Job summary
Principal Pharmacy Technician Technical Services
Band 7
37.5 hours per week (plus weekends/bank holidays on a rota basis)
We are looking for a highly experienced aseptic Pharmacy Technician to lead our team. We provide intravenous chemotherapy to patients of the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. The post is based in the Pharmacy Aseptic unit at University Hospital Lewisham.
We are a busy and dynamic team providing a service of in house prepared and outsourced ready to administer intravenous chemotherapy doses across multiple hospital sites.
Main duties of the job
This role is responsible for the day to day running of the Aseptic Unit and workload ensuring an effective and efficient service is provided. Training and line management of staff and supporting the use and implementation of the quality management system are key aspects of the role.
You will need to have substantial experience in aseptic manufacture, workload organisation, training of staff and GMP. You will need to demonstrate skills in team management and self-motivation.
We are committed to developing staff and our service. We currently have a project underway to replace the existing aseptic facility in which this role will be involved in developing new working systems and GMP aspects for.
This is an exciting time to join our team for a motivated individual who would like to increase their skills and knowledge in day to day managing and responsibility, and enhance their skills in service development.
To be invited for interview you will need to be a qualified Pharmacy Technician and give valid examples in your supporting information statement of how you meet the person specification requirements within the job description.
For more information, please contact Georgina Kiss, Technical Services Manager Tel no 0208 333 3201 georgina.kiss@nhs.net or Russell Soanes Lead Pharmacy Technical Services Tel no 0208 333 3201 r.soanes@nhs.net
About us
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:
- 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
- Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
- Improving the experience of staff with disability
- Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
- Making equalities mainstream
Date posted
15 July 2024
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
£43,742 to £50,056 a year per annum plus HCAS
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
197-UT5558
Job locations
University Hospital Lewisham
London
SE13 6LH
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary:
1. To provide service leadership and management responsibility for all staff working in section. This includes being responsible for quality and performance of the service, ensuring that the section achieves their key performance indicators (KPIs).
2. To lead service improvement and staff development within the section.
3. To act as a role model and provide a consistently high standard of pharmaceutical service to patients in line with the Trust and Departmental objectives.
4. To provide operational support to the pharmacy department as required by the needs of the service across the Trust. This includes physical stock management, supervision, training and support to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy staff as necessary.
5. To be an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT).
Key Result Areas & Performance:
Leadership & Service Development
1. To provide service leadership and management responsibility for staff working in section.
2. To support the development and implementation of a strategy for improving and maintaining the skill mix of staff working within section, identifying resources required to improve pharmacy services within the department.
3. To act as the information technology lead for section, ensuring optimal use of all systems which may include, but is not limited to, pharmacy stock control system, pharmacy dispensing system, pharmacy automation (e.g. robot/dispensing cabinets) and the remote temperature monitoring system. Working under the direction of the service lead, and in conjunction with the other pharmacy functions, you will lead on systems maintenance and development within section.
4. To act as a positive role model and provide professional leadership and pharmaceutical advice and/ or support on issues associated with dispensary.
5. To work closely with the service manager to ensure that patient pathways are appropriately managed, and a high standard of care is maintained.
6. To provide the pharmacy senior management group with details of output, performance and activity at specified time intervals in a format agreed with the service lead.
7. To ensure that section maintains standards required to comply with relevant licenses and standards. This may include, but is not limited to, GPhC premises registration and the Home Office Controlled Drugs license, MHRA Wholesale Dealers Authorisation, current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Clinical Trials Practice (GCP).
8. To be the lead for emergency preparedness and business continuity planning for the section. Ensuring that plans are in place and up-to-date, and that staff are trained in how to respond in these circumstances.
9. To ensure that standard operating procedures and related documents are developed, implemented and reviewed as necessary.
10. To ensure all relevant documentation is accurately completed and controlled at all times.
11. To maintain the recording system for any in process errors or deviation from standard operating procedures.
12. Ensure relevant product catalogues are kept up to date.
13. To liaise with the contracted quality assurance (QA) provider to ensure appropriate QA support to the section.
14. To organise the maintenance and monitoring of the facilities.
15. To ensure that all contracts are in date and their performance monitored. To work with the Trust procurement and/or contracting teams to introduce new contracts and update existing ones, as required.
16. To monitor processes, product and performance of all equipment in the section, reporting any problems or unusual occurrences immediately they occur.
17. To ensure that staff manage medicine and consumable stocks in accordance with legislation and best practice guidance and to ensure that waste is minimised.
18. To be responsible for monitoring and investigating clinical incidents that occur within the section, implementing procedural changes through formal change management where necessary, to address any issues raised.
19. To co-ordinate monitoring and investigation of complaints that relate to the section, implementing procedural changes through formal change management where necessary, to address any issues raised.
20. To monitor performance and co-ordinate audits against local and national standards and key performance indicators to ensure that standards/ qualities are constantly reviewed and actions taken to achieve improvements in a timely manner. This post will be responsible for monitoring and improving staff and patient feedback received.
21. To identify key areas of risks and ensure that appropriate actions are undertaken to mitigate them. This includes the escalation of risks that cannot be managed/ mitigated following local procedures.
22. To ensure that the section fully supports the provision of clinical trials.
23. To liaise with other senior pharmacy staff to ensure the effective provision of Pharmacy Services.
24. To be an active member of the Senior Pharmacy Technician Group to influence, lead and develop pharmacy policies across the department including how pharmacy works with other services within the Trust.
Educational Supervisor Responsibilities
1. To assess level 2 & 3 pharmacy services candidates.
2. To plan and agree assessments with candidates.
3. To monitor progress and review achievements of candidates, maintaining accurate records.
4. To make judgements on evidence against national occupational standards and provide constructive feedback, guidance and support.
5. Undertake and maintain CPD to ensure knowledge and skills are up-to-date with regard to national occupational standards.
6. To ensure that all tasks undertaken relating to educational supervision are completed in a timely manner.
Staff Management & Training
1. To take overall responsibility for the management of staff working in the section.
2. To be responsible for ensuring staffing rotas are available and adhered to for staff within the section.
3. To be responsible for the authorisation of annual leave for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants, ensuring appropriate levels of staffing across the department.
4. To be responsible for the training in the complex practical skills and procedures required of all personnel assigned to the section and ensuring training records and validations are completed accurately and filed.
5. To be line manager for staff within the section and ensure the training and development of such staff taking responsibility (directly for senior staff and delegated to senior staff for more junior staff) for all the following, according to Trust procedures:
Appraisals and objective setting
Sickness absence
Disciplinary and grievance matters
Recruitment and selection
Personal development
Departmental workload allocations
6. To facilitate the training and development of all pharmacy staff in line with service needs and personal development plans.
7. To identify the training and development needs of all pharmacy staff.
8. To deliver education and training to other healthcare staff as required.
9. To act as CPD facilitator for staff within Pharmacy.
10. To assess competencies of junior pharmacists.
11. To undertake CPD to ensure that knowledge is continually updated in the field of practice.
12. To arrange relevant departmental meetings that will enable staff to be brought up to date on current issues and to address staff development needs in relation to patient services.
13. To manage recruitment and selection for the section, including organising and chairing recruitment panels.
Research & Development
1. To lead in audit and practice research to investigate, and where appropriate, improve the quality of service for patients in the Trust.
2. To encourage research conducted to be published or presented at local, national or international meetings.
3. To develop working relationship and research links with academic units to promote collaboration in pharmacy practice research.
Financial
1. To be an approved signatory for authorising orders and writing off stock up to the value stated in the Trust Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs).
2. To develop appropriate business cases for service developments in Pharmacy as necessary.
3. To support the Trust in monitoring expenditure in order to provide accurate expenditure information, with appropriate analysis, to the appropriate division.
4. To attend financial meetings when required.
Communications and Relationships
1. To communicate with the multidisciplinary healthcare team (doctors, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, ward managers, and site practitioners), to intermediate care, general practice support and community pharmacists in the provision of medicine related information and assessment of patients treatment.
2. To work with appropriate staff to support development of services and facilitate the implementation of strategies to improve safe medicines use throughout the Trust.
3. To demonstrate good communication skills as the role liaises with a wide variety of people within the Trust.
4. To liaise with external bodies including the local ICS, regional pharmacy services, and necessary pharmacy networks.
5. The post-holder will be required to communicate clearly and sensitively about patient medication issues both internally and externally.
6. To provide training on medication related issues, policies, guidelines and service developments to pharmacy colleagues, nursing and medical staff, ranging from one on one communication to more formal presentations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary:
1. To provide service leadership and management responsibility for all staff working in section. This includes being responsible for quality and performance of the service, ensuring that the section achieves their key performance indicators (KPIs).
2. To lead service improvement and staff development within the section.
3. To act as a role model and provide a consistently high standard of pharmaceutical service to patients in line with the Trust and Departmental objectives.
4. To provide operational support to the pharmacy department as required by the needs of the service across the Trust. This includes physical stock management, supervision, training and support to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy staff as necessary.
5. To be an Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT).
Key Result Areas & Performance:
Leadership & Service Development
1. To provide service leadership and management responsibility for staff working in section.
2. To support the development and implementation of a strategy for improving and maintaining the skill mix of staff working within section, identifying resources required to improve pharmacy services within the department.
3. To act as the information technology lead for section, ensuring optimal use of all systems which may include, but is not limited to, pharmacy stock control system, pharmacy dispensing system, pharmacy automation (e.g. robot/dispensing cabinets) and the remote temperature monitoring system. Working under the direction of the service lead, and in conjunction with the other pharmacy functions, you will lead on systems maintenance and development within section.
4. To act as a positive role model and provide professional leadership and pharmaceutical advice and/ or support on issues associated with dispensary.
5. To work closely with the service manager to ensure that patient pathways are appropriately managed, and a high standard of care is maintained.
6. To provide the pharmacy senior management group with details of output, performance and activity at specified time intervals in a format agreed with the service lead.
7. To ensure that section maintains standards required to comply with relevant licenses and standards. This may include, but is not limited to, GPhC premises registration and the Home Office Controlled Drugs license, MHRA Wholesale Dealers Authorisation, current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Clinical Trials Practice (GCP).
8. To be the lead for emergency preparedness and business continuity planning for the section. Ensuring that plans are in place and up-to-date, and that staff are trained in how to respond in these circumstances.
9. To ensure that standard operating procedures and related documents are developed, implemented and reviewed as necessary.
10. To ensure all relevant documentation is accurately completed and controlled at all times.
11. To maintain the recording system for any in process errors or deviation from standard operating procedures.
12. Ensure relevant product catalogues are kept up to date.
13. To liaise with the contracted quality assurance (QA) provider to ensure appropriate QA support to the section.
14. To organise the maintenance and monitoring of the facilities.
15. To ensure that all contracts are in date and their performance monitored. To work with the Trust procurement and/or contracting teams to introduce new contracts and update existing ones, as required.
16. To monitor processes, product and performance of all equipment in the section, reporting any problems or unusual occurrences immediately they occur.
17. To ensure that staff manage medicine and consumable stocks in accordance with legislation and best practice guidance and to ensure that waste is minimised.
18. To be responsible for monitoring and investigating clinical incidents that occur within the section, implementing procedural changes through formal change management where necessary, to address any issues raised.
19. To co-ordinate monitoring and investigation of complaints that relate to the section, implementing procedural changes through formal change management where necessary, to address any issues raised.
20. To monitor performance and co-ordinate audits against local and national standards and key performance indicators to ensure that standards/ qualities are constantly reviewed and actions taken to achieve improvements in a timely manner. This post will be responsible for monitoring and improving staff and patient feedback received.
21. To identify key areas of risks and ensure that appropriate actions are undertaken to mitigate them. This includes the escalation of risks that cannot be managed/ mitigated following local procedures.
22. To ensure that the section fully supports the provision of clinical trials.
23. To liaise with other senior pharmacy staff to ensure the effective provision of Pharmacy Services.
24. To be an active member of the Senior Pharmacy Technician Group to influence, lead and develop pharmacy policies across the department including how pharmacy works with other services within the Trust.
Educational Supervisor Responsibilities
1. To assess level 2 & 3 pharmacy services candidates.
2. To plan and agree assessments with candidates.
3. To monitor progress and review achievements of candidates, maintaining accurate records.
4. To make judgements on evidence against national occupational standards and provide constructive feedback, guidance and support.
5. Undertake and maintain CPD to ensure knowledge and skills are up-to-date with regard to national occupational standards.
6. To ensure that all tasks undertaken relating to educational supervision are completed in a timely manner.
Staff Management & Training
1. To take overall responsibility for the management of staff working in the section.
2. To be responsible for ensuring staffing rotas are available and adhered to for staff within the section.
3. To be responsible for the authorisation of annual leave for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants, ensuring appropriate levels of staffing across the department.
4. To be responsible for the training in the complex practical skills and procedures required of all personnel assigned to the section and ensuring training records and validations are completed accurately and filed.
5. To be line manager for staff within the section and ensure the training and development of such staff taking responsibility (directly for senior staff and delegated to senior staff for more junior staff) for all the following, according to Trust procedures:
Appraisals and objective setting
Sickness absence
Disciplinary and grievance matters
Recruitment and selection
Personal development
Departmental workload allocations
6. To facilitate the training and development of all pharmacy staff in line with service needs and personal development plans.
7. To identify the training and development needs of all pharmacy staff.
8. To deliver education and training to other healthcare staff as required.
9. To act as CPD facilitator for staff within Pharmacy.
10. To assess competencies of junior pharmacists.
11. To undertake CPD to ensure that knowledge is continually updated in the field of practice.
12. To arrange relevant departmental meetings that will enable staff to be brought up to date on current issues and to address staff development needs in relation to patient services.
13. To manage recruitment and selection for the section, including organising and chairing recruitment panels.
Research & Development
1. To lead in audit and practice research to investigate, and where appropriate, improve the quality of service for patients in the Trust.
2. To encourage research conducted to be published or presented at local, national or international meetings.
3. To develop working relationship and research links with academic units to promote collaboration in pharmacy practice research.
Financial
1. To be an approved signatory for authorising orders and writing off stock up to the value stated in the Trust Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs).
2. To develop appropriate business cases for service developments in Pharmacy as necessary.
3. To support the Trust in monitoring expenditure in order to provide accurate expenditure information, with appropriate analysis, to the appropriate division.
4. To attend financial meetings when required.
Communications and Relationships
1. To communicate with the multidisciplinary healthcare team (doctors, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, ward managers, and site practitioners), to intermediate care, general practice support and community pharmacists in the provision of medicine related information and assessment of patients treatment.
2. To work with appropriate staff to support development of services and facilitate the implementation of strategies to improve safe medicines use throughout the Trust.
3. To demonstrate good communication skills as the role liaises with a wide variety of people within the Trust.
4. To liaise with external bodies including the local ICS, regional pharmacy services, and necessary pharmacy networks.
5. The post-holder will be required to communicate clearly and sensitively about patient medication issues both internally and externally.
6. To provide training on medication related issues, policies, guidelines and service developments to pharmacy colleagues, nursing and medical staff, ranging from one on one communication to more formal presentations.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- BTEC level 3 in Pharmaceutical Science or Science Manufacturing or equivalent
- Supervisory/management qualification or willing to undertake
- Experienced educational
Desirable
- ACPT facilitator
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) - pharmacy technicians only
Experience
Essential
- Qualified as a Pharmacy Technician or Science Manufacturing Technician for a minimum of 2 years
- Experience in hospital pharmacy
- Supervision & training of staff
- Managing and working within a busy aseptic unit
Knowledge
Essential
- Good manufacturing practice
- Good management practice
- Current and future role of pharmacy
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- BTEC level 3 in Pharmaceutical Science or Science Manufacturing or equivalent
- Supervisory/management qualification or willing to undertake
- Experienced educational
Desirable
- ACPT facilitator
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) - pharmacy technicians only
Experience
Essential
- Qualified as a Pharmacy Technician or Science Manufacturing Technician for a minimum of 2 years
- Experience in hospital pharmacy
- Supervision & training of staff
- Managing and working within a busy aseptic unit
Knowledge
Essential
- Good manufacturing practice
- Good management practice
- Current and future role of pharmacy
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
Address
University Hospital Lewisham
London
SE13 6LH
Employer's website
https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
Address
University Hospital Lewisham
London
SE13 6LH
Employer's website
https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
