Address We have an exciting opportunity to join the Pharmacy Education and Training Team at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT). The Pharmacy Department at LGT is committed to providing exceptional patient care and cultivating a culture of continuous learning and development. We have a Pharmacy Education and Training Team (E & T) dedicated to the professional development of all pharmacy staff. To ensure that the pharmacy services are responsive to the needs of patients and their carers, we continue to ensure that staff are knowledgeable and appropriately equipped with the necessary skills and competencies. We are seeking a dedicated Lead Pharmacy Technician with a passion for E & T to join our dynamic team and contribute to the growth and excellence of our pharmacy services.
As the Lead Pharmacy Technician for Education & Training you will play a crucial role in shaping the education and professional development of our pre-registration trainee Pharmacy Technicians and pharmacy support staff. You will support the Principal Pharmacy Technician for E & T in identifying, training and supporting present and future extended roles for the Pharmacy Assistant workforce and Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians.
We are looking for a Senior Pharmacy Technician who has the aptitude and skills that are required to motivate, nurture and develop staff and services. You will have a proven experience in supporting trainees and an understanding of the Initial Education Standards (IET) for Pharmacy Technicians and support staff. You must possess excellent interpersonal, problem solving and time management skill. If this sounds like you, please apply now.
The post is a fixed term opportunity and will be based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich however will also involve working across site. There will be a ward medicines management commitment therefore applicants are required to hold a suitable qualification or experience within this field.
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
Job Summary:
To support and manage the pharmacy technical team in the delivery of ward-based clinical pharmacy and operational services across the Trust. This will include the promotion of safe and cost effective drug use, appropriate medicines storage and security, and providing a high quality service.
To support the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidance relating to patient services. This includes undertaking audits, producing reports and implementing any changes that are necessary.
To provide technical operational and clinical support to the pharmacy department as required by the needs of pharmacy service. This includes line management, supervision, training and support to junior Pharmacy Technicians, pre-registration trainee Pharmacy Technicians and other pharmacy staff as necessary.
To support your section lead with the delivery of any service developments associated with pharmacy services required to meet local and national requirements.
To support the Principal Pharmacy Technician, Education and Training in the co-ordination, implementation, development and delivery of training programmes for pre-registration Pharmacy Technicians, pharmacy assistants and trainee pharmacists.
To deputise for the Chief/Principal Pharmacy Technician for the section of department responsibility.
Key Result Areas & Performance:
Service Development & Delivery
To support the development of operational / clinical pharmacy services in the Trust.
To be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician.
To actively support and facilitate the provision of operational / clinical pharmacy services within the department or at ward level as necessary to agree performance targets with guidance and support from the section lead.
To support the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidance for Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Assistants to support best practice of operational / clinical pharmacy services.
To support the development, review and maintenance of pharmacy accreditation programmes for technical staff working within pharmacy services.
To provide supervision for pharmacy technical staff working within the pharmacy department.
To monitor and evaluation the practice and competency of pharmacy technical staff working in the pharmacy department.
To identify and highlight areas where interventions concerning safe and secure handling of medicines are required, make relevant recommendations and support actions by seniors.
To identify and highlight areas where interventions concerning controlled drugs are required, make relevant recommendations and support actions by wards.
To organise projects and training in relation to operational / clinical pharmacy and as required.
To perform audits of workload as necessary to streamline quality of service on a regular basis.
To provide the details of output, performance, and activity at specified time intervals in a format agreed with the Pharmacy Performance Quality Review meeting.
To attend and contribute to relevant departmental and Trust meetings as required.
To contribute to the determination of the future direction of operational / clinical pharmacy services through identification of customers and their
To deputise for the Principal / Chief Pharmacy Technician in their absence.
To liaise and work closely with other Lead / Senior Pharmacy Technicians, specific areas and across the trust.
To answer queries, both on the telephone and in person, with medical, nursing staff and patients and seek help from a pharmacist when necessary.
To investigate / supervise clinical incidents occurring within the pharmacy department.
Results of the investigation may be entered onto the Ulysses risk management system if appropriate.
To write and maintain standard operating procedures for areas of work within the section assigned to and to participate in the production of clinical policies and procedures.
To ensure daily workload for the designated area is completed and junior staff handover any relevant information to the appropriate person in the department.
To act as an Educational Supervisor, Practice Supervisor and / or expert Witness as required.
Leadership and Service Development
To participate in the ‘front-line’ provision of operational / clinical pharmacy services as appropriate and when required.
To lead and develop the operational / clinical pharmacy service as required. This includes setting and monitoring quality standards for operational / clinical pharmacy services and the provision of feedback to the Principal / Chief Pharmacy Technician.
To liaise with other senior pharmacy staff to ensure the effective provision of pharmacy services.
To collaborate in the development of Standard Operating Procedures, Patient Group Directions and any other required policies within the department.
To identify resources required to improve pharmacy services within the department.
To support the development, implementation and adherence to local and national guidelines/policies to ensure cost-effective and safe delivery of services within the department.
Staff Management & Training
To manage the induction and development of pharmacy staff, according to their identified needs and development and funding framework of the department n liaison with the Principal Pharmacy Technician for Education and Training.
To be the direct line manager for senior Pharmacy staff, and delegate to senior staff more junior staff members for all the following, according to Trust procedures:
Regular appraisals of performance and objective setting
Sickness absence
Disciplinary and grievance matters
Recruitment and selection
Personal development
Departmental workload allocations
To identify the training and development needs of all pharmacy staff.
To facilitate the training and development of Pharmacy Technicians, pre-registration trainee Pharmacy Technicians and trainee pharmacy assistants, working in line with service needs and personal development plans.
To support the Principal Pharmacy Technician in Education & Training in co-ordinating and delivering education and training to other healthcare staff as required, ranging from one-to one communications to more formal presentations in order to promote medicines pharmacy services and good practice.
To co-ordinate and advise on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for all technical staff within Pharmacy.
To undertake CPD to ensure that knowledge is continually updated in the field of work.
To be responsible for the authorisation of annual leave for Pharmacy Technicians and assistants, whilst ensuring appropriate levels of staffing across the department.
To evaluate and develop own management and professional knowledge competencies by attendance at in-house training programmes, external training programmes, self-education and practice research.
To organise and ensure regular one-to-one meetings with staff.
Educational Supervisor Responsibilities
To monitor the progress of pre-registration trainee Pharmacy Technicians and pharmacy assistants in training.
To plan and monitor training objectives and assessments are completed within the relevant rotations, according to training plans.
To make judgements on evidence against national occupational standards and provide constructive feedback, guidance and support.
Undertake and maintain CPD to ensure knowledge and skills are up-to-date in occupational and assessor national standards.
To support pharmacy colleagues involved in the supervision and implementation of our training programmes.
To co-ordinate competency-based assessment and carry out observations.
Research & Development
To lead in audit and practice research to investigate, and where appropriate, improve the quality of service for patients in the trust.
To encourage research conducted to be published or presented at local, national or
international meetings.
To support the integration of research evidence into practice.
To identify gaps in evidence base, and where possible, research these.
Governance, Information & Data Management
To support the collation of quantitative and qualitative performance measures, co-ordinate their use and be involved in disseminating and acting on the information gathered.
To collatE & review audit data associated with monitoring outcomes associated within pharmacy services and utilise available information to influence and develop services in the Trust.
Communications and Relationships
To communicate with the multidisciplinary healthcare team (doctors, nurses, dieticians, 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.
To work with appropriate staff to support development of pharmacy services throughout the Trust.
To demonstrate good communication skills as the role liaises with a wide variety of people within the Trust. This will include service and general managers across all directorates, trust risk managers, directorate governance leads, multidisciplinary team members and all Pharmacy staff.
To liaise with external bodies including community pharmacies, GPs, local ICB, necessary pharmacy networks and suppliers.
The post-holder will be required to communicate clearly and sensitively about patient medication issues both internally and externally.
