Senior Pharmacy Technician Clinical Trials

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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 (Queen Elizabeth Hospital/ University Hospital Lewisham) have a vacancy for a permanent, senior Pharmacy Clinical Trials Technician to join our friendly pharmacy clinical trials and research-based team. What an exciting time to be a part of research! The post holder will work closely with the Lead Pharmacist for Clinical Trials in the delivery of all pharmaceutical aspects of clinical trials, including co-ordinating and managing the service at a senior level.

We are looking for a forward thinking, hardworking and dedicated individual to work closely in the multidisciplinary team, including Research and Development, Lead Investigators, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and assistants. You will help deliver and manage a high-quality clinical trials service across the Trust with the opportunity to gain in depth knowledge of study protocols and their application in clinical practice.

Interview date: 13th November 2024

In addition to excellent communication and organisation skills, you should be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and preferably hold an ACPT qualification and Medicines Management qualification or be willing to undertake this. You must hold a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills (or equivalent) and up to date GCP training is essential. Applicants are required to have a minimum of 1-year hospital experience as a qualified Pharmacy Technician in hospital pharmacy or similar.

Main duties of the job

Writing clinical trial working procedures, temperature monitoring, dispensing, communicating with research teams, organising and facilitating sponsor monitored visits, training and line management duties will be part of your daily duties.

For your commitment to us, we will ensure you receive personal development in management skills in an environment that is both supportive and challenging in equal measure. The post holder will also be required to offer 1 day of clinical commitments at ward level each week. Flexible working arrangements will be considered. Please complete your application in line with the Person Specification and Job Description as failure to do so may lead to non-progression to the short-listing stage of the process.

1. To be the Lead Pharmacy Technician for clinical trials, across both sites, supporting the Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist in the delivery of an efficient Pharmacy Clinical Trials Service across Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

2. To co-ordinate all clinical trials involving investigational medicinal product (IMP) in the Trust and manage the day-to day pharmacy operational activities associated with them.

3. Implementing developments to meet the needs of the Clinical Trials service

4. To undertake line management duties as necessary

Working for our organisation

This is an excellent opportunity to be part of our progressive pharmacy team and contribute to our Clinical Trials Service that broadly involves a variety of specialities. We strive to be 'Exceptional' and aim to provide the highest standard of care to our service users. You will be supporting a highly motivated and innovative Pharmacy Clinical Trials team.

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:

Clinical Trials

1. To co-ordinate and maintain the Lewisham and Greenwich Trust Clinical Trials service in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and departmental procedures, and ensure a high quality service is provided to patients and staff.

2. To support the Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist in streamlining Pharmacy Clinical Trial Service across both sites at the Trust and ensure compliance to The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations/ EU Clinical Trials Directive and subsequent amendments.

3. To communicate regularly with the Research and Development (R&D) team when organising trials in set-up and delivery and ensuring compliance to local research governance.

4. To facilitate the delivery of an efficient and effective Pharmacy service for Clinical Trial patients and ensure pharmacy staff are trained specifically for each trial in accordance to GCP.

5. To dispense (or check where appropriate) clinical trials involving an IMP following procedures and recording accountability for these as necessary.

6. To manage the temperature monitoring of all IMPs in Pharmacy or other areas as appropriate by recording daily fridge and ambient temperatures

7. To collate data for workload figures and income generation for hosting of commercial and non-commercial trials to support the Trust R&D activity.

8. To deputise for the Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist as necessary.

9. To manage queries which arise with clinical trials in the Trust involving an IMP.

10. To facilitate the setup of all clinical trials and those in operation, working closely with the Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist, Research Teams (Principal Investigators, Research Nurses and Sponsors), R&D and Pharmacy staff.

11. To prepare, maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures for Clinical Trials and provide comprehensive training to ensure a co-ordinated approach for the smooth running of clinical trials from a pharmacy perspective.

12. To ensure that all essential pharmacy trial documentation is maintained in accordance with the protocol and local guidelines.

13. To ensure effective stock control and maintain accurate and up to date storage and expiry records for clinical trial products and archive for future reference.

14. To facilitate stock rotation to prevent wastage

15. To be responsible for the 'closing' of clinical trials and maintaining trial folders for archive records.

16. To provide GCP training, attend Site Initiation Visits, facilitate Monitoring Visits and be a Pharmacy representative as a point of contact for all clinical trials enquiries.

17. To report suspected or confirmed Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs) related adverse incidents appropriately and amend local protocol if necessary.

18. To safeguard subjects, healthcare professionals and the Trust by ensuring that IMPs are appropriate for use and are procured, handled, and stored correctly.

19. To ensure that all clinical trials activities are accurately documented, and invoices for Pharmacy are processed according to local procedure.

20. To identify areas of potential cost savings relating to clinical trials service provision and work with the Lead Clinical Trials Pharmacist to action suitably.

21. To undertake audits as necessary to improve and develop the clinical trial services.

22. To liaise with external trial monitors and coordinators to ensure the smooth running of trials locally, to organise and facilitate set up meetings and monitoring visits in Pharmacy.

23. To support and address the clinical trials information and training needs of dispensary staff or other relevant individuals when planning a new clinical trial.

24. To liaise with pharmacy staff responsible for the operational aspects of clinical trials to ensure that all clinical trials activities are carried out to the highest practicable standards of GCP and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Staff Management & Training

1. To line manage staff, including:

a. Providing detailed induction to new staff members in compliance with local and Trust requirements

b. Regular appraisal of performance and objective setting

c. To arrange and document regular 1-2-1 meetings with staff

d. To undertake return to work meetings with staff after periods of absence

e. To performance manage staff where appropriate including managing sickness absence, capability issues, conduct and resolving grievance issues in line with Trust policies

f. Ensuring that all human resource policies, procedures and standards are understood and maintained

g. Ensure all relevant paperwork regarding the above is up to date

2. To participate in recruitment and selection of staff.

3. To undertake health and safety risk assessments for the member of staff they manage.

4. To undertake training of pharmacy, medical and nursing staff and other members of the healthcare team as appropriate for clinical trials and to specifically ensure that all Pharmacy staff receives GCP training commensurate with their roles and responsibilities in relation to trials.

5. To identify own training needs, and actively seek opportunities to meet these, internal and external. To supervise and train Foundation Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Technician and Assistants by being a Practice Supervisor or working towards this accreditation

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential criteria

• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills (pre 2022) or equivalent Or BTEC Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians (post 2022)
• Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Mandatory CPD to maintain fitness to practice
• GCP training

Desirable criteria

• Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) qualification (Or willing to undertake)
• Practice Supervisor Accreditation (Or willing to undertake)

Experience & Skills

Essential criteria

• Post registration experience in hospital pharmacy for at least 1 year
• Working within a busy dispensary
• Demonstrable experience of training others
• Demonstrable good understanding of clinical trials from a pharmacy perspective
• To competently use MS Office for management and documentation of Clinical Trials
• Display good communication skills as the role liaises with a wide variety of people within the Trust and externally to Sponsors

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience of working in Clinical Trials setting
• Supervision of staff

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria

• Good communication skills, both written and oral, of specialist clinical information
• Able to make interventions assertively and appropriately
• Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team both within pharmacy and a multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to prioritise and plan work effectively alone and for a team including the ability to delegate appropriately
• A good understanding of Good Clinical Practice
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills including: • Email • Word processing • Excel

Desirable criteria

• Ability to manage difficult and complex issues or refer appropriately

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.
• Enthusiastic for service development

Other

Essential criteria

• Willingness to contribute to the general life and work of the Pharmacy and Trust
• Willingness to participate in weekend, evening and Bank Holiday rotas as required
• Able to work agreed hours
• Accountability - Takes responsibility for own actions and promotes good team working
• Openness - Shares information and good practice appropriately
• Mutual respect - Treats others with courtesy and respect at all times

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, 311.0KB)
• Working at LGT (PDF, 4.2MB)