Job Description

Are you a confident, forward-thinking pharmacy technician looking for a new challenge? We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic pharmacy technician to work in an exciting new role providing a high-quality service to patients and colleagues in the nurse led oral SACT service.



If you are passionate about service development, patient care and medicines education, this could be the perfect opportunity to develop your career within a patient facing team. You will build clinical skills with a view to conducting patient reviews including assessing blood results and drug toxicity/ side effects against SACT regimen protocols, to provide medicines education and to support measures of quality assurance, such as data collection and audit to enable service improvement and growth. The postholder will also contribute to the smooth running and development of the service to give patients access to oral SACT treatments in a timely manner, and closer to home.



You will have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet great people, and pioneer a new technician role in the Trust. You will learn about interacting with people from all different roles to build skills and enhance your career path. We are focused on your future, working together to make our pharmacy the best place to work.



To discuss the role, please contact Melanie Lowe or Tara Duffy



To work closely with the nurse led oral SACT team and other members of our multi-disciplinary teams to ensure that Christie patients have access to their medicines that is timely and closer to home.



To conduct patient reviews against SACT regimen protocols, taking into account blood results, toxicity assessments, and where required, medicines information and education needs.



To contribute to medicines education resources.



To contribute to data collection and audit for service improvement.



To develop the service to enable medicines access across all Christie sites. This includes liaison with a variety of teams and specialities across the Trust.



To be a strong team player with effective interpersonal, communication and organisational skills as well as a keen interest and enthusiasm for patient focussed services and continual improvement.



To contribute to the wider clinical pharmacy service as defined in the job specification.



The post holder will be based at the Christie Withington site, however, may be required to undertake roles and travel across the area served by The Christie.



The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.



We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.



We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.



DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES



Main duties



To provide a specialist clinical service to patients attending the oral SACT clinic.



To deliver medicines management services in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.



To provide a specialised patient education and conduct toxicity assessments to patients receiving oral SACT medicines.



To manage, organise and plan workloads to ensure consistent service delivery across the oral SACT team.



To define and establish the role of pharmacy technician services within the SACT clinic through mutual agreement.



Communication



To communicate effectively with clinical and non-clinical staff, patients and carers about medications through both written and verbal means, whether in person or over the phone, including in situations where communication barriers may exist.



Frequently communicates complex and sensitive information to patients about the continuation of their anti-cancer treatment and reassurance regarding the next steps in their clinical pathway and medication management.



Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary professionals within the SACT clinic team to ensure cohesive and patient-centred service delivery.

Demonstrates strong teamwork by clearly understanding and fulfilling defined roles and responsibilities.



To engage in daily patient interactions addressing sensitive matters, e.g. treatment continuation, and overcoming communication barriers.

Offer specialist guidance to patient and carers on the safe and effective use of their oral SACT treatment and supportive medicines, considering complex or sensitive information and individual needs such as communication barriers, side effects, or appropriate supportive care.



Clinical Knowledge



To have experience of working in a clinical pharmacy setting, encompassing diverse roles across various clinical areas.



To be skilled in conducting thorough clinical assessments through effective questioning to evaluate patients' suitability for SACT treatment, utilising standard operating procedures, clinical experience, and professional judgement to defer when necessary.



Proficient in using a range of clinical and non-clinical systems and databases.



Knowledge of the operation and management of SACT clinics.

Expert knowledge and comprehensive understanding of SACT regimens.

Evaluates multiple information sources, e.g. blood test results, alongside verbal communication with the patient, to assess clinical status and decide whether to proceed with the scheduled SACT treatment cycle.



Recognises when to escalate concerns or seek guidance from a senior colleague during patient and carer interactions.



Applies clinical judgement to assess the appropriateness of treatments based on established patient criteria.



Undertakes clinical screening and validation of specific SACT prescriptions within a governance-approved framework, following Trust-authorised competency-based training and in accordance with NHS England and BOPA guidelines.



Uses clinical data to authorise pre-confirmed SACT treatments via EPMA system, ensuring they meet defined patient parameters and comply with local protocols and governance standards.



Requires frequent, sustained concentration to perform complex drug calculations, accredited checking of prescriptions, and medicines management tasks.



Information Resources



Maintains accurate and timely clinical records across electronic prescribing systems, electronic patient records, and other data capture platforms, ensuring personally generated information is documented in accordance with professional standards, organisational policies, and data governance requirements.



Upholds confidentiality, integrity, and accountability in all aspects of data handling and record-keeping.



Actively contributes to the recording and monitoring of near misses and incidents, supporting a culture of safety, learning, and continuous improvement.



Maintains accurate records of services provided to support audit, service evaluation, and continuous improvement in patient care.



Service Improvement



Contributes to the development, review, and implementation of standard operating procedures, ensuring they are consistently applied and maintained to support safe and effective working practices.



Actively contributes to service development and quality improvement initiatives within the SACT clinic, by proposing, implementing, and evaluating changes that enhance patient outcomes, support team collaboration, and uphold the highest standards of care.



Develops, delivers, and maintains structured training programmes for pharmacy technicians, ensuring alignment with service needs, NHS values, and the professional standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Promotes continuous learning and safe, high-quality patient care through effective education and support.



Participates in audits to support continuous improvement, ensure compliance with professional standards, and contributes to the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care.



Contributes to the design, delivery, and evaluation of ongoing patient feedback initiatives to support service improvement across the department.



To work closely with clinicians and pharmacy staff to assist in horizon scanning and to support new medicines into the Trust with specific interest in the implementation of cost-effective medicines delivery models.



To liaise with the Director of Pharmacy, and the disease group pharmacists, to monitor drug expenditure and cost savings from the utilization of the oral SACT clinics. To identify or any changes in prescribing practices that may potentially impact on the drugs budget (drug forecasting)



To monitor and interpret SACT clinic utilisation and generate reports of drug usage, to use this data to report to the lead clinicians and Director of Pharmacy, implementing agreed policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and containing drug expenditure



To monitor inefficiencies in medicines delivery service including unused medicines to promote cost savings and medicines optimisation.



Clinical Ward Services

To support the Chief Clinical Pharmacy Technician in:

The development, implementation, and monitoring of Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Assistants and Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians (PTPT) input into the clinical service.



The coordination and management of Clinical Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Assistant and PTPT activities across clinical services to maintain defined service standards, including medicine reconciliation, medication provision and patient counselling.



Monitor and appraise the standards of professional work undertaken by Clinical Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Assistants and PTPTs in accordance with local and any national competency frameworks.

Maintain a Clinical Pharmacy Technician role for designated wards, advocating patient centred care.



Attend relevant internal and regional meetings to network, develop standards for clinical pharmacy practice and participate in benchmarking and regional audit.



Develop and implement new systems of working to improve service quality and efficiency.



To actively participate in the MHRA drug recall process, in conjunction with the third-party provider, regarding clinical service implications and resulting communications with the Trust.



General



To build strong working relationships with regular two-way communication with other Lead Pharmacy Technicians within the clinical service and provide support during periods of absence.



To assist in the investigation of incidents related to technical pharmacy services in accordance with Trust policies and assess processes to mitigate risk of future incidents.



To deputise for the Chief Clinical Pharmacy Technician in all aspects of the clinical service as required.



Can use Microsoft office applications and healthcare software, e.g. electronic SACT prescribing systems, EPMA and scheduling software including proficient and accurate keyboard and computer skills to provide relevant documentation and report generation.



To participate in weekend working and bank holiday rotas as required by the clinical pharmacy service to meet the needs of the Trust.



To actively contribute and participate in regular training and development opportunities to maintain continuing professional development.

Manages responsibilities independently within defined protocols.



To be fully aware and have a working knowledge of COSHH regulations including the handling of cytotoxic, SACT and clinical trial materials to interpret and provide guidance to relevant members of the multidisciplinary team.



Managerial responsibilities



To oversee the management of Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Assistants and PTPTs within the clinical pharmacy service.



To participate in the recruitment of staff in accordance with recruitment and selection policies and induction programmes.



Ensure staff have at least one performance and development review annually.



Ensure staff have their sickness managed in accordance with Trust policies, particularly the Management of Attendance Policy.



Ensure staff have their education and training needs regularly assessed.

To support and assist the planning and development of clinical service rotas including weekend and bank holiday rotas.



Assess and approve annual leave requests for technical clinical staff.

Lead, direct and motivate staff, acting as a role model and mentor for Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Assistants, Foundation Year Pharmacists and PTPTs.



To contribute to the provision, coordination, and on-going audit of safe, high quality medicines optimisation services to directorates.

To act independently within the broad framework of the Medicines Practice Operational Policy.



To actively contribute to service improvement initiatives and projects within the clinical pharmacy service including assessment of budgetary considerations regarding staffing models. To contribute to the development of business cases to support service developments.