Senior Prison Services Technician

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust; Rochester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in healthcare is seeking a dedicated Band 6 Senior Prison Service Technician to join their dynamic team. This role offers the opportunity to work within the unique environment of prisons, providing essential pharmaceutical services while enhancing your clinical skills. You will be an integral part of the Medicines Management team, ensuring high standards of medication administration and compliance. The organization is committed to staff development and offers pathways for professional growth through funded courses. If you are passionate about making a difference and thrive in a challenging yet rewarding setting, this position is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 6 years pharmacy experience required, with 4 years in prison or hospital settings.
• Must have GPhC registration and evidence of continuous professional development.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily Medicines Management Service at HMP Rochester.
• Administer medicines and ensure compliance with SOPs.
• Mentor and train pharmacy staff to maintain high standards.

Skills

Pharmacy Technician Registration

Medicines Management

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

SOP Knowledge

Independent Working

Education

Evidence of CPD

Registration with GPhC

Job description

Working within prisons can be challenging, yet extremely rewarding for Pharmacy Technicians to work – where you can use your clinical skills and develop them within the Health and Justice system, supported throughout by Oxleas Prison Services Ltd.

As a Band 6 Senior Prison Service Technician, you will work as part of our dispensary teams whilst having lots of patient contact! The post-holder will provide pharmaceutical services to a cluster of prisons, supported and trained by the Lead Pharmacist for Kent Prisons. Within this role, you will be an integral member of the Medicines Management team, which forms part of the wider cluster of Healthcare Services.

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is a leading provider of Pharmacy services in South East, South West and London Prisons. The pharmacy department has a long history of innovation within such areas, with established prescribing guidelines, excellent relationships with medical staff, a strong culture of leading clinical audit and research projects and an excellent publication record. All of these attributes we wish to extend to the prison pharmacy services.

We believe in supporting our staff to develop to their full potential. As a service, we encourage progression clinically and professionally, through funding of management courses as well as clinical diplomas and independent prescribing.

Main duties of the job

1. Manage on a daily basis the Medicines Management Service at HMP Rochester.
2. Manage the medicines administration as well as the printing and coordination of the repeat prescription process.
3. Administer medicines to offenders against a valid prescription on the house blocks.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Task and Responsibilities

• To organise and manage the day-to-day running of the pharmacy mediated Medicines Management services at HMP Rochester, reporting any immediate issues to the GP Pharmacist Sheppey and any significant issues to the Lead Prison Services Pharmacist for Kent.
• To ensure safe supply and administer medication to the patients at HMP Rochester.
• To promote and ensure high standards of work to all Medicines Management staff in HMP Rochester and ensure all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are read and adhered to.
• To assist the GP Pharmacist with writing, updating and monitoring the use of SOPs.
• To ensure, on a daily basis, that all pharmacy operations are within the requirements of the GPhC.
• To ensure systems are in place and to carry out the ordering/supply of repeat prescriptions.

Management responsibilities

• To manage the entire medicines management process at HMP Rochester.
• To manage and coordinate repeat prescriptions.
• To monitor the performance of the medicines optimisation technicians when placed at HMP Rochester and implement remedial action should an issue arise.

Leadership

• To assist with annual appraisals of the Pharmacy Technicians and Assistant team members.
• To mentor and train medicines optimisation staff using specialist knowledge and experience, to ensure all staff are working to high standards.

Clinical

• Provide cover for medicines optimisation visits in the absence of one of the technicians.
• On these visits you will undertake a stock top-up service for all areas medicines are stored within the prison.
• Review the expiry dates and storage facilities for all such medicines and report any deficiencies to the prison service pharmacist for that prison.
• Assist the prison service pharmacist to provide advice to prisoners and staff about the appropriate use of medicines.
• Undertake 3 monthly controlled drugs stock checks and report any issues to the Prison Service Pharmacist for that prison.
• Undertake medicines management audits on a monthly basis.

Promote healthy lifestyles for offenders in line with local and national guidelines or promotions. Demonstrate on-going continual professional development (CPD) and be responsible for self-development and learning within the field of pharmacy or other speciality where appropriate.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION PLEASE READ:

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• Evidence of CPD
• Registration with GPhC as a pharmacy technician

Experience

• 6 years experience of working in a pharmacy
• Minimum of 4 years prison or hospital pharmacy experience
• 2 years mental health experience

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of checking dispensed prescriptions
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good knowledge of writing and working within a set of SOPs
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name: Clare Denny
Job title: Recruitment & Retention Resourcing Officer
Email address: [e-mail]
Telephone number: 07504877653