Pharmacy Systems Manager and Purchasing Technician

at  Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Are you a dedicated and hard-working individual, looking to further your Pharmacy career?
The Pharmacy Department requires an experienced and adaptable Pharmacy Technician to be involved in the day to day management of a variety of computer systems and the review / development / change within the purchasing section of the pharmacy department. This is a 12 month fixed term post to cover maternity leave.
Interview date: TBC
You will be a highly motivated individual with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and having the ability to effectively work with a small team of staff in the purchasing section and the pharmacy team as a whole. You will be responsible for the day-to-day co-ordination of the purchase of pharmaceuticals ensuring the appropriate purchasing of stock for the pharmacy and it’s customers.
The department is committed to continuous personal and professional development and aims to give the necessary support to ensure that individual needs can be met.
Applicants must be registered with GPhC as a Pharmacy Technician, possess BTEC Level 4 Professional Diploma in Dispensing Technician Checking or recognised equivalent and have significant experience within hospital procurement.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (with adults and children barred lists).
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

KEY DUTIES

To act as the System Manager for the Pharmacy CMM Stock Control system.
To work under the direction of the Principal Clinical Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation in managing the purchasing section of the pharmacy to ensure that the purchase transactions of pharmaceuticals is processed accurately and efficiently to meet the section’s customers’ needs.
To source and purchase pharmaceuticals according to departmental standard operating procedures and Trust standing financial orders.
To work with the Principal Clinical Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation in reviewing / developing / changing purchasing and distribution arrangements for pharmaceuticals within the Trust to increase the efficient availability of medicines for all customers.
To work alongside the EPMA Pharmacy team to ensure the effective management of the CMM Pharmacy Computer System.
To assist in the implementation and maintenance of a ‘purchasing for safety’ policy to promote procurement of products with inherent safety features.
To assess deliveries of unlicensed medicines for suitability and release them from quarantine according to the unlicensed medicines procedure.
To assist in the management of recalled drugs following MHRA / notification via another route.
To assist in promoting patient safety and efficiency within the department.
Design, management and administration of inter departmental /speciality databases working with the specialist informatics pharmacist.
Design, management and administration of Crystal reports and Crystal Scheduler working with the specialist informatics pharmacist.
Design, management and administration of supplier performance database.
Project Management for future computer/pharmacy systems development including the introduction of full electronic ordering and invoicing in line with the Carter report.
To work alongside Senior Technician-Patient Services to ensure the effective training and on-going management of dispensary, purchasing and stores personnel with respect to use of the JAC computer system and ordering procedures.
Organisation of processes and procedures for the collection, recording and reporting of Pharmacy Patient Data in line with NHS strategic direction working with the specialist informatics pharmacist.
To respond to Freedom of Information requests received by the Pharmacy department where applicable.
To represent St Helens & Knowsley Hospitals Pharmacy service as an active member on the NW CMM User Group.
To support the needs of the Financial Sub Committee of the Medicines Management Group by providing financial reports from CMM
To work with the Chief Technician – Patient Services in ensuring that the pharmacy robot is used to maximum efficiency.
To actively participate in the Northwest networks for procurement of hospital medicines.
To actively contribute to the Trust and Department cost improvement schemes
To support the development and implementation of procedures and practices in accordance with all relevant standards.
To develop and support Homecare delivery of medicines in accordance with local and national guidelines and standards.
To assist invoicing staff in reconciling invoice queries as required.
To act as an authorised signatory for orders of pharmaceutical items up to a value of £20k
To liaise with senior staff within the pharmacy department regarding prescribing trends, seasonal variation, horizon scanning and formulary changes to plan and maintain suitable stock availability.
To liaise with pharmacy staff and prescribers to ensure supply of patient specific items are obtained as required.
To work with the Principal Clinical Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation in obtaining alternative products in case of supply problems and communicate availability problems to appropriate staff both within and outside of the Pharmacy department.
To work with the Principal Clinical Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation in preparing for external audit from bodies such as Mersey Internal Audit and to prepare action plans in response to these audits.
To produce forecast demands for contracting purposes.
To participate in the development of departmental policies and procedures in liaison with other pharmacy staff.
To undertake personal staff appraisals and review objectives according to the Trust’s requirements.
To investigate, resolve and review complaints and breaches in quality and review practice, policies and procedures to reduce the risk of a recurrence.
To comply with legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs within the pharmacy and other areas of the hospital
To observe the provisions of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.
St. Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has a ‘No Smoking’ Policy and smoking is not permitted in Trust buildings or vehicles.
All employees are individually responsible for the prevention and control of infection within their own area. The employee must attend Infection Control Induction training and mandatory Infection control training. The employee must follow all Trust policies, procedures and guidelines relating to Infection Control.
The duties contained in this job description are not intended to be exhaustive. The tasks and responsibilities of this post are likely to evolve in line with the Trust’s continued organisational development.
The post holder must be flexible in the duties performed and it is expected that similar duties, not specifically listed above, will be carried out as required and may be cross site. Any such variation will be agreed in advance between the postholder and their Manager as part of the continuing process of management review and development.
The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for suggestions to alter the scope of duties to improve the working situation. This document is intended to be a guide to the general scope of duties and not an inflexible specification

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To maintain professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
To maintain continuing professional development in line with GPhC requirements.
To attend and participate in study days and courses as necessary.
To undertake any training and assessment required to maintain competency in his/her duties.
To maintain security and the safe storage of medicines within the pharmacy in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
To comply with and ensure that all other pharmacy staff under his/her control comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use, safe custody and destruction of drugs both within the pharmacy and in all other areas of the Trust

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

To be a member of the pharmacy purchasing management team.
To act as a line manager for staff working within the purchasing team. To allocate duties, timetables approve annual leave and rotas, and to re-assess and adjust staffing according to irregular or unpredictable workloads, whilst aiming to keep the ordering process within acceptable time limits.
To carry out appraisals, attendance management interviews and disciplinary meetings of reporting staff as required.
To work alongside the Principal Clinical Pharmacist – Medicines Optimisation in the recruitment of new staff.
To supervise and support pharmacists, pre-registration pharmacists and undergraduate pharmacy students carrying out rotational duties within the purchasing section.
To plan and manage own workload and to work independently and use acquired knowledge and experience to interpret the pharmacy services standards and relate them to the work of the department to achieve the expected outcome.
To co-operate with section heads in the provision of staffing within the Pharmacy department, and problem solve staffing issues between different areas of the pharmacy, ensuring the provision of the most efficient Pharmacy service