Mental health pharmacy technicians are responsible for preparing, supplying and administering medicines. They are key members of the mental health multidisciplinary team and play a vital role in helping often vulnerable patients get the best outcome from their medicines. The role involves liaising with patients, other healthcare professionals and customers to ensure the effective and safe use of medicines.
Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a pharmacist and are registered healthcare professionals that are responsible and accountable for their own accurate and safe practice.
Key responsibilities
- Providing safe and effective pharmacy services.
- Supplying medicines and medical devices to patients providing information on symptoms and products.
- Achieving the best outcomes through a patient’s medicines.
- Assembling and accuracy checking medicines for prescriptions or ward stock.
- Providing information to patients, carers and other members of the healthcare team.
- Managing areas of medicines supply such as dispensaries or managing services and projects.
- Supervising and training other pharmacy staff.
- Responding to patients’ and customers’ questions both face to face and over the phone.
- Pre-packing, assembling and labelling medicines.
- Referring problems or queries to the pharmacist.
- Procurement and stock control.
- Taking medication histories from patients.
- Supporting relationships between the wards and clinical areas, patients, and pharmacy services.
- Working in multidisciplinary teams such as community mental health to support patients with their medicines in their homes and communities.
- Participating in medication audits.
- To support and promote a safe working environment in accordance with Health & Safety and Infection Control policies.
- Understand the Mental Capacity Act to aid decision-making for medicines prescribing and administration
Location
Specific to MH (hospital, secure units, community mental health teams etc.)
The entry requirements will vary depending on the course provider. However, as a guide, you might be expected to have the equivalent of four GCSEs at Grade C and above, including mathematics, English language, science and one other subject. You will also need to be working in a pharmacy under the supervision of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician
To practise as a pharmacy technician in England, you'll need to complete an accredited course and register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
GPhC-approved courses/qualifications are also available through a level 3 pharmacy technician apprenticeship. To apply, you'll need to be employed and working in a pharmacy to meet the required minimum number of experience hours working within the pharmacy environment, under the direct supervision of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.
Employers, including the NHS, offer jobs for trainee pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacy technicians must be able to communicate effectively with the wider healthcare team, patients and the public, whilst ensuring and maintaining confidentiality and privacy.
In addition, as a pharmacy technician you need to be:
- Responsible, accurate and methodical
- Able to pay close attention to detail
- Ready to refer to the pharmacist when necessary
- Able to understand law and guidelines on medicines
- Able to read and follow instructions
- Interested in people’s health
- Able to explain clearly to members of the public
- Able to demonstrate excellent customer service skills
- Able to demonstrate excellent organisational, science and manual dexterity skills
In order to work in some specialist areas, you may be required to undertake additional post-registration training / qualifications.
