Job responsibilities
Job
responsibilities
To
undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to
update patients medical records / prescribing accordingly.
Carry out
medication reviews whilst in patient records e.g. dose optimisation and
medicines synchronisation
Support
the prescription clerks by helping with queries relating to prescription
requests and look for ways to improve the efficiency and safety of the
prescription issuing process, ensuring queries are resolved and scripts issues
in line with the timeframe in the practice procedure.
Interface
with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues on medicines related issues.
Implement
and support use of monitored dosage systems and support the district nursing
team with medicine optimisation for housebound patients
Implement
and support electronic prescribing and repeat dispensing in appropriate
patients including working with the community pharmacy staff to identify
appropriate patients.
Review
out-patient letters which include changes to drug treatment and make changes to
patients repeat medication list as appropriate (or query prescribing if not in
accordance with Formulary). Liaising with patients and community pharmacy
regarding changes.
Review
out-patient discharge recommendations and issue prescriptions as requested
To support
the achievement of the practices prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework
targets.
Work with the Lead Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacists and Clinicians in
accordance with agreed practice prescribing
Working
with the Clinical Pharmacist and Prescribing Lead GP to contribute to the
review and development of repeat prescribing protocols / Standard Operating
Procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing
systems.
To help
drive quality improvements in areas of own workload that will improve
Population Health management and targets set by the Improvement Investment
Fund.
To provide
advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the
improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness.
To
participate in medication audits and ensure findings are recording and shared
with the wider team.
To assist
in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing the budgets and to
liaise with the medicines management team at the ICB.
To prepare
evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of
rational cost-effective prescribing.
Provide
supervision for the wider team to ensure staff are carrying out their duties
appropriately; in accordance with local policies and SOPs.
To support
the team to ensure dispensing standards are met and achieved and relevant
audits are completed to meet annual DSQS requirements.
To support
the Clinical Pharmacists to provide medication reviews, patient information
leaflets, medicine awareness; and to undertake community visits as
appropriate.
To take a
proactive approach to the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment
of risk and making recommendations for improvement.
To respond
to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner
referring to the appropriate GP in accordance with practice protocols.
To advise
on the sourcing and safe management of medicines as appropriate.
To use
highly developed knowledge and skills to provide high standards of patient
centred care.
To work
with the Care Home Pharmacist and offer Pharmacy Technician support where
appropriate. This support could include reviewing and highlighting patients to
the care home pharmacist in relation to structured medication reviews and
support for polypharmacy, deprescribing, quality improvement, appropriate use
of nutritional supplements and improving medicines related processes in care
homes
Undertaking
patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use,
through shared decision-making conversations with patients
To provide medication review services to patients via clinics in
practices, domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes and to
deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and
improve the quality of patient care.
Governance
To
assist the Lead Clinical Pharmacist with data analysis of prescribing behaviour
in line with NICE guidance and local clinical commissioning directives.
To
support the safe and effective repeat prescribing of high-risk medicines
ensuring that regular monitoring as per local/shared care guidance is taking
place.
To
document interventions made to patients medications in their health care
records to ensure there is a clear audit trail and changes are clearly
accounted for
Awareness
of, and compliance with, all relevant local/clinical policies and guidelines
Responsible
for the contribution to service improvement, evaluation, and development.
Actively identifies areas of improvement. Proactivity contributes to service
development and is responsible for service improvement through the application
of tested improvement tools and techniques.
Medicines
Optimisation
Provide
information and guidance to patients to improve adherence with medicines taking
where practical
Promote
and support the use of shared decision making where practical
Monitor
use of drugs for patients who may be overusing or misusing drugs and alert
prescribers as necessary
Respond
to queries from GPs and other clinical staff and contact patients where
necessary
Respond
to queries from receptionists regarding any medicine-related matters and
contact patients where necessary
Support
practice staff with managing a safe and robust medication review system
Respond
to queries with regard to transfer of prescribing from secondary to primary
care
Training and Personal development:
Participation
in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for
maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
Taking
responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating
skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
Offering
support and training to student placements with both Pharmacy Team trainees and
the wider team. For example this could be monitoring formulary updates and
highlighting and sharing with the wider team. Pharmacy Technicians can also
support new staff to understand prescribing processes within the clinical
system and policies across the wider group in relation to safe and effective
use of medicines
To
suggest and offer training for the dispensing team to ensure correct standards
are met. This for example could be through audit/quality improvement projects
and sharing best practice from national or local bodies
KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Confidentiality
The
post holder must maintain confidentiality, security and integrity of
information relating to patients, staff and the business.
In
the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the postholder
will have access to confidential information relating to patients and their
carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers.
They
will also have access to information relating to the practice as a business
organisation.
All such information from
any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
Any
breach of confidentiality will be regarded as gross misconduct according to
the Group Staff Handbook.
Equality
and Diversity
The postholder will
positively support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and
colleagues to include:
Acting
in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them
in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies and current
legislation.
Respecting
the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
Behaving
in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgemental and
respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Health
and Safety
The
postholder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others
health, safety and security as defined in the practice health & safety
policy, the practice health & safety manual and the practice infection
control policy and published procedures.
Communication
The postholder should
recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will
strive to:
Communicate
effectively with other team members
Communicate
effectively with patients and carers
Recognise
peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
Link/liaise
with local strategic groups to ensure work is aligned with local health and
wellbeing priorities.
Utilise
and demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully
informed and consent to treatment.
To
attend and participate in practice clinical meetings and other
multi-disciplinary meetings where necessary.
Quality
The
postholder will strive to maintain and improve quality within the practice, and
will:
Alert
other team members to issues of quality and risk.
Assess
own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or
under supervision.
Contribute
to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and
making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
Work effectively with individuals in other
agencies to meet patients needs
Contribution
to the implementation of services
The postholder will:
Apply
practice policies, standards and guidance.
Discuss
with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will
affect own work.
Participate
in audit where appropriate
