Lead Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Lead Pharmacy Technician - Dispensary at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Bedford, ENG, GB. This Full time on site position offers great opportunities for career growth.

Previous applicants do not need to reapply. This is a challenging and rewarding role requiring strong leadership, organisational, and communication skills, together with the ability to work independently, prioritise effectively, and manage a varied workload.

The post holder will have line management responsibility for a number of staff within the Pharmacy department, providing leadership, support, and guidance to the team. This is an exciting time to join the department as we continue to develop and expand our Senior Dispensary Team. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the service and support the delivery of high-quality pharmacy services.

Applicants must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a Pharmacy Technician and hold Accredited Checking Technician (ACT) status.

Lead and coordinate the day-to-day work of the Pharmacy Dispensary Team, as directed by the Principal Pharmacy Technician – Dispensary, ensuring an effective and efficient service. Prioritise workload and allocate staff appropriately across dispensary areas, maintaining flexibility to meet operational and service demands. Work collaboratively with the Principal Pharmacy Technician – Dispensary to promote a positive team approach and support the delivery of high-quality pharmacy services.

Maintain accountability for the quality of your own work and the performance of staff within your area of responsibility.

Support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of service developments and improvements.

Provide line management and day-to-day support to designated members of the Dispensary Team.

Oversee the day-to-day operation of the electronic Controlled Drug management system, acting as the system manager. Work closely with the Lead Pharmacy Technician for IT and Automation to support the Prescription Tracking System (PTS), resolving issues and ensuring effective use to maintain workflow.

Support the investigation of dispensing errors and near-misses, identifying trends and contributing to improvements in practice.

Develop, review, and maintain dispensary procedures, ensuring they remain accurate, current, and aligned with relevant policies and standards.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A\&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.

You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received.

All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.

Ensure high standards of customer care are consistently maintained, with a strong focus on patient needs and experience. Supervise and coordinate the day-to-day activities of the Dispensary, seeking guidance from the Principal Pharmacy Technician – Dispensary where required. Oversee the technical aspects of the dispensing process undertaken by pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pre-registration/trainee technicians, senior pharmacy assistants, and trainee pharmacists. Receive prescriptions into the Dispensary, ensuring prescription charges are collected where applicable and in accordance with departmental procedures. Participate in the labelling and dispensing of inpatient, outpatient, controlled drug, day-case, and discharge prescriptions, ensuring compliance with departmental procedures and relevant standards. Provide support and guidance to staff in resolving operational issues, including liaising with other healthcare professionals where appropriate. Undertake line management responsibility for designated members of the Dispensary Team, as agreed with the Principal Pharmacy Technician – Dispensary. Monitor near-miss dispensing errors, identify trends, and support the development and implementation of appropriate actions to address identified issues or training needs. Support the Principal Pharmacy Technician – Dispensary in investigating dispensary-related incidents, including near-misses and Trust-wide reports, and contribute to learning and service improvement. Support the safe and efficient operation of the robotic dispensing system, working with the Lead Pharmacy Technician for IT and Automation and contributing to the robot maintenance rota as required.

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