About this role
Job summary
The Aseptic unit is a small team of around 14 staff and is responsible for providing 6500 doses of cytotoxics and monoclonal antibodies a year. The Aseptic Pharmacy team also supplies approximately 2000 bags of parenteral nutrition per year for inpatients treated on site
The post holder will support the Aseptic Services department - under the management of the Chief Pharmacy Technician and under the overall leadership of the Associate Chief Pharmacist - to ensure the safe, effective and timely provision of aseptic products to all patients in King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The post holder will be responsible for participating in the aseptic manufacture of chemotherapy doses, checking volumes for other Aseptic staff, generating worksheets and labels using Epic - the trust's chosen electronic prescribing system, advising the Chief Pharmacy Technician and Associate Chief Pharmacist on amending work practices and documentation to improve the running of the service, maintaining equipment according to procedures and actively encouraging adherence to all procedures relating to the aseptic department and Good Manufacturing Practice.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work alongside pharmacists and technicians in the pharmacy section 10 production unit at the Princess Royal University Hospital site based in Orpington, Kent. The post holder will assist in the preparation and dispensing of aseptically produced products in isolators, as well as assisting with the daily monitoring and cleaning of isolators, and the monitoring of the clean room. The post holder will be expected to work to the principles of "Good Manufacturing Practice".
The post holder must be flexible to working at other King's College Hospital trust sites when required to fulfil the service needs of cross-site working.
All work will be carried out according to procedures and standards of professional practice in the Department; however, staff are expected to develop their own safe systems of work to ensure a high professional standard of work conducive to patient safety.
About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. Transforming Healthcare is the vision at the heart of the King's Strategy - 2026 to 2031. Together, we are pursuing six strategic ambitions: delivering high-quality patient care; being a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
Achieving these ambitions will require all of us to work as one Team King's, united by a shared commitment to our values of being caring, collaborative, inclusive and innovative. By living these values every day, we will transform healthcare for our patients, our communities and each other
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Job description Job responsibilities
To actively encourage the adherence to Good Manufacturing Practice and all procedures relating to the aseptic services department and to suggest changes in practice and procedures as appropriate To prepare chemotherapy, immunotherapies, CIVAS, parenteral nutrition and clinical trial patient doses, fully gowned and gloved in a clean room environment. To assemble ingredients and consumables and record batch numbers and expiry dates accurately on aseptic worksheets. To label and package final products accurately and store correctly following aseptic procedures. To liaise with other staff to ensure the safe, efficient and timely delivery of aseptic products. To ensure that all documentation is processed and filed correctly. To ensure that all records and logs are completed correctly on a daily basis and to report any out of specification results to the Chief Pharmacy Technician or Associate Chief Pharmacist Aseptic Services. To assist in maintaining equipment according to procedures, including leak testing of isolators and accurately maintain records. To check volumes for other Aseptic Services and rotational staff after undergoing an accredited competency process. To tidy, clean and disinfect the Aseptic Services department according to procedures as required. This may involve an early start. To participate in the monitoring and cleaning rota of the isolators following standard operating procedures. To undertake media validation to ensure on going validation of aseptic competence To prepare documentation and labels using the Epic system. To undertake transfer disinfection into the aseptic unit and isolators according to procedures. To sit or stand at isolators for long periods. To participate in the out-of-hours, weekend and Bank Holiday rotas in the Pharmacy Department
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications Essential
NVQ Pharmacy Level 2 plus accredited underpinning knowledge or equivalent
Knowledge and Experience Essential
Understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice
Desirable
Experience in hospital pharmacy aseptic services Be familiar with handling cytotoxic drugs following approved procedures Experience of dispensing medication Knowledge of good aseptic technique Knowledge of pharmacy computer systems
Skills and Competencies Essential
Be able to provide and receive routine factual information to inform work colleagues, patients/carers that may require tact and persuasion, where there may be barriers to understanding Good interpersonal and communication skills, written and oral Good time management skills including ability to prioritise work Good problem-solving abilities, able to work on own initiative Ability to prioritise workload of own and others
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address Princess Royal Univerity Hospital
Farnborough Common
Orpington
BR6 8ND
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)