CASTLEGATE AND DERWENT SURGERY

COCKERMOUTH

Job Description: Prescription & Dispensing Assistant (Trainee)

Reports to: Dispensary Manager

Hours:As per contract – in accordance with specified rota which may be subject to change, during surgery open hours

The post holder will be expected to work additional hours at times to cover annual leave and sickness

Grade:Agenda for Change Band 2, Points 3-8 (following training)

Location:Cockermouth Community Hospital & Health Centre

Purpose of Job:To project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors and deal with queries in a professional, courteous and efficient way, either face to face or via the telephone.

The post holder will assist in the preparation, dispensing and sale of prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines/appliances and assist with stock control, ordering and re-stocking of the dispensary. In addition they will assist the Prescription Clerk in the processing of repeat prescription requests using agreed protocols.

Statement of Purpose:

Castlegate and Derwent Surgery aims to provide high quality health care in a responsive, supportive, courteous and caring manner.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Dispensary

  • Issuing stock items and prepared prescriptions.
  • Checking dispensary items prior to issue following training.
  • Filing prepared prescriptions.
  • Collection of prescription charges/checking patient exemption statements.
  • Cash handling and banking.
  • Processing and bundling prescriptions for the prescription pricing authority.
  • Operation of efficient stock control appropriate to the needs of the dispensary with the objective of ensuring continuity of supply for patients and minimising wastage.
  • Date and rotation of stock.
  • Placing and checking stock orders.
  • Ensure that drugs are received and stored in an appropriate manner in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions.
  • Ensuring that refrigerated items are stored at the appropriate temperature and maintaining the temperature control record/logbook.
  • Cleaning work surfaces, shelving and work area on a regular basis and ensuring that all dispensary equipment is kept clean and in good working order.
  • Maintaining full and accurate records of all dispensing transactions

Prescriptions

  • Ensure an effective and efficient repeat prescription service is provided to patients within the published time frame.
  • Ensure patient contacts are recorded appropriately in the patients’ medical records.
  • Deal with all prescription and medicines enquiries face to face or via telephone.
  • Explain the practice arrangements and formal requirements for repeat prescribing and repeat dispensing to patients new to these services.
  • Provide support and training to patients using Online Services for ordering prescriptions.
  • Using the post holders own judgement and communication skills ensure that patients at risk of running out of their medication are dealt with appropriately.
  • Ensure that all medicines management requests and task are actioned promptly by the GPs. Escalate task if it becomes urgent.
  • Generate prescriptions for a predefined list. Eg. Stocking, creams.
  • Edit prescriptions for electronic prescribing.
  • Liaise with the community pharmacies on any matter relating to prescription queries.
  • Liaise with outside agencies for the provision of appliances and food supplements.
  • Liaise with care homes regarding medication requests and concerns.
  • Discuss prescription requirements with patients to enable the alignment of their medication.
  • Identify and discuss with GPs any medication alignment required.
  • Identify any outstanding reviews, advise patient and if agreed make the appropriate appointments.
  • Ensure a working stock of prescriptions and fit notes. Reorder when required.
  • Collate home blood pressure readings from patients and present to clinician.

Undertaking other reasonable duties within the framework of the post as directed by the Dispensary Manager. This is not an exhaustive list of duties but is intended as a guide.

Communication

Practice staff 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

Work Setting and Review

  • Works under direct supervision of the Dispensary Manager
  • Ability to prioritise duties to ensure patients’ needs are met

Individual Responsibilities

  • Attendance and completion of mandatory training as directed by the practice
  • Adhere to practice policies and procedures
  • Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
  • Completion of necessary professional qualification (Dispensing Assistant Level 2), part of which the post holder will need to complete outside of working hours

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

  • Practice staff will comply with all policies in relation to Health and safety and ensure they complete any mandatory training as advised by the Practice Manager.
  • Maintain an up to date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensure implementation across the business.
  • Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
  • Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across the business, conduct risk assessments as required.
  • Any employee who intentionally or recklessly misuses anything supplied in the interests of health and safety will be subject to disciplinary procedures.

Information Governance

Practice staff must keep up-to-date with the requirements of information governance and must follow practice policies and procedures to ensure information is dealt with legally, securely, efficiently and effectively. Staff must appropriately manage the records they create or hold during the course of their employment with the practice, making the records available for sharing in a controlled manner, subject to statutory requirements and agreed security and confidentiality policies, procedures and guidelines (e.g. Freedom of Information Act 2000, Caldicott guidelines). If you are required to make entries into health records, you must ensure these entries are legible and attributable, and that record keeping is contemporaneous.

Equality and diversity:

Practice staff 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.

Quality:

Practice staff 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 patients’ needs

JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT

Post Holder’s Signature: …………………………………………………………………….

Date: ………………………………………….

Line Manager’s Signature: …………………………………………………………………..

Date: ………………………………………..