Pharmacy TechnicianNHS

Job summary

The Claypath and University Primary Care Network covers a single practice population of over 33,300 patients and is looking to recruit to a newly created Pharmacy Technician position. The Pharmacy Technician will work alongside the PCN Pharmacy Team and other members of our PCN and practice multi-disciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will assist the PCN clinical pharmacy team and practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

Providing a patient facing and supporting role, your key responsibilities will include:

• supporting the PCN Clinical Pharmacist and practice clinical team to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste, and maximising patient outcomes;
• recommending changes to prescribing or medicines optimisation systems and processes in general practice;
• resolving prescription-related issues and encouraging better pharmaceutical understanding with patients and throughout the primary health care team, including practice clinical and non-clinical staff, attached practice staff, care homes and community pharmacies;
• improving the quality and safety of prescribing and medicines optimisation within the practice.

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a pharmacy technician role, a relevant pharmaceutical qualification, and be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Job description

The following are the core responsibilities of the Pharmacy Technician in delivering health services:

a. Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients

b. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate

antibiotic prescribing

c. Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive

schemes and patient safety audits

d. Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g., use of antibiotics), supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services

e. Work with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes, and reducing wastage

f. Support practice reception teams in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and Clinical Pharmacists to review the more clinically complex request

g. Support medicines optimisation systems with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing electronic prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines

h. Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service

i. Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, and mental health

j. Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children

k. Handle prescription queries and requests directly

l. Be an integral part of the general practice team

m. Demonstrate initiative and be creative in finding solutions to problems

n. Participate in clinical audits and research projects and implements changes as required, including supporting with the development, and updating of practice protocols/guidelines and procedures locally

o. Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements

p. Support in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events

q. Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes

r. Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance

s. Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed

t. Contribute to public health campaigns (e.g., flu clinics)

u. Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times

There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels

About us

We are a large, friendly, well organised, and forward thinking GMS training practice located in the heart of the beautiful City of Durham. With a list size of over 33,300 patients, half of which are students from the University, we are looking to recruit a pharmacy technician.

The post-holder is a Pharmacy Technician and is an integral part of the general practice team, working within their professional boundaries.

If you are friendly and enthusiastic with excellent communication skills, as well as the ability to work confidently and effectively in a diverse and sometimes challenging environment, you could be just the person we are looking for!

Our fantastic team includes:

GP Partners, Salaried GPs, Nurse Practitioners, Practice Nurses, HCAs, GP Assistants, CPNs, Physios, SPLWs and an experienced and proactive administrative and management team.