Senior Medicines Management Pharmacy Technician, Cancer Services

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Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.

Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.

We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 - the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.

To achieve this we value Respect, Compassion, and Inclusion; Being accountable over staying comfortable; Listening over always knowing best; and Succeeding together over achieving alone. You can read more about our visions and values here

Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as "good" or "outstanding" in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

Every year our work includes performing 10,000 procedures in our theatres; bringing seven and a half thousand new lives into the world; carrying out 570,000 visits to patients in their homes or communities and providing emergency care for more than 300,000 patients arriving in our busy Urgent and Emergency Departments.

LGT is a centre for the education and training of medical students enrolled with King's College London's GKT School of Medical Education. We are a training centre for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. We are pioneering new roles that will support the changing needs of our patients and are one of the largest employers of physician associates in the country.

We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our local communities. This means playing an active role in the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), and in formal partnerships including the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative, provider partnerships with our local mental health trusts and borough-based boards of the ICS in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

Job overview

The pharmacy department at Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust is looking for a passionate and driven pharmacy technician to join our Cancer & Technical Services team.

You will be responsible for providing a safe and efficient ward-based pharmacy service, and play a pivotal role in the medicines management and optimisation of Oncology and Haematology patients.

This role offers intellectually stimulating challenges which will enhance your skills in specialised services (including Technical Services) and contribute to your professional development.

Main duties of the job

1. To develop, maintain and manage the safe, efficient and cost effective supply of chemotherapy medicines to patients at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

2. To co-ordinate the use of patient's own medication, individual patient dispensing, discharge planning and patient education on medicines in conjunction with the ward-based medicines
management teams.

3. Implement developments to meet the needs of the patient, and support with the delivery of any service developments as required, meeting local and national requirements.

4. To provide support in the manufacture of aseptic medicines in the Technical Services Unit at University Hospital Lewisham as required

Working for our organisation

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
3. Improving the experience of staff with disability
4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
5. Making equalities mainstream

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Result Areas & Performance

Communications and Relationships

1. To liaise and communicate with pharmacy staff in different sections of the department regarding medication, supply, storage, health and safety.
2. To liaise and communicate with nursing staff on relevant information regarding patient care and facilitating discharge.
3. To liaise and communicate with patients regarding medicines supply and to identify administration or adherence problems.
4. To liaise and communicate with carers, GPs, members of the public and other healthcare professionals.

Medicines Management, Cancer Services

1. To endorse prescription charts with relevant medicine related information following trust policies and procedures.
2. To compile and verify a patient's drug history by communicating with the patient, carers, GPs and other health professionals.
3. To undertake a review of patient's own drugs to accurately assess the suitability of continued use while the patient is in hospital.
4. To work as an accredited checking technician in order to provide a final accuracy check on dispensed medicinal products.
5. To participate in the discharge planning of patients with ward staff and other healthcare professionals both in secondary and primary care.
6. To minimise delays in discharge by ensuring that medication is available at the appropriate time.
7. To dispense prescriptions if required.
8. To assess patients to see if a compliance aid is required to help concordance.
9. To provide verbal and written medicines related advice and information for patients and/or carers regarding prescribed medication and their devices.
10. To be responsible for stock control and stock management of medicines on designated wards in communication with the ward pharmacist, ward managers and assistant technical officers (ATO's).
11. To return unwanted or out of date medicines to Pharmacy for disposal or for return to Pharmacy stock.
12. To arrange the supply and return of controlled drugs from the wards in an efficient manner.
13. To order medication that is clinically screened by a pharmacist.
14. To support the implementation of self-administration by patients and/or carers where possible.
15. To support the efficient transfer of medicines between wards.
16. To communicate with community pharmacies for admission and discharge processes as necessary.
17. To be responsible for the co-ordination of aseptically prepared named patient chemotherapy doses for patients at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from off-site manufacturers.
18. To manage the supply of ready to administer chemotherapy doses and parenteral nutrition at Queen Elizabeth Hospital; including appropriate stock control ensuring cost efficiencies, supervision of dispensing activities, and the checking and release of dispensed ready to administer medicines.
19. To train rotational assistant technical officers at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the dispensing of ready to administer chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition.
20. To collate workload figures for the dispensing of ready to administer chemotherapy medicines at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
21. To be an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT).

Technical Services Unit

1. To aseptically prepare medicines.
2. To prepare worksheets, labels and assemble raw materials required for the preparation of aseptic medicines.
3. To carry out in-process checks including worksheet, labels, raw materials and volume checks.
4. To ensure that products are prepared in an appropriate, timely and efficient manner.
5. To perform cleaning and monitoring activities as required according to the schedule.
6. To accurately issue and transfer items used in Technical Services to appropriate cost centres using the Ascribe computer system.

Dispensary (weekends and bank holidays)

1. To accurately dispense prescriptions for inpatients in accordance with standard policies and procedures; including discharge (TTO/TTA); controlled drugs and clinical trials.
2. To receive drug charts and prescriptions from the inpatient hatch and record details on the electronic dispensary logs.
3. To issue completed prescriptions and controlled drug supplies to the ward.

Financial & Physical Resources

1. To liaise with the dispensary regarding to-follows.
2. To meet with Ward Managers to update ward stock lists as appropriate.
3. To undertake stock control and ordering
4. To facilitate stock rotation to prevent wastage.

Line Management

1. To carry out staff appraisals and develop staff in line with their objectives.
2. To arrange, undertake and document regular 1-2-1 meetings.
3. To participate in staff recruitment and induction in compliance with Trust and local requirements.
4. To performance manage staff where appropriate in line with Trust policies.

Other Duties

1. To participate in the supply of Clinical Trial medicines in line with GCP requirements.
2. Participates in the 3 monthly Controlled Drugs audit, Drug Stock Security audits, and expiry checks.
3. To assist in the training of pharmacy staff as necessary.
4. To provide cover to other sites within the Trust as requested by the Technical Services Manager.
5. To assist the department in any other areas required for the smooth running of the department.
6. To participate in weekend and bank holiday rotas as per local procedures.
7. To be aware of and abide by departmental policies and procedures.
8. To participate in audits.
9. To be prepared to work on other sites within Lewisham & Greenwich Trust.

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential criteria

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent.
• Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (or willing to undertake the accreditation scheme).
• Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Evidence of CPD.

Desirable criteria

• Other relevant medicines management.
• Specialist knowledge of pharmacy procedures and processes.
• Accreditation in Medicines Management (AIMM).

Experience & Skills

Essential criteria

• Must have worked in a UK hospital pharmacy.
• Accurate dispenser, familiar with pharmacy computerised labelling system.
• Supervision and training of others
• Evidence of ability to work independently and proactively with limited supervision.

Desirable criteria

• Post qualification experience.
• Demonstrate clinical knowledge of medicines use.
• Project Planning.
• Examples of contribution to clinical audit and project work
• Previous line management experience.
• Aseptic techniques including preparation of aseptic medicines and in process checking

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria

• Practical knowledge of the role of ward-based pharmacy technicians in provision of medicines management services on wards
• Good understanding of law and good practice related to prescribing, storage and handling of pharmaceuticals
• Understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice and Quality Assurance.
• Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team both within pharmacy and a multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to apply knowledge and expertise to inform decision-making processes.
• Demonstrable ability to communicate information effectively using clear written and spoken English and overcome barriers to understanding.
• Proficient in the use of computers.
• Demonstrable accurate numeric skills.
• Ability to work positively and calmly under pressure.
• Ability to motivate self and others.

Desirable criteria

• Ability to contribute to the planning of service developments within a department or service.
• Ability to manage difficult and complex teams.

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

• Be flexible in responding to demands of the service.
• Reliable, polite and approachable.
• Knows own professional and personal limitations and seeks advice where necessary.
• Show empathy towards patient's needs.
• Respects confidentiality.
• Ability to cope with challenges and change.

Other

Essential criteria

• Willingness to contribute to the general life and work of the Pharmacy and Trust.
• Willingness to participate in weekend, evening, Bank Holiday and late shifts as required.
• Able to work agreed hours.
• Willingness to work/cover at different Trust hospital sites when required

We reserve the right to close the post before the stated closing date, please apply early. We do not contact applicants with the outcome of the shortlisting. If you have been shortlisted, you will receive an invite to an assessment day or interview.

As a local employer and anchor institution we work closely with our community to recruit locally and we welcome applications from the widest variety of people to ensure our workforce are reflective of the local communities which we serve. We encourage all suitable candidates to apply including if you are Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities, live with a disability (visible or not) or are LGBT+. We have a number of active staff networks including Disability, LGBT+, Multicultural Inclusion and Women's staff networks to bring staff together and celebrate diversity across our whole workforce.

Please note, not all roles will meet the criteria for a skilled worker visa.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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.

Documents to download

• Job Description & Person Spec (PDF, 390.6KB)
• Working at LGT (PDF, 4.2MB)