Lead Technician - Medicines Management

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our vibrant Pharmacy Department. We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and experienced Medicines Management Pharmacy Technician to work as a key part of the pharmacy clinical team.

You will be the lead technician responsible for overseeing a small team of pharmacy technicians and assistants providing a high quality service. This post provides the successful applicant an excellent opportunity to develop their mentoring, management and coaching skills.

We are a digitally advanced trust with electronic prescribing already in place, and have installed a bespoke dashboard allowing pharmacists and technicians to prioritise their workload. This allows us to focus our efforts on patient facing activities such as medication counselling.

You must be able to demonstrate good communication skills, adept team-working skills, an ability to work independently and an on-going commitment to deliver excellent patient experience. Previous experience working as an MMPT at ward level is essential.

Main duties of the job:

1. To support the delivery of a high quality medicines management service to the Clinical Service Line including dispensing and issuing prescriptions as the need arises. This will involve accredited checking of prescriptions, drug history taking, patient counselling and providing advice to other healthcare professionals.
2. To undertake a supervisory role and line management responsibility of Senior and Medicines Management Technicians and Pharmacy Assistants within the Clinical Service Line.
3. To provide training in pharmacy procedures and pharmacy stock control and electronic prescribing systems use to all members of staff.
4. To provide straightforward advice on pharmaceutical products and supply and work closely with other healthcare professionals at ward level.
5. To support with recruitment and selection process for Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants.
6. To provide induction training to new staff clinical staff.
7. To act as a professional role model for Senior and Medicines Management and pharmacy assistants, actively demonstrating integrity, ownership and leadership in all aspects of the role.
8. To support the relevant Lead Pharmacists and Principal Pharmacy Technician, Clinical Services as appropriate.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Date posted: 15 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £37,338 to £44,962 a year Per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number: 418-AHP6954-SJ

Job locations:

Bedford Hospital

South Wing, Kempston Road

Bedford

MK42 9DJ

Job responsibilities:

1. Manage and oversee the provision of a technical supply service at ward level, including medicine returns and the dispensing of discharge medication.
2. To obtain patient medication histories, including using patients own medicines and Summary Care Record according to departmental processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This includes a responsibility for entering patients admission medicine history onto the electronic prescribing system (ePMA).
3. To undertake straightforward Level 2 medicines reconciliation in line with appropriate policies and SOPs.
4. To assist the pharmacist in ensuring medicines optimisation for all patients has been undertaken within 24 hours of admission.
5. To undertake initial pharmaceutical assessment of new patients and prioritisation of patients for pharmacist review, according to protocol.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent listening skills
• Able to give clear instructions to colleagues
• Able to communicate complex information to patients/carers in an appropriate manner to achieve understanding
• Understanding of emotional intelligence

Desirable:

• Empathetic communication skills
• Able to communicate effectively in multiple formats
• Able to engage with others at all levels

Qualifications

Essential:

• Level 3 NVQ in Pharmacy Service Skills / BTEC Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Science or Certificate of Higher Education in Pharmacy Technician Practice or equivalent
• Registration with the GPhC
• Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician

Desirable:

• AIMM accreditation or relevant equivalent
• Train the Trainer qualification or relevant equivalent
• Member of APTUK

Experience

Essential:

• Worked as a ward-based Medicines Management Technician
• CPD portfolio demonstrating competent pharmacy practice as a senior pharmacy technician
• Customer orientated service
• Experience of supervising staff
• Accurate data entry of patient specific information

Desirable:

• Experience of developing and delivering bite-sized staff education and training
• Experience of developing SOPs
• Experience of participating in Quality Improvement work
• Risk management

Knowledge

Essential:

• Understanding and demonstration of customer care.
• Understanding of the need of Information Governance and confidentiality awareness at all times
• Good up to date knowledge of medicines use

Desirable:

• Awareness of Quality Management Systems
• Confident use of standard Office IT programmes
• Awareness of CQUIN, QIPP and Quality improvement.

Personal Skills

Essential:

• Accurate
• Self-motivated and organised
• Reliable and Trustworthy
• Shows initiative
• Role models professional behaviour
• Ability to deal sensitively with distressed / aggrieved customers / clients
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to work independently to meet agreed objectives
• Ability to organise day to day work tasks for self and others
• Ability to prioritise ad-hoc work tasks in a changing environment
• Ability to analyse problems and devise workable solutions

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address:

Bedford Hospital

South Wing, Kempston Road

Bedford

MK42 9DJ

Employer's website: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/