How long have you worked in pharmacy?
I have been in pharmacy for over 25 years, and my journey started with community pharmacy before I moved over to South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in 2012 as a band 4 pharmacy technician.
Since joining South Tees, I have progressed both personally and professionally into my current role as a band 6, medicines optimisation, formulary and homecare pharmacy technician.
What qualifications did you need and where did you receive them?
I gained my qualification, City and Guilds Level 3 NHV in Pharmacy Services whilst working in community pharmacy.
This was a two-year work-based course and after completion I was eligible to be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a pharmacy technician.
Whilst at South Tees, I did a two-year work-based course to become a medicines management technician.
This experience and extra knowledge allowed me to work as a clinical pharmacy technician on the wards at The James Cook University Hospital alongside a wider multi-disciplinary team.
As part of the medicines management technician qualification, I was also accredited as a ‘accredited checking technician’ (ACT). This allows pharmacy technicians to perform the final dispensing accuracy check for prescriptions and other dispensed items.
Tell us something about your role people might not be aware of.
Within homecare, I have been able to develop the service and my role as the pharmacy technician.
The role of a homecare pharmacy technician can be working with these clinical teams setting up and maintaining a high standard services to working with the finance department and external departments with homecare providers.
One of my recent accomplishments has been able to perform a professional check on repeat homecare prescriptions, saving pharmacist time.
Another achievement is becoming the ‘professional secretary’ for South Tees Drug and Therapeutics Group.
This group works on the medicine’s formulary for South Tees, evaluating new medicines to ensure and they safe and effective for use within the South Tees Hospitals.
What do you like about working at South Tees in pharmacy?
One of the things I like about working in pharmacy is that over my career, pharmacy and especially pharmacy technician have been able to develop into new exciting roles.
The days of just dispensing medicines have moved forward and pharmacy technicians are recognised as a professional.
At South Tees there are many opportunities within variety of pharmacy areas to developed and I have been fortunate to do this with homecare.