UHWA Pharmaceutical Technician, Senior

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Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The Pharmaceutical Technician, Senior shall undertake the following if so assigned

Clinical / Professional

• Provide and manage a high level stock top-up Pharmacy service to assigned wards and units of UHW.
• Manage the efficient running of the dispensary under the supervision of the Supervising Pharmacist
• To manage and participate in the provision of aseptically prepared chemotherapy and similar preparations.
• Contribute to the procurement and supply of drugs, pharmaceuticals and other related items and to identify and accelerate strategies that generate cost efficiencies.
• Participate in the development and expansion of pharmaceutical technicians’ “near patient” roles.
• Communicate and cooperate with community pharmacies and other healthcare functions to ensure seamless continuity of treatment for patients as needed.
• Work closely with the Pharmacist(s) assigned to wards and departments to ensure an efficient and seamless pharmacy service is provided to those areas.
• Ensure that the purchase, storage and supply of all items is operated on the most economical lines, consistent with quality at pharmacy, ward and department levels and with reference to legal requirements, transit, security and conditions of chemical and physical stability.
• Participate in the audit, quality improvement and medication use review activities of the department. Collect data and maintain logs, records and other documentation as assigned.
• Assist in managing the efficient running of the dispensary by participating in the dispensary rota.
• Liaise with the other Senior Pharmaceutical Technicians in developing work and training rosters for students and basic grade Pharmaceutical Technicians.
• Maintain records for purchasing, quality control, compounding and dispensing to the standards required.
• Provide advice, as required, to medical and nursing staff on the proper and economic use of drugs and medicines including participation in schemes for the dissemination of information in relation to drugs and drug usage designed to deliver optimal care economically.
• Ensure the safe use of medicines by evaluating and managing risks associated with the use of medicines and by participating in the hospital’s Medicines Safety reporting process.
• Contribute to the collation of statistical and workload activity
• Cooperate in the provision of weekend overtime cover for pharmacy services if required.
• Work with their colleagues in the hospital to implement good clinical pharmacy and multidisciplinary policies and practice to ensure safe and efficient use of medicines.
• Assist the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy staff in the performance of his/her duties and responsibilities, as required.
• Undertake such other duties as appropriate, to the office as may be assigned, from time to time.
• Liaise with the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy staff on matters concerning departmental procedures, safety, security and complaints concerning the service.

Education & Training

• Promote and actively participate in continuing professional development and research activities consistent with the post.
• Supervise and tutor Pharmaceutical Technicians who are new to the department. Supervise and tutor Pharmaceutical Technician students and other students during work experience placements in the department.

General

• Contribute to the development, maintenance, updating and implementation of policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines (PPPGs) for the Pharmacy Department and the Pharmacy Service, in line with changing practices.
• Have a duty to familiarise themselves with the relevant Organisational Policies, Procedures & Standards and attend training as appropriate
• Take reasonable care for his or her own actions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of others.
• Be aware of and comply with the HSE PPPGs as appropriate.
• Be responsible for general administrative and financial duties including recording keeping and drug use monitoring.
• Supervise and manage any staff assigned to him / her.
• Perform such other duties appropriate to the office of Senior Pharmaceutical Technician as may be assigned to him / her from time to time.
• Conduct research and audit relating to the use of medicines and medicines management
• Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.
• Confidentiality: In the course of your employment you may have access to, or hear information concerning the medical or personal affairs of patients and/or staff or other health services’ business. Such records and information are strictly confidential, unless acting on the instructions of an authorised officer, on no account must information concerning staff, patients or other health service business be divulged or discussed except in the performance of normal duty. In addition records must never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be kept in safe custody when no longer required.

Health & Safety

• Maintain and implement standard operating procedures, protocols and safe working practices, ensure ongoing quality control and validation of all services.
• Ensure that correct procedures are adhered to in relation to adverse events and investigations and that proper reporting arrangements are in place.
• All employees are under a duty to familiarise themselves with the Risk Management/Fire, Health & Safety Policies, in particular those that are specific to the Pharmacy Department.
• All employees are under a duty to undertake health and safety training and log this training as per departmental procedure.
• Employees must participate in and remain up-to-date with fire safety training periodically and must observe fire orders for the Pharmacy Department and for UHW.
• All accidents within the Department must be reported immediately
• In line with the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004, smoking within the UHW campus is not permitted.
• Each employee is responsible to take reasonable care for his or her own acts or omissions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of themselves or any other person.
• Every employee must use safety equipment or clothing in a proper manner and for the purpose intended
• Any employee who intentionally or recklessly misuses anything supplied in the interests of health and safety will be subject to disciplinary procedures.
• Every employee must work in accordance with any health and safety procedures, instructions or training that has been given.
• No employee may undertake any task for which they have not been authorised and for which they are not adequately trained.
• Every employee is required to bring to the attention of a responsible person any perceived shortcoming in our safety arrangements or any defects in work equipment.
• The management of Health & Safety is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest and open environment.
• The post holder must be familiar with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.
• The post holder is required to bring to the attention of a responsible person any perceived shortcoming in our safety arrangements or any defects in work equipment.
• The post holder is required to nave a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.