Senior Pharmacy Technician Meds Commissioning - Band 6NHS

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a smarter, more sustainable approach to medicines use across our system and to play a key role in improving population health, supporting neighbourhood level care through effective medicines optimisation.

You will

• Bring technical expertise to support the strategic commissioning and delivery of high value prescribing.
• Help ensure prescribing aligns with agreed clinical pathways, NICE guidance and national policy, using data and insight to support consistent, evidence based decision making.
• Lead defined workstreams within medicines commissioning, support the implementation of prescribing support and digital tools, and contribute to reducing unwarranted variation across the system.
• Act as a vital link between neighbourhood teams, general practice, community pharmacy and system partners.
• Champion safe, effective and efficient medicines use, supporting the adoption of best practice and helping embed pathway changes into day to day care.
• Play a key role in developing the pharmacy technician workforce, providing mentorship, coordinating training opportunities and promoting high professional standards. Supporting technicians to deliver safe, evidence based and cost effective medicines optimisation in line with system priorities.

If you are motivated by collaborative working, data driven and want to make a meaningful impact across communities, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a GPhC registered pharmacy technician with experience in primary care or community pharmacy and confident with systems such as ScriptSwitch, OptimiseRx, PrescQIPP and ePACT2.

You will

• Support delivery of medicines commissioning priorities and act as the technical lead for medicines optimisation
• Bring technical expertise to enable a more strategic, intelligence led approach to medicines use
• Support alignment of clinical pathways, national guidance & policies, using prescribing insight to inform commissioning decisions, optimise outcomes & reduce unwarranted variation at population level.
• Work across organisational boundaries translating commissioning intent into consistent practice, including the implementation of pathway change, shared care & safety initiatives, embedding innovation & best practice across primary care & community settings.
• Contribute to financial stewardship & value based commissioning, using data, digital tools & prescribing analytics to support efficiency, prioritisation & sustainability.
• Develop the PCN pharmacy technician workforce through mentorship, training & professional leadership, enabling teams to support delivery of strategic medicines optimisation objectives.
• Have strong analytical & communication skills, the ability to influence across system partners, a sound understanding of medicines governance, formulary compliance & shared care, with a focus on improving outcomes through safe, effective & value-based medicines use.

Job description

The Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.

The postholder will support delivery of medicines commissioning and optimisation priorities within neighbourhoods. This role provides technical and operational expertise to ensure prescribing aligns with ICB clinical pathways, NICE guidance, and national policy. The post holder will champion safe, efficient medicines use, support implementation of prescribing support tools, and contribute to workforce development across pharmacy teams. The post holder will play a key role in supporting and developing the pharmacy technician workforce within neighbourhoods. This includes providing mentorship, sharing best practice, and helping technicians employed in Primary Care Networks and community pharmacy to maximise their skills in medicines optimisation activities. The role will involve coordinating training opportunities, promoting professional standards, and ensuring technicians are equipped to deliver safe, effective, and cost-efficient medicines use.

While working under the guidance of the Senior Pharmacist, the post holder will have autonomy to lead defined workstreams, provide technical advice, and act as a key link between neighbourhood teams, general practice, and community pharmacy.

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the Director of Pharmacy, Medicines and Clinical Policies in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:

• From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
• From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
• From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:

Medicines commissioning and optimisation

• Support implementation of medicines optimisation priorities within assigned neighbourhoods
• Maintain and update prescribing support systems (e.g., ScriptSwitch, PrescQIPP, Eclipse) and ensure timely integration of formulary changes
• Monitor prescribing data (ePACT2, dashboards) to identify trends and escalate issues to the Senior Pharmacist
• Provide technical input into efficiency programmes and cost-saving initiatives

Planning and organisation

• Plan and prioritize own workload and contribute to project plans for medicines optimisation initiatives, ensuring timely delivery and accurate reporting
• Coordinate meetings and events to support delivery of medicines optimisation workstreams

Neighbourhood and provider support

• Act as the technical medicines optimisation lead for designated neighbourhoods
• Support PCNs and community pharmacy in embedding medicines optimisation into routine care
• Assist in implementing shared care protocols and interface prescribing solutions
• Prepare clear written communications, guidance, and updates for stakeholders, including PCNs and community pharmacy

Clinical governance and safety

• Ensure compliance with medicines governance standards, including controlled drugs and safety alerts
• Support delivery of medication safety improvement programmes and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives

Workforce development

• Provide guidance and mentorship to pharmacy technicians in PCNs and community pharmacy
• Coordinate training and capability building for technical aspects of medicines optimisation
• Promote professional standards and continuous development for pharmacy technicians
• Provide day-to-day guidance to pharmacy technicians and support their development through informal supervision and skills coaching

Innovation and digital enablement

• Champion adoption of prescribing support tools and digital solutions in general practice
• Maintain local medicines optimisation web content and ensure accurate, timely updates

Financial and resource management

• Support monitoring of prescribing budgets and efficiency targets
• Provide technical input into financial reporting and variance analysis
• Assist in tracking prescribing efficiency savings and provide data to support financial reporting

Team management and capability building

• Supporting directorate oversight of workforce reporting, including reporting on key HR metrics
• Able to influence in order to deliver effectively through those not directly line managing
• Support the effective transition of relevant functions to new portfolios within or beyond the ICB to support the new NHS operating model, in line with the requirements of the Model ICB Blueprint
• Work collaboratively with system partners to facilitate transitional arrangements
• Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition
• Supporting effective Information Asset Management for the team

Other

• Able to use initiative and work independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role
• Primarily desk-based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on-line or in person meetings
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel)

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities

As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organisation, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:

• Senior Pharmacists and wider medicines commissioning team
• Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and neighbourhood teams
• Community pharmacy and local providers
• GP Federations and commissioned organisations
• Local authority and public health teams

About us

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office-based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.