Pharmacy Technician Specialist - Clinical

at  University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
We are delighted to offer this new permanent position, fully funded by new investment delivered by biosimilar switches. The Biologics Pharmacy team at UHS are well respected and deliver a robust service to patients receiving biologic therapy, either in our own infusion unit, or through our Homecare partners.
Would you like to join us and be at the forefront of biologics use in a busy teaching hospital? We are looking for an experienced pharmacy technician who is passionate about delivering excellent standards of care to biologics patients, including gastroenterology, rheumatology and uveitis patients. This is a fantastic opportunity for career progression and a chance to be involved in a specialist MDT, linking closely with medical and nursing staff in our infusion unit, on the wards and in outpatient clinics.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POST:

• NVQ3, BTEC in pharmaceutical science or equivalent Technician registered with GPhC.
• One of the following additional specialist pharmacy qualifications Recognised accuracy checking qualification/accreditation. Medicines management qualification. TAQA assessor or equivalent teaching/training qualification CIPS level 4 Foundation management or equivalent demonstrable experience of day-to-day operational management of staff and workload.
• Extensive post qualification Pharmacy knowledge /experience in one or more areas of pharmacy specialism.
• Experience of staff management/operational workload and workforce supervision
• Recruitment and selection experience
• Competent in the accurate supply of medicines (in hospital or community pharmacy)
• Evidence of commitment to relevant ongoing CPD and personal and professional development

Here are some key areas you would be covering from the job plan:

• Ordering and prescription management of Biologics therapies supplied via homecare using relevant calendars. Work with the homecare companies to ensure a smooth service for patients that meets the needs of the patients and the Trust. Answer all homecare queries. Audit the homecare services and implement measures to improve the service and reduce waste. Manage the closure of accounts when treatment stopped or withheld.
• Co-ordinate drug monitoring of patients on Biologics therapies, who are under the care of the UHS Biologics service to ensure that the results are managed.
• Work in collaboration with the Biologics specialist pharmacists and as part of the Biologics multidisciplinary team to ensure safe prescribing and monitoring of patients.
• Respond as appropriate to the daily requests made by the consultant and nurse specialists for clinical pharmacy support.
• Liaise with patients and care providers outside the hospital e.g., GPs and homecare nursing support services and UPL Pharmacy. To support patient care across the interface, and reduce missing prescriptions, patients unable to arrange deliveries or accessing nursing visits.
• Provide advice/ counselling and support to patients in an outpatient setting. Ensuring patients know how to manage their condition(s)/disease and medicines. Undertaking adherence assessments and shared decision-making discussions; providing advice and guidance and to know when to seek medical advice.
• Collect audit data as required to include support for national directives and local reporting. To use collected data to identify trends and highlight areas requiring improvement. Then use specialist skills and expert knowledge to lead the development and delivery of new and existing educational strategies based on this.
• Order relevant medicines for the patient, after discussing with specialist pharmacist. Or where applicable highlighting to the relevant staff members, the patients lack engagement in taking their medicines or treatment, and their reasons.
• Liaise between the Biologics pharmacy team and the pharmacy department including the outpatient pharmacy. Deal with any stock queries.
• Responsible for the development, review, and implementation of local Standard operating procedures (SOPs) including ensuring adequate training is provided to ensure staff working within them understand and can adhere to them.
• Alongside the Biologics specialist pharmacists manage the funding of high-cost drugs through completion of Blueteq where appropriate. Deal with high-cost drug funding queries from NHSE or from the high-cost drugs team.

• Providing medicines management or other technical information to patients/healthcare professionals both within and externally to the trust to ensure continuity of care. Communicating with other healthcare professionals regarding difficulties in supplying medicines and, if appropriate offering alternatives solutions to ensure appropriate patient care is always maintained.
• Managing and co-ordinating day to day work of allocated staff, reviewing and reallocating tasks when necessary to meet workload demands. If necessary, resolution of service provision challenges may require communication with and flexibility from Service users.
• To review patients who are admitted to UHS or in a clinic setting to ensure patients know how to manage their condition(s)/ disease and medicines. Undertaking shared decision-making discussions and adherence assessments and providing advice where needed to patient or MDT
• Plans, organises, and delivers specialist training to pharmacy, nursing staff and multidisciplinary teams. Sharing any knowledge gained via specific training sessions, workshops, presentations etc. with pharmacy teams to develop and underpin good practice.
• Deputising for pharmacy technician manager. Dealing with day-to-day issues, attending meetings, and providing direction and advice when needed. Providing suitable hand over on their return. Support, if needed can be sort from another senior pharmacy manager who is working on site
• Responsible for the delivery of training around specialism for the wider pharmacy/UHS team.