GP Practice Dispensing Assistant

Job Description
Job summary
Dispensing Assistant
1 position, full time 37.5 hours per week
Job share / part time considered
We are seeking a highly motivated Dispensing Assistant with excellent interpersonal skills to join our dispensing team in our friendly, busy GP practice in the village of Ampleforth.
The successful candidate will have the skills to use their own judgement and flexibility to work in a time pressured environment, whilst being able to dispense medication accurately.
An NVQ 2 in Dispensing or equivalent pharmacy qualification is desirable, however training can be provided. Please note non - qualified staff must obtain the qualification within one year, via online training (provided by the surgery).
The post is full time, working 37.5 hours per week, over 5 weekdays, Monday to Friday. Please note the rota will include an 8.30am start and an evening finish, 6.00pm. Flexibility to work additional hours is essential to help cover staff holidays & sickness.
The position is permanent, after successful completion of a 6-month trial period and is eligible for the NHS Pension scheme.
Salary is negotiable depending on experience and qualifications. Starting hourly rate £11.85, (unqualified, will rise in April).
CV must detail employment history, work experience and education and qualifications.
We welcome informal visits and should you wish to do so please contact Sue Gill on 01439 788215
Closing date for applications: Sunday 16th March Interview date: To be confirmed
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will project a positive and friendly image to dispensary patients and other visitors and deal with queries in a professional, courteous and efficient way. The post holder will either be training towards or hold a NVQ level 2 Dispensing Assistant or equivalent.
Assist in the preparation, dispensing of prescriptions and assist with stock control, ordering and re-stocking of the dispensary.
Your main base will be at our Ampleforth Surgery. Holiday & sickness cover also required.
About us
About us
We are a small close-knit dispensing practice with two surgeries in the rural villages of Ampleforth and Hovingham. Our mission is to deliver the best healthcare to our patients. We use a multidisciplinary approach bringing together GPs, Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Mental Health Nurses and our non-clinical team to deliver an efficient and effective service with best outcomes for patients.
We serve over 4,000 patients across a large rural area and are members of North Riding Primary Care Network of four GP practices.
We offer a minimum of 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per year and automatic enrollment into the generous NHS pension scheme.
All our team are enthusiastic, friendly and we want to make a real difference to our patients come and be a part of the team!
Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
Issuing stock items and preparing prescriptions, in a timely manner
Ensure workload is processed promptly to avoid unmanageable levels of work building up
Collection of prescription charges/checking patient exemption statements
Cash handling occasionally
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
Ensuring that drugs are received and stored in an appropriate manner in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and drug classification
Ensuring that refrigerated items are stored at the appropriate temperature and maintaining the temperature control record/logbook
Cleaning work surfaces and shelving on a regular basis and ensuring that that all dispensary equipment is kept clean and kept in good working order
Taking prescription orders in person, telephone and via electronic sources
Liaising with hospital and other healthcare providers as necessary
Maintaining full and accurate records of all dispensing transactions
Undertaking other reasonable duties within the framework of the post as directed by the supervising dispenser.
Administration
To have a thorough knowledge of all Practice procedures relating to dispensing duties.
To work in accordance of written protocols
photocopy as requested
email documents as requested
Patient Facing Duties
Speaking to patients and consulting with members of Practice team
Handing completed repeat prescriptions to patients using the appropriate checks
Answering patient questions and queries in a friendly and professional manner
Have working knowledge of telephone system, handling patient telephone requests & any other enquiries
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)
Completing statutory practice training relating to health and safety and following practice policies
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
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
Equality and diversity:
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
- Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent ...