Medicines Management Technician – Prison Health

Job Overview

If you are as passionate as we are about delivering the very best NHS services and want to join a dynamic healthcare service providing exceptional care in HMP Woodhill, then we want to hear from you!

The successful candidate will have a BTEC/NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical sciences, experience in a secure environment is desirable but not a requirement. You will be able to demonstrate your competency and pharmacy practice skills by use of a practice portfolio. The successful candidate will demonstrate good organisation and prioritisation skills.

You will have good communication and time management skills. You will be responsible for contributing and lead towards efficient medicines management systems, along the pharmacist, to ensure safe and secure handling of medicines.

You must have exceptional interpersonal skills and a non-judgemental approach to liaise with service users who present with a wide range of complex health needs.

You will work alongside a multidisciplinary staff team in an environment which is challenging and fast paced. You will be required to work alone without direct supervision at times so you should be able to use your initiative to solve problems in a methodical manner which supports the service users and day to day operations of the service.

Main duties of the job

• To assist the Pharmacy Team in the development and delivery of a medicines management service to HMP Woodhill using the in-house electronic prescribing

To delivery of a safe and effective medicines management

To act as an Accredited Checking Technician and Medicine Management Technician, when required.

To administer medicines to patients, once deemed

To work within the operational pharmacy team and represent pharmacy when requested/required.

Working for our organisation

HMP Woodhill is a Category B prison for men aged 18 years and over accommodating approximately 650 adult male prisoners who are sentenced. CNWL provides Pharmacy services.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• Assist in the delivery of a high-quality dispensing service to HMP Woodhill, ensuring medicines are dispensed to agreed standards, calculating doses and quantities for supply. Including the supply of medicines in Monitored Dosage Systems.
• Ensure that pharmacy technical operations (ordering, handling, storage and disposal of medicines) are undertaken in a safe, secure and efficient manner that complies with medicines legislation and good practice
• Liaise with other members of the healthcare team (including doctors, consultants and nurses), providing medicines related guidance, to reduce medicines errors.

Undertake in-possession risk assessments.

Help reduce waste by evaluating returned medicines and patient own medicines for reuse.

Audit the controlled drug record keeping across the prison.

Dispensing stock-controlled drug requisitions to clinical areas ensuring legislation and local procedures are followed.

Maintain up to date stock lists for all treatment areas ensuring they reflect current requirements

Participate in Medicines reconciliation process

Participating in Medicines Management checks for clinical areas within the Prison

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Professional:

• Undertake audits of medicines use and medicines management processes regularly, giving feedback to the Specialist Pharmacist, Prison Health as required.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary audits within defined clinical areas, making recommendations to the Clinical Governance & Audit Group based on audit findings.
• Participate in service development initiatives in order to help maintain or improve the quality of care provided to patients.
• To provide input into policy and procedures affecting the
  
  

Managerial:

• Build good working relationships with all staff in order to realise potential opportunities to improve the quality of patient care through joint working.
• To provide education and training to pharmacy and healthcare staff on an ad hoc basis and as part of a planned programme / induction as agreed with the Pharmacist.
• Deputise for the other staff if required.
• Attend internal / external meetings as directed by the Pharmacist.
• Participate in overseeing the operation of the dispensary, ensuring all essential roles are covered as under the direction of a Pharmacist.
  
  

Research and Development:

• To participate in the CNWL Trust wide Medicines Audit programme. This includes supporting collection of data.
• To identify and undertake medicines audit at the local directorates and re- audit where appropriate.
• Promote and facilitate pharmacy practice related research within pharmacy services.
• To participate in clinical trials as required
  
  

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• NVQ Pharmacy Services or equivalent recognised qualification

Registered Practicing Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council

Evidence of Continuing Professional Development

Desirable criteria

• Accredited Checking Technician
  
  

Previous Experience

Essential criteria

• Previous experience working as a Pharmacy Technician
• Experience of work-based medicines management
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience of hospital pharmacy
• Previous experience of working in a mental health environment
  
  

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

Essential criteria

• Sound Therapeutic and clinical knowledge
• Ability to work along or as part of a team
• Ability to priorities and manage own workload
• Problem solving
• IT literacy
• Ability to communicate complex information despite “barriers”
• Ability to influence other healthcare professionals
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Good understanding of clinical governance
• Good understanding of the expanding role of pharmacy technical staff
• Experience of clinical audits Experience of supervision or mentoring

Experience of delivering training

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Essential criteria

• Interpersonal skills
• Motivated and dedicated
• Willingness to travel to different locations to undertake role effectively