Senior Pharmacy Technician - Automation

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Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.

We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.

We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.

We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us. Find out more - Why Choose CHFT?

Our Future Plans

The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come. To find out more, please visit https://future.cht.nhs.uk/

Job overview

The post holder coordinate the implementation of automated drug cabinets and the on-going maintenance that is required. This will include the training of staff in the use of the automated drug cabinets, ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place for their use and to act as an administrator to update the systems supporting the automated drug cabinets as required.

The post holder will provide day-to-day support to the pharmacy department specialising in pharmacy IT system maintenance. They will be responsible for providing regular management reports and associated analysis to pharmacy management groups working closely with the Pharmacy IT lead, as directed by the Senior Leadership Team.

The post holder will also support dispensary functions, including the accuracy checking of dispensed medicines and ward based technical services, including medicines reconciliation in line with the descriptions below

Main duties of the job
• The post holder will be responsible for the implementation and on-going management of the Automated Drug Cabinet programme onto Wards and Depts throughout CHFT including the creation of associated business cases, as appropriate.

To support the strategic leadership and vision regarding the development of the Automated Cabinet Programme throughout CHFT and ensure its successful roll out. This includes initial cabinet set up, training of pharmacy staff and assisting with audits and report writing to demonstrate their effective use.
• They will coordinate and deliver training in the use of the Automated Drug Cabinets to the full range of authorised staff across the Trust.
• They will be responsible for the production and analysis of pharmacy KPI reports.

They will supervise, mentor and train a range of staff across the Pharmacy Department.
• They will act as an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT).
• They will support and deputise for the Specialist Pharmacy Technicians.

Working for our organisation

We employ more than 6,500 staff who deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals, Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as well as in community sites, health centres and in patients' homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.

We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children's and young people's services; end of life care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.

We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.

We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation. Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS - yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards. Boards listen to their Council of Governors and respond to the needs of their members - patients, staff and the local community.

Foundation trusts provide what the health service wants, yet are also free to invest quickly in the changes to the local community needs, in striving to be the best, and in putting their patients first.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Automated Drug Cabinets

• To support the strategic leadership and vision regarding the development of the Automated Cabinet Programme throughout CHFT and ensure its successful roll out. This includes initial cabinet set up, training of ward/ pharmacy staff and assisting with audits and report writing to demonstrate their effective use.

• To be a 'System Administrator' for Automated Drug Cabinets and be the first point of contact for general trouble shooting, support and advice from ward/pharmacy staff.

• To ensure all cabinets stock lists are kept up to date and are amended appropriately to reflect EMIS stock lists when reviews are completed, product contracts change or temporary changes are necessary due to manufacturer delays etc.

• To provide training for all Pharmacy Staff, and other relevant staff members in the management of and troubleshooting for the Automated Drug Cabinets in the post holder's absence.

• To develop and implement procedures and training material related to Automated Drug Cabinets and ensure associated policies, including the Medicines Code are updated as relevant, in coordination with the Medicines Safety Officer.

Pharmacy IT systems

To provide training and education related to pharmacy IT systems to new staff and when changes have been implemented.

To manage the introduction of pharmacy system changes relating to IT in coordination with the IT department.

To communicate complex, sensitive information in the form of reports (both verbal and written), as directed by the Senior Leadership Team, including graphical representation, statistical processing of data and analysis of data to the Pharmacy Management Group.

Dispensary

To regularly dispense inpatient, outpatient, controlled drug requests, discharge medication and clinical trail medication, accurately ensuring compliance with Medicines Legislation.

• To hold a recognised qualification/award to enable the accuracy checking of all prescriptions which have been dispensed by other members of pharmacy staff, and to take part in the Dispensary checking rota.

To routinely counsel patients on the storage, correct dosage/use, side effects and other relevant information about the drugs supplied, including clinical trial material and unlicensed medicines. To handle payments of prescription charges and manage complaints and queries.

• To assist with the procurement of drugs and to accurately account for stock and investigate and correct discrepancies when necessary.

To use available computer resources to record and review documented Key Performance Indicators and to participate in new IT strategies and developments affecting Pharmacy.

To act as a coordinator to support the workflow within the dispensary ensuring that patients receive medication at the time required and within predefined KPIs.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of pharmaceutical technical procedures for specialist area to at least degree level or equivalent level of training
• NVQ3, BTEC in pharmaceutical science or equivalent
• Registered with the GPhC
• Accredited checking qualification
• Evidence of continued professional development

Desirable criteria

• Member of APTUK

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of medicines management
• Significant experience of managing pharmacy IT systems
• Previous experience of managing, mentoring and supervising staff
• Considerable experience in all areas of hospital pharmacy as a Pharmacy Technician
• Experience of ward based medicines management duties, one stop dispensing, medicines reconciliation and patient counselling
• Experience of leading and managing change
• Experience of leading and managing change
• Experience of writing SOPs
• Experience of working with Automated Drug Cabinets
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to work in a multidisciplinary team
• Computer literate
• Ability to provide comprehensive training to other staff
• Training/mentoring of junior staff
• Advanced IT and keyboard skills for producing reports/ systems administration
• Able to effectively manage own time
• Ability to problem solve

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

Essential criteria

• Understanding of Information Governance and Confidentiality
• Understanding of equality and diversity issues and how this affects patients, visitors and staff
• Knowledge of the laws and regulations relating to the provision of an effective pharmacy service

Our vision is to provide One Culture of Care for one another in order that we can provide compassionate care for the people who use our services. We are passionate about creating a workplace where we work together to get results, encouraging colleagues to have their say, in order to co create the change we want to see. We take pride in the diversity of our workforce that's why we encourage applications from all. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants.

Please ensure your application is submitted with referees who can verify your employment/education history over the last three years and include valid email addresses for them. We will request electronic Factual Employment References from your previous employers. These references will be requested before you are issued with an unconditional offer of employment letter.

If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system. The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

You may be required to undertake a DBS. The Trust will administer the DBS check on your behalf and will recover the cost (Enhanced £54.40, Standard £26.40 or Basic £26.40) from your salary when you commence in post (including Internal staff). You will also be required to participate in the DBS Update Service and pay the £16 cost per year. This is a condition of your employment.

CHFT is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

If you have any questions please contact ask.recruitment@cht.nhs.uk for assistance.

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

• JDPS (PDF, 328.4KB)
• Job Description Appendix A (PDF, 259.2KB)