Clinical Informatics Pharmacy Technician

As aClinical Informatics Pharmacy Technician, you willsupport and contribute to thespecialistPharmacy Informaticsteam, actioningand co-ordinating the resolution ofbusiness-as-usualrequests directed to the teamsurroundingthe use of pharmacy digital systems, as well asactively supportingongoing project workconducted by the team onpharmacy digital systems. As a member of the pharmacy technician team, you will provide safe and effective pharmacy support to the dispensary and adult wards withinBFT.This role includes a3 hour perweek commitment to supporting pharmacy clinical teams workingon wards as directed by the lead medicines optimisation pharmacy technician/clinical pharmacy team lead for the day, and a 3 hour per week commitment to supporting BRI inpatient dispensary activity under the directionof the dispensary coordinator.The post holder willbe requiredto work late duty shifts,weekendsand bank holidays on a rota basisand across trustsitesif required. You will develop your existing professional, technical and clinical skills through your own continuing professional development to provide and service of excellence to both patients and staff alike. The successful candidate will be recruited to AfC band 4 or 5 depending on qualifications. Please see the attached job description and personal statement for full details. 1. To complete and document work towards the resolution of business-as-usual requests directed to the Pharmacy Informatics team. 2. To provide clinical knowledge to the Pharmacy Informatics service, and support clinical, operational and technical pharmacy teams with associated processes. 3. To contribute to digital projects within the pharmacy department. 4. To develop and maintain skills relevant to working within digital health. 5. To provide safe and effective pharmacy support to the dispensary and adult wards within Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

• To liaise with ward pharmacists, ward-basedpharmacytechnicians,specialtypharmacistsandnon-pharmacyward staff to ensure prescriptions are clear toenable theefficient deliveryofthe clinical/dispensary pharmacyservices.
• Able to advocate for Pharmacydepartment requirements withother digital/clinical teams within the trust and feedbackinput received in discussion with other specialist trust teams.
• Contact with patients, carers and relatives, prescribers, generalpractitionersand nursing home staff when providing a ward-based medicines management servicefor inpatientsand dispensing and counselling service to outpatients.
• To reportany problems, discrepancies, concerns relating to pharmacy service deliveryto therelevantseniorpharmacytechnicianor lead specialty pharmacist.
• To deal with queries and complaintspertaining tothe dispensary service via the telephone or in person. Ensure thataccurateand clear details are gathered. Answer these queries fully and to the satisfaction of the complainant or to pass to the senior technician,pharmacistor pharmacy operational manager asappropriate.
• Requirement to undertake any other suitable duties delegated that are within the post holder's competence, including working in other pharmacyteamswithin thetrust., Trained to be able to fulfil the duties of amedicinesoptimisation pharmacy technician, including activities involving:
• Consultation with patients and hospital staff at ward level to ensureeffective supplyof Patient Own Drugs/One-StopDispensingand discharge medication.
• Advising and counselling patients and carers to ensure that patients have sufficient knowledge and understanding of theappropriate useof their medicines to ensure treatment concordance.
• Obtaining and verifying patient's drug histories to ensure theaccuratecontinuation of patient's medication from primary to secondary care.
• Assistingclinical pharmacists and medical staff inidentifyingand resolving patient medication related problems.
• Ordering medication for patients which have been clinically verified by a pharmacist within own competence.
• Support the prioritisation of patients in high-risk categories within competenceand in line with department policy.
• To provide support and input to clinical pharmacy teams.
• Trained to be able to fulfil the duties of an accuracy checking pharmacy technician,including activities involving:
• Final accuracy checks of dispensed medication asrequiredto ensure safe andaccuratedispensing within the BRI inpatient dispensary.
• Support of ward-based dispensing activity withinallocateddispensary/clinical time whenappropriate.
• Supporting others in the effective production of patient pharmacy labels withinlocallabelling and dispensing standards.
• Toparticipatein dispensary services, including weekend and bank holiday services as agreed with the clinical pharmacy manager/dispensaryleadpharmacy technician.

Problem-solving and decision-making

• Able to use SOPs and reference guides to complete configurationand troubleshootingactivities of pharmacy digital systems.
• Able to use supplier documentation to support troubleshooting,identifysystem limitationsandidentifyrequirementsfor system configuration.
• Make use of system supplier support portals/contactstoresolve emerging problems which cannot be resolvedusinglocal documentation.
• Able to assess the impact and severityof problems or change requests which arise and prioritise them appropriately.
• Contribute to testing the functionality of pharmacy digital systems following software changes and advise/communicate staff of changes whereappropriate.
• Able to apply the skillsrequiredto complete basic IT troubleshooting tosupport quick fixes within the department or elevateissues to trust Digital Services teams.

Planning and coordination

• Support the management of digital products used within department primarily governed bythePharmacy Informatics team.
• Identify,write,developandmaintaindepartmental and service policies and procedures relating to pharmacy stock control system and other digital medicinessystems andprocesseswhereappropriate.
• Prioritise individual daily tasks depending on workload,staffingand the needs of the service.
• Tosupportthetimelymaintenance ofanysystem/process documentationrequiredas part ofbusiness-as-usual activity.
• Identify, implement, and transition new digital pharmacy processes into business-as-usual operations, working closely with relevant multidisciplinary teams and digital suppliers to support high-quality patient care.
• Support the scheduling of time-sensitive system configuration activities with respect to team capacity and intended go-live dates.
• To be involved in the prioritisation of dispensary workload. To work with colleagues to ensure thatappropriate coveris available during breaks/lunch periods and periods of staff shortage/short term absence.
• To support the planning and organisation of training needs ofnew staff, working with thepharmacy technicianleads.
• Supportive of project planningthatseeksto achieve completion of activities within a defined deadline.

Practical and technical skills

• Able to dispense prescriptions for inpatients, outpatients, day patients and patients waiting for discharge within legal requirements, localpolicyand patient safety guidance.
• To dispense controlled drugs to wards and patients in line with local policies and procedures regarding the safe storage and handling of controlled drugs.
• To arrange with the Senior Technician the regular destruction of controlled drugs with a representative from the Trust Board present whenrequired.
• Support the effective stock control, waste management, and stock rotationof pharmacy products within the dispensary.
• To follow safe lifting and handling techniques, be aware of health and safety issuespertaining tothe pharmacy area and ensure theappropriate useof departmental equipment.
• The post holderis required tocomply withall trust, directorate,and departmentalhealth andsafetypolicies and procedures.
• To attend training and development courses as may be desirable in the interest of the service and personal developmentwithin the role.

Patient care and support

• Totakeresponsibility forclinical pharmacy activities that provide patient care,asescalating identified omissions to apatientsmedication regimen,supporting the aim to completemedicines reconciliations within 24 hours of admission,ordering ofrequired patient medicationclinically verifiedby a pharmacist,and safe dispensingand accuracy checkingprocesses.
• Consult with patients and/or their representativeson the effective use of their medicines within competence.
• To followtrust protocols,proceduresandguidelines.
• Work in line with legal requirements and GPhC standards for pharmacy professionals.

Interpersonal and communication skills

• Able to communicateupdates to the progression of problems being actioned by the Pharmacy Informatics team via the mostappropriate route.
• Communication of sensitive information, understanding Information Governance principles., Professional knowledge andexpertise
• Able to develop astrongworking knowledge ofbothdigital clinical systemsandnon-clinical digital systems(e.g.Microsoft Office packages,PowerGate, label printers)usedwithin the pharmacydepartmentto be able to support the effective use of these systems by colleagues in Pharmacy.
• Able to develop an advanced working knowledge in the use, configuration, support, and governance of pharmacymanageddigital systems.
• Knowledgeable and proficient user of digital systems used in pharmacy including, but not limited to: CareFlow clinical portfolio (including CareFlow Connect, CareFlow EPR, CareFlow Medicines Management), BD supplied systems (Pyxis, Rowa, PIC), PTS, WebTracker)
• Some familiarity with using Philips ICCA EPMA system.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

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