experience of using JAC dispensing system

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.

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

£35,964 to £43,780 a yearper annum inclusive of Inner London HCAs