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Pharmacy Assistant/Pharmacy Apprentice

We currently have a vacancies for full-time Pharmacy Assistant/Pharmacy apprentices to work in the pharmacy department at University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital within Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

You will be joining a friendly, forward thinking pharmacy team and will work in the dispensary, stock distribution and technical services providing a valuable service to our patients

The role includes:

• Labelling and dispensing prescriptions
• Issuing stock drugs to wards and clinics
• Assisting in the supply of chemotherapy
• Ward visits to top-up stock drugs

We are looking for hardworking, reliable candidates with good communication skills. You will also need to have good literacy and numeracy skills which will be assessed during the selection process. It is vital that you list your educational qualifications on the application form in order to be shortlisted for interview.

Please ensure that you use your supporting statement to demonstrate how your skills and experience match the person specification. Candidates who fail to supply a detailed supporting statement will not be invited for interview.

You will need to hold the Level 2 NVQ in Pharmacy Services qualification and have a commitment to learning and self-development.

Applications are welcome from candidates without the Level 2 NVQ in Pharmacy Services qualification; if successfully recruited, the post will become an apprenticeship requiring completion of the qualification, with the salary at a percentage of the Band 2 salary.

The post holders will be required to participate in a weekend rota system so should be a minimum of 18 years of age to comply with working time obligations regarding weekly rest.

Pay Band - Band 2 – Annex 21 (70% of salary for first 6 months then 75% until receipt of certificate then full salary = £22, 383 per annum)

Post Title: Pharmacy Assistant Apprentice

Directorate: Pharmacy Department

Responsible to: Principal/Senior Technician

Grade: Band 2 – Annex 21

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Description of Training:
The post holder will be supported to achieve an Apprenticeship in Pharmacy Service Skills. Through distance learning and work place activities, the post holder will develop the Pharmacy skills required in the job description, to work in a quality driven, responsive and customer orientated department.

An apprentice will do 80% on the job training – work based learning activity and the remaining 20% is off the job training (self-directed learning and distance learning.)

The apprenticeship is a work-based qualification evidenced via learning activity at work, a portfolio of work and observations. Training and assessment are completed on work-site, with some off the job training involving a combination of online learning, distance learning and self-directed learning. An external assessor will carry out observations in the workplace to assess practical competence.

All apprenticeship standards have End-point assessment (EPA). End-Point Assessments will involve an independent assessor carrying out final assessments with the apprentice, to ensure that the competences and learning within the ‘Apprenticeship Standard’ have been met. Apprentices can achieve a pass, merit or distinction dependent on how well they perform in their End-Point Assessment.

You will be required to commit to the apprenticeship training study requirements and complete the training activities and assessments, in a timely manner.

Training: Pharmacy Services Intermediate Apprenticeship (Level 2)

Role of the Department:
The Pharmacy Department provides a comprehensive range of pharmacy services for Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Lewisham and a range of community clinics. We are committed to delivering a high quality patient-focused service to all our patients and aim to ensure the safe, timely and effective use of medicines.

Job Role within the Department - Summary:
To assist in the day-to-day duties of the Pharmacy Store, Dispensary and Technical Services on a rotational basis.

Core responsibilities/duties:
Pharmacy Stores
1. To accept and sign receipt for deliveries of pharmaceutical products from suppliers, checking that delivery is for pharmacy department.

1. To unpack goods received and:

• Check items and quantities received match delivery notes
• Check are in good condition
• Check have adequate shelf life
• Check prices match those on delivery note
• Sign delivery note to accept goods into the pharmacy.

1. To accurately use the computer system to receive goods into the pharmacy store.
1. To answer initial enquiries and when authorised, contact suppliers to resolve delivery queries (on the telephone and in person).
1. To accurately put received goods into their correct location within the pharmacy, ensuring stock rotation.
1. To accurately use the computer system to issue stock items list to replenish stocks on wards, departments and community clinics. This includes creating picking tickets and delivery notes for the required items.
1. To accurately select items on picking tickets ready for checking.
1. To accurately check items previously picked by another staff member and pack appropriately ready for delivery to required areas.
1. To accurately check picking tickets created by other staff members to ensure correct issues.
1. To accurately check community clinic orders, record details and complete time sheets for courier
1. To be responsible for processing the return of excess ward stock into the pharmacy stores, checking remaining appropriate shelf life and confirming quantities.

Dispensary
1. To accurately dispense prescriptions for in patients. Prescription types will include: inpatients; discharges; controlled drugs and clinical trials. This will involve inputting of patients details into the Pharmacy computer system and subsequently produce dispensing labels. The label, prescription and product are collected together and assembled. Any additional items such as spoons, bags etc are also added. The prepared items are checked for accuracy and passed to the pharmacist/accredited technician for final checking.
2. To replenish stocks of medicines in the dispensary. This requires the generation of an order on the computer system, accurate collection of the items from the store and shelf placement, ensuring stock rotation.
3. To perform the daily random stock check. This involves checking stock levels in dispensary against a random list produced by the computer system and also checking expiry dates.
4. To ensure adequate stocks of containers, bags and sundry items for dispensing.
5. To pre-pack items for wards and departments following the process as outlined in point one.
6. To assist with the top-up of drugs to the emergency drug cupboard. To visit and replenish stock drugs to a pre-set level, ensuring stock is correctly stored; temperature and expiry dates are checked.
7. To ensure that all dispensed inpatient items are placed in sealed bags at the appropriate times for collection by the pharmacy porter. This duty will also include processing of items returned to the dispensary from the wards.
8. To file prescriptions and other pharmacy documents.
9. To be responsible for the checking and recording of fridge temperatures and to refer to manager in the event of any anomalies.
10. To receive drug charts and prescriptions from the inpatient hatch and record details in the dispensary logs.
11. To issue completed prescriptions and controlled drug supplies to ward staff.

Technical Services
1. To assemble ingredients, complete relevant areas on worksheets and labels. To prepare finished sterile and non-sterile products from the assembled raw materials.
2. To accurately weigh and measure volumes during the preparation of non-sterile products
3. To assemble ingredients and transfer into the aseptic suite and isolator rooms, raw materials for adult and neonatal parenteral nutrition and other sterile products as required.
4. To accurately transfer assembled trays from the prep area into the isolator room and clean room, following the spraying in procedure.
5. To assist with the aseptic preparation of products having been assessed as competent.
6. To carry out and record daily monitoring of fridge temperatures and manometers and to report any out of range readings to a senior permanent member of technical services staff.
7. To complete relevant areas on worksheets and labels for over-labelled items. To label the items with the previously prepared labels which have pre-defined instructions.
8. To complete relevant areas on worksheets and labels for pre-pack medicinal products. To accurately pack the product and to label with previously prepared labels which have predefined instructions.
9. To accurately issue and transfer items used in technical services to appropriate cost centres using the computer.
10. To collect and pack used clean room clothing ready for collection by contractor. This includes completion of a request for order, which must be authorised by a Senior/Principal Technician.
11. To deliver used forceps to the Hospital Sterilization Decontamination Unit (HSDU) and return sterilised ones to pharmacy.
12. To replenish stocks of medicines in the technical services area. This requires the generation of an order on the computer system, accurate collection of the items from the store and shelf placement, ensuring stock rotation.
13. To photocopy sufficient supplies of worksheets available for use in the department.
14. To file paperwork

Apprenticeship Training
1. Commit to the apprenticeship training study requirements and complete relevant training activities and assessments, in timely manner
1. Complete the training in the given timescales

Department Specific Responsibilities:
1. To complete the Level 2 Pharmacy Apprenticeship Programme.
2. To have responsibility for the top-up of drugs to a designated ward/ department and to provide cover as necessary for any unavailable staff on their wards/department. To visit and replenish stock drugs to a pre-set level, ensuring stock is correctly stored and expiry dates are checked.
3. To assist in maintaining accurate pharmaceutical stock levels, including daily stock checks and to report inaccuracies.
4. To arrange disposal of expired pharmaceuticals according to set procedures.
5. To perform expiry date checks and remove expired stocks. Report on expired and short dated stocks.
6. To follow all procedures and policies in the department.
7. To attend promptly to all customers both internal and external and provide a high standard of customer service.
8. To be responsible for the accurate data entry on the computer system.
9. To answer the telephone, and deal with queries from staff within the hospital and from community clinics and if necessary refer call to a technician or pharmacist to answer enquiries of a pharmaceutical nature.
10. To undertake training to ensure competence.
11. To assist where appropriate with the training of new staff.
12. To maintain a portfolio of Continuous Professional Development.
13. The post holder will participate in the weekend and Bank holiday rotas as required.