College Way Surgery

Pharmacy Technician

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

Pharmacy Technicians play an important role, complementing clinical pharmacists and other members of the Practice (and wider PCN) multi-disciplinary team.

The purpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will help patients to get the best from their medicines by switching medications to agreed and approved protocols, improving repeat prescribing processes in General Practice, including promotion of repeat dispensing and online ordering, minimising clinical risk and aiming to reduce wasted medicines.

In addition, the post holder will be responsible for encouraging the development of a better understanding of the principles of medicines optimisation throughout the practice teams and promoting good practice in line with therapeutic developments.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will support the practice in providing safe, effective and efficient systems for medicines reconciliation on transfer of care, and to support the repeat prescribing process.The post holder will support the practice pharmacist and clinical teams, including:

  • support the practice pharmacist with medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients medical records and prescriptions.
  • carry out medication switches, dose optimisation and medicines synchronisation to ensure safe and cost-effective prescribing
  • assist with the initiation of repeat prescribing (eRD) for appropriate patients
  • provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing in order to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness
  • participate in medication audits and quality improvement projects
  • support practices to meet QOF indicators
  • support patient safety with high risk drug monitoring and other safety scorecard indicators
  • respond to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the appropriate clinician as necessary
  • advise on the sourcing and safe management of medicines as appropriate
  • action drug alerts
  • act as a link between practice and local community and hospital pharmacy services
  • support the prescription clerk team to resolve medicine related queries

About us

The post holder will be based at College Way Surgery, Taunton and work as part of the practice multi-disciplinary team.

College Way Surgery is based in the Somerset town of Taunton. Our registered patient population is c.13,900 and growing due to local housing developments. The practice team includes 10 GP Partners, a Salaried GP and a GP Retainer who all work closely with our experienced practice nurses. As a member practice of Taunton Central Primary Care Network our wider practice team includes Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, Musculoskeletal Practitioners, Community and Care Home Teams and an Open Mental Health Liaison Practitioner. We are a long-established training practice.

Details

Date posted

09 February 2024

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

A1440-24-0001

Job locations

Comeytrowe Centre

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 4TY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.

Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.

Action Medicines Safety / MHRA alerts.

Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronise medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies.

Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) including organising necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.

Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.

Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

Technical and administration

Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.

Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reduce medication wastage.

Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the operation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

Promote Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering.

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

Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.

Support practice reception teams in handling general prescription requests, in order to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.

Support the PCN to deliver on the QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services.

Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.

Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.

Action Medicines Safety / MHRA alerts.

Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronise medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies.

Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) including organising necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.

Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.

Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

Technical and administration

Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.

Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reduce medication wastage.

Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the operation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

Promote Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering.

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

Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.

Support practice reception teams in handling general prescription requests, in order to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.

Support the PCN to deliver on the QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services.

Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional registration with GPhC.
  • Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified by the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician; enrolled in, undertaking, or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP).
  • Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)

Desirable

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent.
  • BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences.

Experience

Essential

  • Good level of IT skills.
  • Post qualification experience which evidences leadership and working effectively within a team.
  • Knowledge of medicines management, including relevant legislation or policies (candidates who do not have this but show a strong commitment to developing this may be considered).
  • Evidence of undertaking quality improvement/audit type work/research.
  • Ability to network and establish good working relationships outside of the practice to support work.

Desirable

  • Experience of using a clinical medical IT system.
  • Experience of working in a Pharmacy or GP Practice setting.
  • Understands the aims of current healthcare policy within Primary Care.
  • Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data.

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Ability to work well under pressure to meet deadlines.
  • Able to work well with a wide range of people to problem solve and develop good systems of working.
  • Accurate and detail orientated.
  • The ability to work under own initiative and in a team.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional registration with GPhC.
  • Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified by the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician; enrolled in, undertaking, or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP).
  • Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)

Desirable

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent.
  • BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences.

Experience

Essential

  • Good level of IT skills.
  • Post qualification experience which evidences leadership and working effectively within a team.
  • Knowledge of medicines management, including relevant legislation or policies (candidates who do not have this but show a strong commitment to developing this may be considered).
  • Evidence of undertaking quality improvement/audit type work/research.
  • Ability to network and establish good working relationships outside of the practice to support work.

Desirable

  • Experience of using a clinical medical IT system.
  • Experience of working in a Pharmacy or GP Practice setting.
  • Understands the aims of current healthcare policy within Primary Care.
  • Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data.

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Ability to work well under pressure to meet deadlines.
  • Able to work well with a wide range of people to problem solve and develop good systems of working.
  • Accurate and detail orientated.
  • The ability to work under own initiative and in a team.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

College Way Surgery

Address

Comeytrowe Centre

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 4TY


Employer's website

https://www.collegewaysurgery.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

College Way Surgery

Address

Comeytrowe Centre

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 4TY


Employer's website

https://www.collegewaysurgery.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Practice Manager

Judith Kassapian

judith.kassapian@nhs.net

01823259333

Details

Date posted

09 February 2024

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

A1440-24-0001

Job locations

Comeytrowe Centre

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 4TY


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