Dispensary Manager

Job description Job responsibilities Job Summary You will manage and coordinate the dispensary service across both of Framlingham's sites: Framlingham and Earl Soham.You are responsible for ensuring medicines are dispensed safely, accurately, and efficiently, while providing clear managerial leadership, oversight, and accountability for the dispensary team.You will work closely with GPs, pharmacists, and the wider practice team to support high-quality patient care and help reduce GP prescribing workload.Key ResponsibilitiesDispensary Management You will manage the dispensary service across all three sites, ensuring safe, effective, and resilient service delivery. You will line manage dispensary staff, including supervision, rota management, appraisal, sickness management, and performance management. You will support recruitment, induction, training, and competency assessment of dispensary staff. You will ensure adequate staffing levels, skill mix, and cover across Framlingham and Earl Soham.Dispensing and Medicines Management You will ensure the safe, accurate, and timely dispensing of medicines in accordance with legal requirements, SOPs, and professional standards. You will oversee prescription processing, labelling, assembly, checking, and supply of medicines. You will manage ordering of medicines and dispensing supplies, ensuring continuity of supply and value for money. You will maintain effective stock control systems, including stock rotation, expiry date monitoring, cold-chain management, and stock reconciliation. You will support pharmacy and prescribing activity by resolving patient and prescription queries, liaising with GPs, pharmacists, and external pharmacies where needed to ensure safe and timely supply of medicines. Operational OversightYou hold overall responsibility for the effective operation of the dispensary service across all practice sites. This includes: Ensuring dispensary services are organised, resilient, and appropriately staffed. Overseeing workflows to ensure prescriptions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in line with policy. Ensuring dispensary SOPs are current, embedded, and consistently applied. Maintaining oversight of dispensing activity without being solely task-focused yourself. Controlled Drugs and Governance You will ensure robust controlled drugs governance, including safe storage, ordering, recording, reconciliation, and destruction in line with legislation and local SOPs. You will lead on controlled drugs audits and respond appropriately to discrepancies or incidents. You will ensure dispensary SOPs are followed consistently and reviewed regularly. DSQS and Contractual Compliance You will take lead responsibility for Dispensing Services Quality Scheme (DSQS) compliance. You will ensure evidence is maintained to demonstrate compliance with DSQS requirements across all sites. You will support data collection, audits, and reporting required to meet contractual obligations. Patient Safety and Risk Management You will identify, manage, and mitigate risks relating to dispensing activity. You will ensure dispensing incidents, near misses, and concerns are reported appropriately and investigated. You will contribute to learning, action planning, and service improvement following incidents or audits. Clinical and Patient-Facing Responsibilities You will work closely with GPs, pharmacists, and the wider clinical team to resolve patient and prescription queries, supporting safe prescribing and effective medicines management. You will provide advice and support to patients regarding their medicines, within your scope of practice. You will contribute to improving patient experience and outcomes through effective medicines management. Quality Assurance and Audit You will support internal and external audits, inspections, and assurance visits. You will ensure accurate record-keeping and compliance with information governance requirements. You will provide dispensary-related information and assurance reports as required by the Practice Operations Manager or Partners. Service Development and Improvement You will support continuous improvement of dispensary processes. You will contribute to service development, efficiency initiatives, and digital optimisation where appropriate You will act as a senior point of escalation for dispensary-related issues across the practice.Other duties You may be required to undertake any other duty that may be reasonable and commensurate with the pay tier