Clinical Pharmacy Technician

Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Torquay; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000

Job description

Our professional responsibility is to reduce the risk of infection to others as far as possible. Getting vaccinated against diseases that can be passed person-to-person in healthcare settings is part of this responsibility. The Trust will provide advice, guidance and support on vaccinations and access to vaccinations where requested.

Job Description:

We are seeking an enthusiastic, pro-active Clinical Pharmacy Technician to join our growing Medicines Optimisation team.

As a Clinical Pharmacy Technician with an interest in mental health, you will join our well-established team of pharmacists and technicians providing medicines optimisation support and advice to our acute adult inpatient wards and older people ward based at Torbay Hospital. Previous mental health experience is desired but not essential.

You will have the opportunity to experience a wide range of conditions and settings for delivering care and continue to challenge yourself to support our patients clinically facing.

As well as being a rewarding specialty to work in, this post has the benefits of:

• No dispensary time
• Flexitime working

Main duties of the job

The Clinical Pharmacy Technician is responsible for ensuring inpatients are prioritised appropriately and high-risk patients are identified and referred to the pharmacist. These include:

1. The review of current prescribed medicines
2. Identifying newly prescribed medicines
3. Screening physical health monitoring i.e. bloods. To ensure the patient receives the best outcome around safe and effective use of medicines while in our service.
4. Identifying high-risk medicines (clozapine, lithium, methotrexate, etc.)

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trust's core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part-time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

The Clinical Pharmacy Technician is responsible for ensuring inpatients are prioritised appropriately and high-risk patients are identified and referred to the pharmacist.

This process is known as clinical prioritisation and includes:

1. The review of current prescribed medicines
2. Identifying newly prescribed medicines
3. Screening physical health monitoring i.e. bloods. To ensure the patient receives the best outcome around safe and effective use of medicines while in our service.
4. Identifying high-risk medicines (clozapine, lithium, methotrexate, etc.)

To assist the local Medicines Optimisation (MO) team in developing and delivering the clinical pharmacy service to ensure safe, therapeutic and cost-effective use of medication on inpatient units and community teams.

To provide medicines optimisation training to staff regarding assessment, storage, use and disposal of medication in accordance with trust training requirements.

The post holder will supervise the band 5 medicine optimisation technician.

Will be responsible and accountable for their clinical decisions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Pharmacy Technicians are responsible for identifying (and following up within one working day) patients who will require a high level of pharmacy input.

Prioritise patients who require high level of input and complete a review and monitoring of these patients.

Any issues identified are discussed with the pharmacist and/or the medical team, who will review and amend the prescription as appropriate.

Follow up ongoing monitoring of chronic conditions and discuss outcomes with the pharmacist and/or the medical team for review.

Provide patient counseling for all patients admitted to our wards, including ongoing medicines and newly started medicines.

Carry out clinical prioritisation duties that require good analytical and decision-making skills, combined with holistic clinical knowledge.

Facilitate discharge planning by communicating with the ward discharge facilitator daily to identify patients due for discharge that week.

Meet with the patient prior to discharge to discuss the use of medication compliance aids and plans for administering their medicines once home.

Are responsible for informing GPs and community pharmacies of any medication changes that have occurred during the patient's hospital admission.

Clinical technicians also help to identify patients who may require a high level of pharmaceutical care following their discharge. Follow up 7-10 days post discharge by phone or face to face.

Carry out medicines reconciliation in line with NICE guidance at the various units that patients are admitted when the band 5 technician requires support.

Contribute to the medicines optimisation team roles within the Wellbeing and Recovery hubs.

Oversee the band 5 medicine optimisation technician to manage the ordering, monitoring, storage and destruction of stock and named patient medication on DPT units.

Oversee the band 5 to support delivery of self-medication schemes.

Oversee the use of patients' own drugs and one-stop dispensing systems.

Support the supply of clozapine to community patients via clozapine clinic where applicable and GP surgeries.

Oversee and liaise with acute trust pharmacy to ensure timely and accurate supply of medication in accordance with service level agreements.

Regularly check medication charts to inform performance indicators and ensure charts meet service standards.

Quarterly CD audits & storage audits within the community teams.

Report and investigate medication-related incidents. Work with multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) to spread learning from incidents and prevent repetition.

Liaise with other health care professionals to aid patient compliance, and provide clinical input particularly in patients with complex physical disorders.

Monitor compliance with MO protocols and policies including regular treatment room audits.

Provide operational support to the Chief Technician.

Monitor use of specific high-cost products, ensuring that Trust guidelines are followed.

Ensure appropriate use of FP10HNC prescriptions.

Complete project work as directed by the Chief Technician.

Work unsupervised at multiple sites.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
• NVQ level 3 and BTEC in pharmaceutical science or equivalent
• Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Foundation - Unit 1
• Intermediate - Unit 2/2.1
• Advance - unit 3 Clinical Prioritisation
• Evidence of revalidation.
• MO knowledge including appropriate policies and legislation
• Accredited checking technician.
• A1/D32/33 accredited NVQ assessor
• Aston PgCert Psychiatric Therapeutics

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.