Specialist Pharmacy Technician – Informatics & Analytics
Job summary
The Digital Pharmacy Team at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Pharmacy Technician who has a passion for improving medicines pathways through the use of technology and data.
This developmental role offers a structured pathway for a Pharmacy Technician to progress from Band 6 to Band 7, focusing on informatics and analytics.
The postholder will initially join as a Band 6, developing specialist knowledge and skills in digital medicines management, data analysis, and pharmacy systems. Upon successful completion of defined competencies and experience, the individual will progress to Band 7, taking on greater responsibility for service development, project leadership. They will support digital pharmacy innovation across all sites at GSTT, with opportunities to work at the forefront of the field and with new technology.
This role is pivotal in supporting the development and delivery of digital services across the pharmacy department, as well as for managing pharmacy automation (Omnicell and dispensing robots) on the Royal Brompton and Harefield sites.
(Please see Progressional Criteria Framework for assessment criteria to achieve Band 7. Prospective post-holders who have significant experience and can demonstrate the requirements of Band 7 role will be assessed on an individual basis.)
Main duties of the job
Band 6 (Developmental Phase):
- Engage in a structured training and development programme, building expertise in data analysis, digital systems, and project management
- Maintain and update digital medicines systems which are based the at Royal Brompton and Harefield sites, and seek continuous opportunities to align practice and management of these with wider GSTT Pharmacy. These include Omnicell cabinets/robots,Temperature Monitoring
The Band 7 role will include increased responsibility for pharmacy analytics, data strategy implementation, and cross-site informatics leadership. Upon successful progression to a B7 role, in addition to the above responsibilities, the following will also apply:
- As a specialist, to support the development and implementation of relevant digital technology which supports pharmacy service; and where applicable to lead projects to continually improve of these systems, contributing to the advancement of Pharmacy's digital maturity.
- To manage pharmacy analytics queries and produce high-quality reports, dashboards, and user tools - through using expertise technical skills in data analytics (e.g SQL/Python/ PowerBi)
- The post-holder has specialist knowledge to provide expert advice, training, and support to pharmacy and clinical staff on digital systems, acting as a digital champion and key contact for troubleshooting and system optimisation.
Please see JD for full information; and Progression Framework for criteria for moving bands
About us
The Pharmacy Department at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust provides medicines supply services a full clinical pharmacy service to wards, departments and community services. Working within multidisciplinary teams with other healthcare professionals, our pharmacists ensure a patient's medicines are optimised to their individual needs and that governance processes, in terms of both clinical safety and cost, are in place for the safe and effective use of medicines. Each department employs a number of highly specialist pharmacists, essential as medicines and prescribing becomes more complex. The Pharmacy Department includes dedicated clinical pharmacy teams to support Directorates, the Evelina London Children's Hospital and our Cancer Centre. The department incorporates both sterile and non-sterile manufacturing units and holds two regional pharmacy specialities; medicines information and pharmacy quality assurance. It follows a service model whereby more junior pharmacists provide care for straightforward patients and more complex patients are assigned to a senior pharmacist for review. Overall, more than 400 staff are employed and the annual drugs budget is £120m.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please review job description document attached for full responsibilities at Band 6 and at Band 7 level; and the Progression Framework.
Person Specification
Knowledge/Qualifications
- BTEC/NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Sciences/Service
- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification
- Higher apprenticeship or post-graduate qualification in Data Science, Data Analytics or equivalent; or relevant post graduate professional qualification or equivalent experience
Previous experience
- Significant experience working in a Hospital Pharmacy environment as a qualified Pharmacy Technician, using digital systems to facilitate safe medicines supply.
- Good understanding of confidentiality issues and the Data Protection Act
- A good operational knowledge of computer hardware and relevant software
- Demonstrated experience of multidisciplinary team (MDT) working
- Knowledge of BI reporting software such as crystal reports, business objects or PowerBi
- Experience as a Medicines Management Technician
- Knowledge and a strong interest in informatics, analytics and programming, underpinned by significant experience and/or theoretical study
- Demonstrates experience in project leadership
- Experience of training and development of staff
- Up to date knowledge of NHS IT issues
- Knowledge of managing pharmacy automation
- Experience using digital medicines systems
Skills
- Proven evidence of maintaining a broad level of Pharmacy practice and interests
- Proficiency in using digital pharmacy systems to provide pharmacy services
- Ability to trouble shoot and make informed decisions, using own initiative
- Good organisational/time management skills
- Good communication skills (both written and verbal)
- Ability to influence and instruct others
- Ability to multitask and manage interruptions
- Proven ability for team working, a "can do" attitude and a positive attitude to change
- Enthusiastic about using IT systems to improve NHS working practices
- Meets set targets
- Ability to write and implement procedures
- Proven ability to identify and manage risks
- The ability to initiate and implement change
Additional
- A commitment to partnership working, inclusion of a diverse workforce and service integration.
- A commitment to partnership working, inclusion of a diverse workforce and service integration.
- Proven work record
- Proven work record
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer details
Employer name
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Royal Brompton Hospital (main base); Cross-site working required including regular visits to Harefield Hospital.
Sydney St
London
SW3 6NP
Employer's website
https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx