Specialist Aseptic Services Technician

The Great Western Hospitals NHS FT; Swindon; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health service provider in the UK is seeking a full-time Specialist Pharmacy Technician to support the Aseptic Services team. The role involves accuracy checking and release of high-risk injectables including chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition. Candidates should have the Accredited Checking Technician qualification and experience in aseptic or cancer services, along with strong teamwork and communication skills. Join us to contribute to safe and effective healthcare delivery.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Support for professional development

Access to training in aseptic skills

Qualifications

• Must have the Accredited Checking Technician qualification.
• Experience in aseptic services and/or cancer services.
• Able to work in a clean room controlled environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the management of the day-to-day operational running of the PASU.
• Co-ordinate daily workload to ensure timely service delivery.
• Participate in accuracy checking and final release of products.

Skills

Teamwork

Good communication skills

Literacy and numeracy

Good Computer skills

Understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice

Education

Accredited Checking Technician qualification

Experience in aseptic services or cancer services

Job description

The Pharmacy Aseptic Service at Great Western Hospital is expanding with the build of a new onsite aseptic unit for the preparation of injectable medicines such as chemotherapy and we're looking to grow our team.

To support the management of the day-to-day service provided by PASU, and ensure that outsourced service and aseptic preparation of medicines is run in accordance with current guidance and best practice, as detailed but not limited to those set out in Quality Assurance of Aseptic Preparation Services Handbook.

To assist the Pharmacy Aseptic Services Senior leadership Team in the safe, effective and efficient provision of high-risk injectables by accuracy checking outsourced ready-to-administer high-risk injectables. As well as co-ordinating and supervising the day-to-day allocation of staff activities in both the outsourced and in-house services.

To ensure staff are undertaking activities following department standard operating procedures and work in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP).

Working for our organisation

Our STAR values - Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect - are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.

1. To support the management of the day-to-day operational running of the PASU.
2. To co-ordinate the daily workload with the PASU ensuring products are supplied to service users in a timely manner.
3. To manage and undertake the completion of staff rota's, planning of work duties and staff training objectives ensuring set levels of staffing are maintained.
4. Have good knowledge and understanding of the computer systems used to generate documentation such as worksheets, procedures and labels used in aseptic preparation and ensure validation and change control procedures are followed.
5. To be able to perform calculations accurately when checking computer generated worksheets.
6. To complete the daily capacity planner ensuring safe capacity levels for workload and escalating if required.
7. To take part in the accuracy checking and final release of products purchased from external Specials suppliers.
8. To take part in pre, in-process and final checking of products prepared aseptically by PASU and maintain competence in this area.
9. To be able to risk assess and recommend whether a product is fit for purpose, knowing when to refer to the Authorised Pharmacist.
10. To be able to ascertain and have knowledge of the stability and formulation requirements of aseptically prepared products including suitability of diluents, volume of diluents, administration routes.
11. To manage the ordering of patient specific and batch pre-prepared aseptic products (cytotoxic, high risk injectables and parenteral nutrition) from external Specials suppliers in a timely, efficient and safe manner and ensure all necessary quality assurance checks are completed.
12. To liaise and communicate effectively with external Specials suppliers to ensure the Trust is receiving a high quality and efficient service. Where necessary to proactively manage complaints and service improvements.
13. To assist in the management of contracts for outsourced patient specific and batch pre-prepared aseptic products (cytotoxic, high risk injectables and parenteral nutrition), and aid in the reporting of key performance indicators.
14. To maintain the necessary competencies. These include but are not limited to valid hand washing, gowning, transfer, cleaning, dispensing, operator broth tests, pre & in-process and checking validations.
15. To be competent to accurately and consistently participate in the aseptic preparation, ordering and dispensing of high-risk injectables including parenteral nutrition, Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatments (SACT), monoclonal antibodies, Clinical trial IMP's and CIVAs.
16. To ensure all PASU staff safely handle, store and dispose of hazardous materials such as cytotoxic drugs, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines and sharps, according to Trust policies, Health and Safety at Work Act and COSHH regulations without further increasing the risk to themselves or their colleagues.
17. To undertake regular environmental monitoring and quality control tasks to ensure the PASU environment and product quality remains within specified limits. To act on findings and report any out of specifications to the Accountable Pharmacist.
18. To ensure the proper use, maintenance and cleaning of all equipment including pharmaceutical isolators and cleanrooms according to departmental procedures.
19. To be responsible for delivering stock control, ordering levels, storage, invoicing and quarantine of medicines. This includes starting materials, consumables and aseptically prepared batch products purchased from external Specials suppliers where delegated by procurement leads.
20. To assist in providing financial costing and reports in relation to stock usage, wastage, contracts and workload information.
21. Assist with the investigation of deviations, non-conformances, out of specification results and errors, including completion of the relevant paperwork and root cause analysis.
22. Assist the Lead and Deputy Lead for Aseptic Services and Accountable Pharmacist with the development, review and implementation of new products, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), formal documentation and policies.
23. To facilitate the induction and on-going training of all PASU staff in outsourced activities, GMP, aseptic preparation and safe working practices.
24. To be responsible for the supervision of staff and to undertake assessment and re-validation of staff to ensure a high quality and safe environment is maintained.
25. To be involved in the quality management system and attend and present information in regular quality meetings.
26. To support the identification and management of risk within the PASU and to elevate identified risks to the senior PASU team.
27. To assist the Accountable Pharmacist in the self-inspection audits and yearly 'Assurance of Aseptic Preparation of Medicines' inspection and take an active role in addressing any deficiencies identified.
28. To identify, suggest and implement changes in a controlled manner to ensure continuous improvement within PASU.
29. To participate in early and late rotas as required by the service.
30. To participate in all other duties deemed appropriate by the senior team and relevant to the role.

Thank you for expressing interest in this role. For further employer guidance, please review the attached supplementary applicant information.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Certificate of Sponsorship

• Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications, subject to eligibility of the role for a skilled worker visa and salary requirements. Not all roles in the Trust are eligible for sponsorship.
• Eligibility for this role requires:
• + Current right to work in the UK, subject to verification.
• + Qualification of the eligibility sponsorship criteria.
• From 4 April 2024, UK immigration policy changes has increased minimum salary levels for skilled workers. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

Current employees should be aware that this position is advertised as a Great Western Hospitals position and appointment ends any TUPE protection.

Candidates are responsible for covering the cost of their own DBS check if required: £21.50 for a Standard DBS check, recoverable from the first pay, or £49.50 for an Enhanced DBS check, divided and recoverable over the initial two pay periods. Payment for DBS checks for bank posts must be settled prior to commencement. Apprentices are exempt from DBS payment.

We are committed to supporting our staff in achieving a healthy work-life balance through flexible work arrangements. Upon joining the Trust, you have the right to request flexible working, with an unlimited number of requests allowed.

Upon acceptance of a job offer, your information will be transferred to the national NHS Electronic Staff Records System. All communication regarding your application will be conducted via email; please ensure to check your junk/spam folders as emails may occasionally be filtered there.

This position is for a full-time 12 month fixed term band 6 Specialist Pharmacy Technician with the Accredited Checking Technician qualification and experience in aseptic services and/or cancer services working to support a team of Assistants, Senior Technicians and Pharmacists who take pride in delivering safe, effective and high quality injectable medicines to our patients at the GWH.

The successful candidate will primarily support the Aseptic Services team in the final accuracy checking and release of high risk injectables purchased from External Specials suppliers including chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies and parenteral nutrition.

We're looking for a team worker with good interpersonal skills, able to work within a clean room controlled environment with good literacy, numerical and computer skills who may also have previous training and understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice, although training and competency assessment in aseptic skills will be provided.

About Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.