Pharmacy colleagues praise variety, development opportunities and amazing environment as key reasons to join #TeamUHDB
Members of the Pharmacy team at Royal Derby Hospital have been sharing what it is they enjoy most about their role as the team looks to expand and recruit more colleagues to their ranks.
We are currently looking for Ward-based Medicines Management Technicians (MMTs) to join the team based in Derby, in what is an exciting, varied and fulfilling role that will see successful applicants learn and develop their knowledge across a number of different clinical areas.
MMTs form a key part of our Pharmacy team and are heavily involved in the care of patients. These colleagues work closely with a wide range of teams across a broad spectrum of specialist areas and providing care for patients with a range of conditions.
This comes as the team is looking for a caring, compassionate and enthusiastic Pharmacy Technician in Medicines Management (MMT) to join their ranks.
A day in the life of a MMT is a varied one, with the team supporting colleagues in several departments and specialist areas at Royal Derby Hospital.
Typical tasks include liaising with the ward Pharmacist to manage the ward medication orders, completing the newly admitted patients' medication histories and prioritising patient discharges, including arranging their medications and constructing accurate discharge letters.
Aleks Turner, who is one of our current MMTs, said this variety is something that her and her team relish about the role:
"We work with all departments and specialities so we get so much variety in what we do which is amazing. This also means that we get to see so many different people, both in terms of colleagues and patients.
"That, for me, is the best aspect of this job - the fact that we get to spend time with patients. We often sit down and explain things to them which really helps to reassure them, as well as getting to know them as well."
Toria Al-Zanki, another of our MMTs at Royal Derby Hospital, echoed Aleks' views and says this variety has helped her to develop and take forward steps in her career.
She added: "I have learned more in this role than any other that I've had in a pharmacy team. Every day is different. You could be covering anything from a medical to surgical ward depending on what rotation you're on, and this really makes a difference to how your 'typical' day will look.
"But this is part of the reason why this role is so great. You spend some time on one rotation and then you're moved on to the next and this means you're always learning something new every day and are never stagnating."
The wider Pharmacy team is also incredibly supportive in helping colleagues to develop and learn, but also in a pastoral sense, with Aleks describing the team as a "family".
She added: "We're quite a big team and it's basically like a family. Everyone is so supportive and will always help you out if you're struggling in any way. There has never been a moment in this role that I have felt like I've not been able to ask the team for extra support.
"The management team are also really proactive in pushing us to better ourselves in our appraisals and at other times, so it's a really good team to be a part of."
The Pharmacy 'family' forms a crucial part of the wider #TeamUHDB family, with the MMTs regularly coming together with other clinical colleagues using the "amazing" facilities at Royal Derby Hospital to help provide the holistic care our patients require.
Toria said this was just another reason as to why she enjoys her role so much:
"We work in a super hospital with some amazing facilities and seeing colleagues from so many different specialities coming together all on one site is incredible.
"To see everyone working together like this, in addition to what we can offer as MMTs, is just uber job satisfaction for me!"
Applications are now being accepted for the role of Ward-based Medicines Management Technician in our Royal Derby Hospital Pharmacy team. The closing date for applications is Thursday 13 April 2023.