Pharmacy technician is a job title for a pharmacy staff member "who works uner the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, and performs many pharmacy-related functions." In most cases, job duties include providing medication and other health care products to patients. Pharmacy technicians often do the routine tasks associated with preparing prescribed medication and providing drugs to patients, and may also do compounding of medications. However, pharmacists check all medications before they go to the patient, and only pharmacists may counsel patients on the proper use of medications. In the UK however, training and continuing professional development is such that pharmacy technicians are qualified to counsel patients on their medication and indeed specialist technicians participate in the running of anticoagulant clinics, dosing warfarin patients under dose banding guidance. In hospital pharmacy especially, pharmacy technicians generally oversee the operational management of the dispensary and manufacturing units, freeing the pharmacists to participate and develop extended clinical pharmacy roles, such as independent prescribing etc.