Band 5 PA to Group Chief Pharmacist / Pharmacy Office Manager

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Our trust has around 10,000 staff serving 1.6 million patients. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers' money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

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Job overview

PA to Group Chief Pharmacist / Office Manager

The Pharmacy Services of the Royal Free London are seeking to appoint a Personal Assistant to the Group Chief Pharmacist from January 2025, based at the Royal Free Hospital site Hampstead, North London.

The successful candidate will be an experienced PA who can provide a comprehensive secretarial and administrative service to the Group Chief Pharmacist, the Deputy Group Chief Pharmacist, Deputy Chief Pharmacist RFH and liaise closely with other senior Pharmacy management across the Trust Sites. An ability to use tact and discretion to a high and consistent degree are essential for the smooth running of this post and for the functions of the Royal Free Pharmacy office.

In addition to the above the postholder will be a proven meetings / committee secretary who will support Pharmacy management in a number of internal and external facing meetings both in assembling agendas and meeting paper binders, taking minutes and generate action logs to a high, detailed and timely standard.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will work closely with all Pharmacy section leads, colleagues from the hospital executive teams, colleagues from other NHS Trusts and where necessary personnel from other external bodies to the NHS in order to assist in the achieving of agreed performance and productivity targets and mutually agreed projects and service improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate an ability to run a number of projects / tasks simultaneously, be able to work under pressure, have excellent forward planning skills, a flexible approach to working to ensure deadlines are met and have strong Microsoft office skills especially Word, Excel and Outlook. Experience of using the NHS Recruitment software TRAC and PECOS procurement software would be an advantage however training can be provided.

The postholder will, in liaison with relevant Pharmacy site managers support the planned co-ordination of A&C activities as and when such staff are on annual and / or study leave.

Working for our organisation

Our trust has around 10,000 staff serving 1.6 million patients. It comprises Barnet, Chase Farm and Royal Free Hospitals and more than 30 services in the community. Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers' money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

The Trust takes pride as one of the major specialist centres for infectious diseases, liver and renal transplants, breast and plastic surgery, myeloma, and neuroendocrine tumours. Working in one of the main speciality centres brings exciting opportunities to see a range of patients at different levels of complexities. Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

The Pharmacy department is a friendly, progressive, and expanding unit dedicated to providing the highest standards of pharmaceutical care and service in this internationally renowned teaching hospital. Quality improvement and cost-effective, safe use of medicines is at the forefront of everything we do.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Personal Assistant Support \ Secretarial duties and responsibilities
• Responsible for providing a comprehensive, timely, and where necessary confidential PA and secretarial service to the Group Chief Pharmacist, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and the Deputy Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy Operations Manager. This will include copy and audio typing, taking and transcribing shorthand, typing of complex documents \ forms, diary management, maintaining a bring forward filing system, photocopying, faxing documents and arranging meetings both within the department, hospital, and with outside agencies and personnel, taking minutes \ notes at such meetings as and when requested. The postholder may be asked to organise and arrange travel arrangements of the Group Chief Pharmacist and other senior pharmacy staff as directed.
• To be responsible for screening internal and external requests made towards the Group Chief Pharmacist and using initiative, discretion, and local knowledge of the Pharmacy services, to prioritise as appropriate such requests, or delegate to other senior members of Pharmacy staff if seen fit to do so.
• In the event of serious \ urgent issue(s) which may arise and are particularly sensitive, the postholder as requested by Group Chief Pharmacist may need to relay certain instructions to other pharmacy managers or management \ staff outside the Pharmacy department in a prompt and professional manner.
• Ensure that both the Trust annual and study / Professional leave policies for all grades of Pharmacy staff are adhered to, with particular emphasis on how leave is taken within Trust / departmental guidelines and noted appropriately on the local Healhrosters.
• The postholder will maintain, as necessary, an extensive list of contact details for the wide range of personnel both within the Trust \ NHS bodies \ external agencies the Group Chief Pharmacist may need to liaise with as and when necessary.
• As and when requested by the Group Chief Pharmacist the postholder will organise large events (meetings, official functions to mark particular events \ anniversaries etc) which may involve considerable liaison and contact with external bodies and a wide range of potential attendees. This may include sourcing venues outside the Trust, budgeting costs (eg room hire, speaker fees), ensuring appropriate audio visual equipment is available, ensuring suitable catering is organised within an allocated budget, contact potential speakers, advertise event both within the Royal Free Trust and possibly outside the hospital complex.
• The postholder will oversee all office related purchases through the relevant trust systems including raising of orders, invoice matching and associated tasks ensuring that the trust Standing Financial Instructions are adhered to.

Pharmacy Recruitment Co-ordination duties and responsibilities

To act as the designed TRAC recruitment operator for RFH Pharmacy Patient Services and other Pharmacy services as deemed necessary.
• The Postholder will support senior staff when requested in the drafting of business case proposals in relation to proposed new posts to meet service needs demands.
• The Posholder to provide informal TRAC training to both colleagues with Pharmacy and other secretarial staff within Group Clinical Services if deemed necessary.
• The Postholder will be responsible for organising detailed induction programmes for rotational pharmacists and technicians, senior clinical pharmacists, senior pharmacy technicians, and newly appointed Pharmacy managers. These will be planned and tailored carefully ensuring the postholder visits \ meets appropriate key staff both within and outside the Pharmacy department.
• To be responsible for identifying, seeking, and developing new initiatives for recruiting Pharmacy staff amongst all grades and types of positions in the Pharmacy department ensuring legal and best practice requirements are adhered to. This is likely to include considerable liaison with the RFL Pharmacy Education and Training Team.
• The Postholder will assist where necessary Royal Free sponsored recruitment fair(s) and update recruitment material for prospective candidates as appropriate. This will include the preparation of Pharmacy stalls \ tables and manning these in conjunction with other pharmacy staff.
• The postholder will strive to establish links, where appropriate, with local job centres, local colleges, and special interest employment groups to promote the Royal Free Hospital Pharmacy services and careers and vacancies within the service.
• The Postholder will screen and assess, in conjunction with senior pharmacists undergraduate Pharmacy students who apply for a summer work placement within the Pharmacy services of the RFH. This will include arranging an honorary contract and organising a varied work placement in the Pharmacy department.
• The Postholder will produce, as and when requested by the Group Chief Pharmacist reports outlining current vacancies within the department and other useful statistical information relevant to appropriate future human resource planning. This may include liaising with management accounts to clarify, if and when necessary, the Pharmacy department staffing establishment. Such information may be forwarded to Pharmacy management at London Regional level.
• The postholder will advise, when required, potential candidates for pharmacy vacancies in regard to the validity of their professional qualifications eg whether recognised in the UK and will offer advice on how to validate qualifications in the UK. In addition to this role, the postholder may on occasions need to advise on appropriate courses potential candidates could study for in order to obtain professional qualifications to legally work as a Pharmacist or technician in the UK.

Company Secretary to the Royal Free London Dispensary Services Ltd (Pharmco Board)
• Act as designated Company Secretary (with appropriate registration at Companies House) for the Royal Free London Dispensary Service Ltd (Pharmco) Board meetings throughout the financial year. This will include drafting agendas, writing up board minutes, requesting documentation for the binder of papers for the meeting, following up outstanding action points between meetings if requested by the Chairperson of the Board.
• Updating and submitting directorship details with Companies House as necessary
• To provide appropriate managerial and administrative support to the board committees.
• Establish effective systems for developing and managing the forward planner and agenda for each committee as agreed with each chairman;
• To provide advice on compliance with the constitution and appropriate regulatory requirements to the chairs and executive leads of each board committee.
• Co-ordinate the production of papers, ensuring timely distribution of agendas and supporting papers for internal and external stakeholders
• Assisting with extraordinary board meetings as necessary, particularly for the end of year accounts formal sign off and posting to Companies House.
• Liaising with internal and external auditors as requested with information requests, Trust solicitor for any specific legality issues on behalf of the Trust
• Liaising with the RFL Property Services on Lease related matters if requested to do so by the RFLDS Ltd Board.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
• To be responsible for the efficient running and overall operational matters relating to the Pharmacy Office (ground floor) ensuring where appropriate adherence to Health and Safety and Data Protection guidelines.
• The Pharmacy Office (ground floor) will be an information source for all grades of Pharmacy staff on a wide range of departmental and Trust matters and the postholder will be expected to advise Pharmacy staff as and when queries \ questions arise which may include referral to another dept or external body.
• The postholder will be responsible for the management of complaints about aspects of all areas of Pharmacy services, this may include having to speak to patients, patient's families, the PALS office, or healthcare personnel and take appropriate details relating to a complaint. The postholder will collate facts relating to such complaints, and to prepare independently an appropriate response letter for the approval of the Chief Pharmacist Services in line with Trust guidance.

Person specification

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential criteria

• A Level standard of education or equivalent

Desirable criteria

• European Computer Driving Licence (ICDL
• RSA / Pitman Secretarial Qualification or proven work experience to a similar standard
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development in the Company Secretary or Corporate Governance field

Experience

Essential criteria

• Proven secretarial experience preferably in a hospital environment
• Proven experience working with senior / executive management.
• Ability to take and produce detailed meeting minutes and action logs and follow up in an effective and timely manner
• Experience of investigating and drafting complaint responses for senior staff perusal
• Experience of liaising with a range of hospital colleagues and external bodies as workload and duties demand

Skills and aptitudes

Essential criteria

• Able to keep track of multiple tasks \ projects
• Able to demonstrate problem solving skills
• Able to plan, organise large events \ meeting for a wide range of healthcare professionals and other external organisations
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills

Personal Qualities & attributes

Essential criteria

• Tactful when dealing with a wide range of staff, patients and visitors to the Trust
• Diplomatic in managing potentially awkward situations
• Ability to carry out day to day responsibilities and deal effectively with unpredictable demands that may possibly arise
• High awareness of the need to act in a confidential, objective and discrete manner in relation to potentially a wide range of individual and department issues
• Willing and able to work flexibly to meet deadlines (particularly around DTC meetings)

Others

Essential criteria

• Demonstrative initiative
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Flexible, able to change priorities quickly within current workload if necessary \ requested
• Ability to carry out day to day responsibilities and deal effectively with unpredictable demands that may possibly arise
• Ability to work under pressure

• Covid-19 Vaccination

  Getting vaccinated, and getting a booster, remains the best defence against COVID-19.
  We encourage and support staff to get COVID-19 vaccine and a booster dose as and when they are eligible.

• AT* - Apprenticeship Training. Where AT* is entered next to the job title indicates that this vacancy is for an apprenticeship role.
• By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers. Therefore we require you to complete your stat and Man e-learning modules prior to joining our organisation.
• If you are an EU/EEA citizen who does not have EU Settlement or Pre-Settled status, you will require a visa to work in the UK.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• If you are offered a role with one of the NLPSS partner trusts, as part of pre-employment checks your identity and right to work documentation will be verified remotely (in most circumstances), using a certified identity verification service provider TrustID. You will be asked to capture an image of the relevant documents as well as a "selfie" using your smartphone/tablet (if available) for facial matching. TrustID will also perform a digital address check using Trunarrative and Equifax, which is a soft check and does not leave a footprint on your credit rating. For more information, visit www.trustid.co.uk
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• The Trust will request a DBS (CRB) if post involves regulated activities. The Trust is compliant with the Disclosure and Barring Service Codes of practice and the Rehabilitation of offenders act.
• By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams - unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Applications are welcome from people wishing to job share or work flexible patterns. We are committed to equal opportunities.

Please note:

• Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification
• Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.
• Interview arrangements will be communicated via email so please check your email regularly following the closing date.

Please be advised that due to exceptionally high demand, all Royal Free accommodation is at full capacity and waiting lists are being held. Average waiting times are 12 months. Please do not rely on Trust accommodation when you commence your role and ensure you investigate alternative accommodation for your arrival.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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.

Documents to download

• PA to Group Chief Pharmacist / Office Manager JD (PDF, 512.3KB)
• PA to Group Chief Pharmacist / Office Manager PS (PDF, 256.6KB)
• Functional Requirements Document (PDF, 144.6KB)
• ADVERT - Band 5 PA to Group Chief Pharmacist (PDF, 416.6KB)