Medicines Counter AssistantNHS
Job summary
Working under the supervision of the Responsible pharmacist, carry out the day to day activitiesconnected with sale & supply, ordering and receipt of medicines and products for retail sale.Provide advice to patients on the use of medicines and on general health and lifestyle matters withinown capability.Receive and give out completed prescriptions under the guidance of the Responsible pharmacist,providing feedback on information provided or requested by patients.
Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities:
- Prescription & Patient Management: Process prescriptions efficiently while liaising professionally with patients, representatives, and hospital staff face-to-face, via phone, or electronically. Gather essential data for safe dispensing and work strictly within your defined competence, escalating queries to the pharmacy team according to SOPs.
- Point of Sale & Counselling: Securely handle cash and electronic transactions, verifying fee exemptions. Issue dispensed medications and offer accurate patient counselling under the direct supervision of the Responsible Pharmacist. Immediately report potential issues like drug interactions, compliance barriers, or safety concerns. Maintain clear transactional records and file prescriptions correctly.
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Sales: Guide customers on symptoms and products safely. Complete a recognised Medicines Counter Assistant training course to maintain current retail and OTC knowledge. Make appropriate clinical referrals to the Pharmacist when required.
- Stock & Retail Operations: Manage cash operations and cashing up accurately. Order retail goods and optimise stock management by conducting regular date checks. Review demand trends to maintain balanced stock, identifying and reporting short shelf-life or slow-moving items to the manager.
- Merchandising: Ensure the retail space remains tidy, priced accurately, and professional.
Job description
Key Responsibilities:
- Prescription & Patient Management: Process prescriptions efficiently while liaising professionally with patients, representatives, and hospital staff face-to-face, via phone, or electronically. Gather essential data for safe dispensing and work strictly within your defined competence, escalating queries to the pharmacy team according to SOPs.
- Point of Sale & Counselling: Securely handle cash and electronic transactions, verifying fee exemptions. Issue dispensed medications and offer accurate patient counselling under the direct supervision of the Responsible Pharmacist. Immediately report potential issues like drug interactions, compliance barriers, or safety concerns. Maintain clear transactional records and file prescriptions correctly.
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Sales: Guide customers on symptoms and products safely. Complete a recognised Medicines Counter Assistant training course to maintain current retail and OTC knowledge. Make appropriate clinical referrals to the Pharmacist when required.
- Stock & Retail Operations: Manage cash operations and cashing up accurately. Order retail goods and optimise stock management by conducting regular date checks. Review demand trends to maintain balanced stock, identifying and reporting short shelf-life or slow-moving items to the manager.
- Merchandising: Ensure the retail space remains tidy, priced accurately, and professional.
About us
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).
We have four primary goals:
- high-quality care for all,
- being a great place to work,
- partnerships for impact, and
- research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
- we are compassionate,
- we are proud,
- we are inclusive, and
- we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.