Band 5 Intermediate Care Pharmacy technician

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Intermediate Care Unit pharmacists will provide day-to-day guidance and support to the Intermediate Care Unit pharmacy technician. The post holder is expected to undertake the following duties both when an Intermediate Care Unit pharmacist is present and when working in their absence.

Perform level 2 medicines reconciliation as per Trust policy.

Complete accuracy checks on rewritten charts to ensure that the new charts are written correctly. Check patient notes to see if changes to patients medication are as intended. Discuss any potential problems with the ICU Pharmacist.

Obtain medication histories e.g. telephoning GPs when appropriate

Undertake patient counselling for self medication, discharge counselling and inhaler counselling at the request of the ICU pharmacist or Nursing team within the unit

To assess patients to see if they require a compliance aid, this may be in response to requests from doctors, nurses or pharmacists

Ensure medications are ordered by the unit prescribers for individual patients in a timely fashion to ensure continuous supply of medicines to prevent missed doses, liaising with the supplying pharmacies and prescribers

Ensure that medication is not being over ordered and waste medication is kept to a minimum

To check patients own medicines for suitability of reuse and highlight any shortfalls or queries with the patients prescribed / not prescribed medications to the unit pharmacist / unit prescriber or make the nursing team aware.

Ensure homely remedies and emergency drugs are ordered as per ordering schedule

Review and/or aid preparation of the discharge letter, adding any additional information in relation to medication where necessary, in the absence of the pharmacist.

Using own initiative to help ICU staff to ensure that medication is being ordered, stored administered and disposed of in compliance with guidelines and legal requirements.

Report any medication errors on the trust wide Datix system or when requested help investigate causes of errors.

Destroy Patients own medication, including Controlled drugs, on the unit when no longer required.

Act on CAS or Safety alerts as directed by Trust governance and action them in the absence of the ICU pharmacist

Perform audits as directed by Medicines Management

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council and maintain CPD portfolio for revalidation
• To have successfully completed the Accredited Checking Technician course
• BTEC National Certificate or NVQ level III in Pharmaceutical Sciences or other recognised equivalent.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant experience in medicines reconciliation
• Relevant experience in ACT checking

Desirable criteria

• Relevant experience in self medication training.
• Ability to prioritise work

UK Home Office Visa Sponsorship requirements

In accordance with UK Home Office requirements, Band 2 clinical and non-clinical roles and Band 3 Non-Clinical roles are not eligible for sponsorship.

Please note that the majority of non-clinical roles (Agenda for Change Band 3 - 6) with the exception of those which appear on this list -