Senior Pharmacy Assistant Technical 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

Senior Assistant Pharmacy Technical Services

37.5 hours per week (plus weekends/bank holidays on a rota basis)

The Pharmacy Technical Services team at University Hospital require a hardworking and committed person to assist in the preparation and dispensing of sterile medicines such as chemotherapy. As part of this role, you will be responsible for undertaking in process checks, and supporting in training and supervision of staff.

You will have good communication and organisational skills, able to work well within a team and on your own, and have experience of meeting deadlines, working under pressure. and attention to detail.

You will hold the NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services or be willing to undertake this qualification.

You will need to have a good general education, GCSE Maths and English at grade C or above (or equivalent), and have a commitment to learning and self-development.

Please complete your application demonstrating of your skills and experience in line with the person specification and job description as failure to do so may lead to non-progression to the interview stage of the process.

Main duties of the job

The role includes:

• Preparing the environment and equipment for use
• Preparing product worksheets and labels
• Assembly of raw materials
• Aseptic manufacture of sterile medicines
• Undertaking in process checks such as raw materials and volumes measured
• Supervising and training other members of staff

Working for our organisation

We are a friendly and supportive team who strive for excellent working practices and quality of work. We support staff members to achieve their best and encourage self development and learning.

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

Applicants are required to detail the GSCE qualifications as stated in the person specification, and how they meet the person specification within their supporting information and give examples. Candidates may not be shortlisted for interview if this information is not completed within the job application.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary:

1. To aseptically dispense sterile Cytotoxic products and other sterile injectables.
2. To manage the environment and physical monitoring of the Aseptic unit maintaining appropriate records for microbiological cleanliness, pressures, room temperatures and equipment temperatures.
3. To be responsible for performing daily cleaning of the Aseptic Unit.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

Technical Services

1. To aseptically dispense sterile Cytotoxic products and other sterile injectables.
2. To participate in the environmental and physical monitoring of the Technical Services Unit; maintaining appropriate records for microbiological cleanliness, pressures, room temperatures and equipment temperatures.
3. To prepare aseptic product documentation and labels from prescriptions.
4. To assemble aseptic products in preparation for aseptic processing.
5. To assist in the dispensing of outsourced Parenteral Nutrition products.
6. To ensure that products are prepared in an appropriate, timely and efficient manner.
7. To accurately issue and transfer items used in Technical Services to appropriate cost centres using the Ascribe computer system.
8. To be responsible for performing daily cleaning of the Aseptic Unit.
9. To assist in the monthly cleaning of the Aseptic Unit.
10. To perform in process volume checks, worksheet and label checks, and product assembly checks as required according to standard operating procedures.
11. To supervise rotational staff within the Aseptic Unit, including pre-registration pharmacists and technicians, and assistants.
12. To participate in the training of all staff new to the Aseptic Unit, including pre-reg pharmacists and technicians, and assistants in principles and procedures relating to aseptic dispensing and smooth running of the department.
13. To assist in the day to day running of the Aseptic Unit as required by the section manager, to ensure workload is satisfactorily completed in order of priority.
14. To assist in the updating of Standard Operating Procedures, information documents and instructions relevant to the Aseptic Unit, as requested by the Senior management.
15. To participate in the production of Error Logs, QER's and reports relevant to the department as required by the department's standard operating procedures.
16. To comply with the departmental Good Manufacturing Practice requirements, including dress and Hygiene relating to work in the unit.
17. To work at all times within the Health and Safety Guidelines of the department.
18. Maintenance of stock levels to ensure sufficient drugs and consumables are available for use within the unit.
19. To be responsible for ensuring all laundry is packed and sent for processing.
20. To undertake Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Services skills (QCF) within the required timeframe.
21. To ensure accurate stock rotation and expiry date checks are carried out.
22. To participate in stock takes.
23. Ensure all waste is disposed of appropriately.

General

1. Participate in Dispensary weekend and bank holiday rotas as required.
2. To ensure that the cleanliness and tidiness of the section meets specifications laid down by the section manager.
3. To undertake personal continuing professional education and training as necessary to ensure high level of competency in carrying out the tasks required.
4. To maintain safe systems of work at all times.
5. To demonstrate good communication skills and practice good teamwork.
6. Any other duties considered necessary to ensure smooth and efficient running of the department.

Communications and Relationships

1. Work closely with the Chief and Senior Technicians to ensure the smooth running of the Technical Service departments.
2. Liaise with pharmacists, technicians and other staff within the Pharmacy department as required.
3. Communicate with staff from wards and departments around the hospital as required.

Person specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria

• Good general education
• GCSE Math and English grade C or above (or equivalent)
• NVQ level 2 Pharmacy Services Award or willing to undertake

Experience

Essential criteria

• 12 months minimum experience working in a hospital Pharmacy setting
• Previous customer service experience or working with people
• Previous experience of working towards and meeting deadlines

Desirable criteria

• Training & supervising of other junior members of staff.
• Experience of working in a pharmacy aseptic unit

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria

• Good communication skills both verbal and written English
• Ability to work without constant supervision and as a part of a team.
• Able to work to set procedures
• Able to clearly and accurately complete routine documentation
• Able to work under pressure accurately
• Able to identify & prioritise tasks
• Basic computer and IT skills

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice and Quality Assurance
• Able to supervise others
• Able to identify and prioritise allocated tasks

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

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

• Job Description & Person Spec (PDF, 257.0KB)
• Working at LGT (PDF, 4.2MB)