How long have you worked in pharmacy?
The past six years I have worked as a pharmacy assistant in pharmacy stores.
People are unaware of pharmacy stores being such a large part of pharmacy or that it even exists, but this area of pharmacy has great importance.
In pharmacy stores, not only does the team receive thousands of medications monthly through our goods in system, we provide medication to our adjoining department’s dispensary and aseptic as well as all wards, departments, and community hospitals and clinics.
We also provide Friarage Hospital with daily deliveries.
What qualifications did you need and where did you receive them?
Recently I completed an NVQ level two in pharmacy skills and dispensing which improves myself in this role, to always have more understanding of the importance of this department.
It also shows that with the right attitude and determination that the management team will support staff progression.
To me being a pharmacy assistant means being the vital link between the treatment areas and the patients receiving the high standard of care that they deserve.
Tell us something about your role people might not be aware of…
My daily role can vary from visiting a wide range of wards to provide a manual and accurate medication stock top up, to picking medications needed to treat patients within the trust.
For the past four years, the trust has invested in Omnicell medicines cabinets which have changed the way the stores work.
These are what we describe as being like ‘vending machines, but for medication’, these cabinets have given the stores department more responsibility around replenishing, delivering and loading these units up with the needed medication, in order to treat patients.
This is a huge step for the trust as a whole and a way forward for us to produce medication stock top-ups in a quicker, safer and more secure way.
We receive thousands of medications monthly through our goods inwards area, this means working closely with our procurement team.
Not only do we have to work under pressure and speed in this job role, but we also have to ensure we take time and thoroughly check that we have received the correct item which has been ordered.
If we didn’t receive the correct medication, then it may lead to patients not getting the treatment required.