Job summary
Are you a team player? Are you ready to take the next exciting step in the development of your career in patient facing role?

Come and join our friendly and supportive team if you would like the opportunity to contribute to the development of the pharmacy service provided to our Acute Medical Unit (AMU). This is a great opportunity for a Pharmacy Technician who is clinically experienced or a Pharmacy Technician who is just starting out in their career and wanting to enhance their clinical skills, looking to work in patient facing role.

Our two AMUs admit up to 90 new patients every day and we have a team of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and a pharmacy assistant permanently based on the units. Our priorities are to ensure early medicines reconciliation for all our patients and rapid provision of discharge medication.

This is a fast-paced environment, and we are seeking individuals who can work as part of a multidisciplinary team, as our admissions team services are very much embedded in the wider ward teams.

Main duties of the job
We cover extended hours (8am -6pm) using our proven model of shift working. Team members work compressed hours - working 9 hours each shift, including 1 in 6 weekends with one set day days rest each week. The existing team members enjoy the flexible working pattern and working as part of a close-knit team.

Shifts benefits include:

• rota prepared months in advance enabling swaps and flexibility in working
• 1 scheduled day of rest in each 7-day period
• 1 extra days rest around working weekend
• facility to book annual leave at relatively short notice
• dispensary cover to help keep up to date with dispensing and ACT skills
• immense opportunities for clinical learning in a fast-paced environment

The post holder will contribute to the delivery of the specialist pharmacy service to the AMU seven days per week. The post is wholly based on the AMU's and involves playing a key role in medicines reconciliation and facilitating rapid discharge by means of our satellite dispensaries.

You will be a qualified pharmacy technician, registered with the GPhC, preferably with previous experience in hospital pharmacy, although community experience is also valuable.

Excellent communication skills are essential as the post holder will be required to provide counselling, advice and information to patients, nurses and medical staff.

About us
East Lancashire Hospitals has a history of innovation and is an exciting place to work. We have a live full Electronic Patient Record, which incorporates ePrescribing and medicines reconciliation activities. We were the first Trust in the country to launch Refer-to-Pharmacy. The pharmacy teams utilise ELHT's unique e-patient tracking system to identify and target patients requiring medicines reconciliation, and as an e-pharmaceutical care planning tool.

The successful candidate will be supported to develop themselves as well as the service they are responsible for, in a friendly and forward-thinking organisation.

If you want to make a difference, are passionate about patient care, then there has never been a better time to join our team.

Job responsibilities
See attached Job Description for full details
JOB SUMMARY

• support the Assistant Directors of Pharmacy in providing a high quality, cost effective and efficient patient centred pharmacy service to the Trust
• work in partnership on the Acute Medical Unit (AMU); with the Pharmacy team leader in the provision of a high quality, cost effective and efficient patient centred pharmacy service to the Trust
• maintain and develop the highest standards of patient-focused care in the provision of technical services
• support the governance and medicines risk management agenda locally
• support the development of the technician and assistant teams to complement and facilitate multidisciplinary working
• act as a role model in the field of clinical technician pharmacy practice and provide a consistently high level of pharmaceutical service in line with corporate objectives and government initiatives
• support the agreed policies and procedures for safe medicines use and support mechanisms to promote high quality medicine use, effective risk management, clinical governance and adherence to Trust policies and guidelines concerning medicines use
• contribute to the development of the service
• support the professional development of technicians and assistants

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered with the GPhC - or about to qualify to join the register
• NVQ Level 3 Pharmacy Services or equivalent qualification - approved for registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Desirable

• BTec Accuracy Checking Technician Qualification

Special Knowledge
Essential

• Understanding of local and national NHS and Pharmaceutical Policy
• Understanding of medicines legislation and guidance i.e. Medicines Act, Misuse of Drugs Act, Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines, Medicine Guidance Notes, MHRA Alerts
• Understanding of clinical and risk management guidance as applied to Medicines Management

Experience
Essential

• Practice in one or more relevant areas
• Ability to deal with clinical issues
• Working within GMP/GDP/GCP guidelines
• Understanding of medicines management procedures

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary or secondary care
• Ability to maintain and report on records and statistics

Judgement
Essential

• Ability to maintain and report on records and statistics
• Reflects on own practice and learns from experience
• Knows when to consult (own limitations)

Communication Skills
Essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication including formal presentations
• Able to communicate information of a technical, clinical, or managerial nature
• Ability to prioritise demands on service and plan workload of self and others

Personal Qualities
Essential

• Prioritises and meets deadlines
• Can balance strong leadership and working within a team
• Calm under pressure

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).