Pharmacy Assistant Medicines Effectiveness

Are you looking to join a friendly and progressive pharmacy team, which is focused on ensuring that all our patients receive safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient medicines?

We have recently restructured our Medicines Effectiveness (ME) team and are delighted to be able to offer you the newly created post of AfC Band 3 Pharmacy Assistant (Medicines Effectiveness).

The successful candidate will support our Lead Pharmacy Technician (Medicines Effectiveness) in introducing new medicines to the Trust. You will also, for an agreed proportion of your time, work with our Dispensary and Pharmacy Stores teams to develop your pharmaceutical skills.

In joining our team, we would like you to support our culture of improving together, inspire other team members, embrace change, and demonstrate a patient- centred approach. In return, we will support you in developing your knowledge and skills, and in your future career development.

To provide administrative support to our Medicines Effectiveness team, under the supervision of the Lead Pharmacy Technician (Medicines Effectiveness), assisting in the delivery of the team's key objectives, completion of the team’s agreed tasks and actions, and documentation of the team’s performance against its key performance indicators.

To undertake, for an agreed proportion of your time, general pharmaceutical duties, under the supervision of our Dispensary or Pharmacy Stores Manager or their deputies, and assist in the provision of a safe and effective Pharmacy service in line with current policies, procedures and legal requirements.

To work in our Dispensary, dispensing prescriptions and supporting to the Dispensary Manager and Lead Technician in its the day to day running.

To work as part of the Pharmacy Stores team monitoring and maintaining ward stock levels

It is expected that the post holder will undertake in depth training and obtain a QCF level 2 in Pharmacy services unless you already hold a relevant qualification.

Our Pharmacy team provides procurement, distribution, dispensary, ward-based clinical, cancer, aseptic and homecare services to Great Western Hospital and several other local community health services.

We embrace new technologies. Our pharmacy robots are invaluable members of our team; electronic prescribing is well-established in almost all inpatient and outpatient settings at Great Western Hospital; we use CareFlow EPR electronic patient records system and NerveCentre for electronic pharmacy handover notes; and all technicians are issued with their own laptop to capitalise on this connectivity.

We proudly uphold the Trust's STAR Values:
Service - We will put our patients first.

Teamwork - We will work together.

Ambition - We will aspire to provide the best service.

Respect - We will act with integrity.

and would expect successful candidates to also uphold these values.

Swindon has very good transport links. It is bordered by the Cotswolds to the North and West, the Upper Thames valley to the East, and the Marlborough Downs to the South, and the surrounding countryside is dotted with pretty villages and rural pubs. There are excellent local schools, sport and leisure facilities, a thriving local theatre and two large cinema complexes, with many more leisure activities available within an hour's travelling time in London, Reading, Oxford, Bath and Bristol.

Please see the attached JD & person specification for more detailed information, but your main responsibilities will include:

Under the supervision of the Lead Pharmacy Technician (Medicines Effectiveness) or nominated deputy:
1. Monitor the team’s shared email inboxes and direct queries to relevant team members.
2. Assist in preparing the paperwork necessary to get a new medicine added to the Pharmacy IT system and the Trust’s electronic prescribing system.
3. Assist in producing any educational materials needed to support introduction of a new medicine.
4. Assist in producing a monthly Formulary newsletter for distribution to clinicians across the Trust.
5. Ensure all relevant electronic signatures are collected on GWH Formulary Exceptions forms and Unlicensed Medicines forms and maintain a register of completed forms.
6. Maintain a spreadsheet of NICE technical appraisals (TAs) and assist in producing a brief monthly report of new NICE TAs for Pharmacy Board and Medicines Assurance Group.
7. Maintain a spreadsheet of NHS England (NHSE) communications and assist in producing a brief monthly report of new NHSE communications for Pharmacy Board and Medicines Assurance Group.
8. Maintain a log of NHSE implementation plans to track their journey to completion and assist in producing a brief monthly progress report for Pharmacy Board and Medicines Assurance Group.
9. Assist in preparing a brief monthly drug expenditure report for Pharmacy Board and Medicines Assurance Group.
10. Maintain the department’s patient access scheme (PAS) price spreadsheet and advise relevant staff when prices have changed.
11. Assist in documenting the team’s performance against agreed key performance indicators (KPIs).