Job overview
**PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY**
Are you interested in a varied role which has ensuring patients experience the best pharmaceutical care at its heart? We are looking for enthusiastic pharmacy assistants to work as a key part of the pharmacy team within our modern automated, dispensary areas. This role involves activities related to dispensing prescriptions for patients in the main dispensary and stock control, within the Pharmacy Department.
If you are interested in this post, you will need previous experience of working in either a hospital or community pharmacy and have a minimum of NVQ level 2 in Pharmacy services or equivalent.
You must be able to demonstrate an enthusiasm for trying new roles and delivering an excellent patient experience.
Bedford Pharmacy operates a 7-day service, and some weekend shifts will be required.
Main duties of the job
To provide medicine dispensing services within the Pharmacy Dispensary.
To supervise the activity of Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians in the dispensary.
To take part in the late dispensary, weekend and bank holiday shift system.
Working for our organisation
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.
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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities.
1. To receive prescriptions and other requests into the Main Dispensary or Dispensary Satellites according to the agreed procedures and deal with straightforward problems
2. To interpret prescriptions and where necessary, contact a pharmacy technician or pharmacist to clarify prescriptions
3. To undertake dispensing tasks under supervision including use of the pharmacy computer system for labelling
4. To check and restock the emergency drugs cupboard
5. To answer the telephone and resolve problems
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
6. Basic numeracy and literacy
7. NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services
Desirable criteria
8. Vocational qualification in IT skills
Experience
Essential criteria
9. Experience in a pharmacy, warehouse or customer orientated environment
10. Experience of supervising staff in training
Desirable criteria
11. Experience of training other staff
12. Use of computer systems
Knowledge
Essential criteria
13. Understanding of customer care
14. Understanding of the need of confidentiality awareness at all times
Desirable criteria
15. Familiarity with drug names
Skills
Essential criteria
16. Good verbal and written communication skills
17. Good listening skills
18. Ability to organise own day to day work tasks
19. Accurate and organised
20. Shows initiative
21. Ability to deal sensitively with distressed / aggrieved customers / clients
22. Ability to work as part of a team
23. Standard keyboard skills
Desirable criteria
24. Empathetic communication skills
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.