Job Description

Part Time Opportunity Available Subject to Suitable Candidate

BOURNE GALLETLY MEDICAL PRACTICE

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Dispenser

PENSION SCHEME: NHS Occupational Pension Scheme (optional)

REPORTS TO: Dispensary Manager/GP Partner

MAIN PURPOSE

To dispense medications as directed by GPs and prescribing nurses, ensuring accuracy in labelling of drug name, strength, quantity and direction for use

To produce FP10 repeat medication prescriptions as directed by GPs and prescribing nurses.

To keep accurate patient records and be responsible for overseeing all administration within the dispensary

To adhere to the strictest confidentiality when handling medical records and other information pertaining to patients and staff

To produce, order and make-up dressings requests from District Nurses, residential and nursing homes.

To work in line with surgery SOP's.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties may vary under the direction of the Dispensary Manager depending on workload and staffing levels and may include the following:

Ensuring that all dispensed medications are correct and include all relevant information for the patient; any uncertainty as to the item, dose or labelling to be checked with authorising GP or dispensing nurse Collecting prescription charges and ensuring all relevant paperwork, including the declaration on the reverse of the FP10, is signed by the patient Recording and banking all financial transactions within the dispensary Dispensing dosette boxes to patients Adhering to practice policies for controlled drugs, providing a second check on all medication as issued Maintaining stock levels within the dispensary and reordering when necessary Checking expiry dates on medications and ensuring proper storage conditions are observed Accepting deliveries of medication and forwarding invoices to the Dispensary Manager Maintaining up-to-date marketplace knowledge by checking prices with suppliers Endorsing all prescription forms as appropriate, collating and submitting forms to the PPA to process reimbursement along with any accompanying forms such as the FP34D Promptly notifying the authorising GP of returns or feedback from PPA should action need to be taken Effectively controlling stock levels, ensuring sufficient stock for all Practice needs while minimising wastage Creating a log-book for all refrigerated items and ensuring these are stored at their appropriate temperature Taking informed and appropriate action should any drug alert bulletins be received Ensuring thorough familiarity with the clinical computer system to ensure all relevant patient information is recorded and resolving any problems that arise Safely disposing of returned, incorrect or out-of-date medications Reordering stationery and other non-medical supplies when necessary Issuing repeat prescriptions to patients according to agreed time-scale and directions of authorising GP or dispensing nurse Aiding patients with the completion of exemption criteria on the reverse of the prescription form if necessary Advising patients about pre-payment of prescriptions, providing information regarding eligibility for exemption and how to apply for exemption certificates
Process online/phone and paper prescription requests emptying the prescription box at reception on a regular basis.

Ensure review dates are current and if not send messages in line with the medication review protocol.

Check to ensure PDS is active and prescription destination is as requested on the repeat prescription, changing notification if required.

Requesting repeat items via the EMIS system, sending tasks to GPs if items requested are in acute or past drugs, ensuring wherever possible reasons are received and forwarded in task for these requests.

Checking items are due for issue and recognise when patients may be ordering erratically or too often and alerting GPs via medicine management tasks.

Ordering controlled drugs and ensuring they are put in the basket for signing. Annotating scripts with 'CD' to ensure when they have been signed the reception team register them in the log books in reception for pharmacies/patients to sign on receipt.

Ordering appliances from designated companies, checking these are not duplicate orders and researching new items on the EMIS system, before requesting from appropriate GP.

Ordering dressings and appliances in line with the surgery formulary for District nurses, nursing homes and residential homes.

Collating the orders when they arrive from Wardles and distributing them to the appropriate destination.

Taking telephone requests from patients between 10 am and 12 pm and dealing with other medication queries from pharmacies and patients at other times.

Ensuring shredding is cleared after each shift and placed in the correct shredding bins, making sure prescriptions which have patient information on but not required are voided correctly by either tearing in half or writing.

Action tasks returned from GPs, to include ringing patients to advise outcome of tasks or sending letters if required to advise patients to contact the surgery if unable to contact via the phone.

Assisting with audits when necessary

Communicating effectively using email, telephone, fax and face-to-face regarding all enquiries from patients, pharmacies, hospitals, hospices and suppliers

Liaising with members of clinical staff regarding the medication of individual patients

Attending regular meetings with other members of the dispensing team in order for patient information to be exchanged

Maintaining safe and hygienic work surfaces within the dispensing with regular cleaning and ensuring all equipment is in a good state of repair

Maintain a safe working environment free from hazards, maintaining familiarity with COSHH regulations

Being pro-active in suggesting and developing new initiates to improve the dispensary

Prioritising tasks and working under own initiative

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Health and safety considerations must be adhered to as follows:

Maintaining a thorough understanding of health and safety protocol for oneself and others Using security systems within the Practice as instructed Identifying potential risks within the Practice environment and undertaking to minimise such risks Maintaining up-to-date knowledge and training of health and safety guidelines Understanding and utilising appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining hygiene in work areas and keeping the premises free from hazards Immediate reporting of potential risks as identified

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others' health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines Correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Use and monitoring of the correct use of Standard operating Procedures for cleaning and infection control Responsible for correct hand hygiene of self and others Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols, and implementation of those protocols within the team Active observation of current working practices across the team in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities, wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate. Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum twice annually) Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection Spillage control procedures, management and training Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance Maintenance of sterile environments Correct cleaning of equipment used for near patient testing such as blood glucose monitoring equipment and smokelysers, using manufacturer's instructions as appropriate

Equality and diversity:

Thepost-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patient's needs Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognize people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

Apply practice policies, standards and guidance Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work Participate in audit where appropriate
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 12.21 per hour

Expected hours: 24 per week

Benefits:

Company events Company pension Free flu jabs Health & wellbeing programme
Licence/Certification:

NVQ Level 2 in Pharmacy Services or Equivalent (required)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 31/07/2025
Reference ID: Part Time Practice Dispenser