Job responsibilities
Job Context and Summary
This is a hybrid leadership and technical role within a progressive general practice setting, supporting the delivery of high-quality, person-centred, coordinated care. The role merges the clinical and technical responsibilities of a Primary Care Pharmacy Technician with the operational leadership of a Dispensary Manager, ensuring safe, effective, and efficient use of medicines alongside smooth dispensary operations.
Pharmacy technicians play an essential role within the primary care multi-disciplinary team, supporting clinical pharmacists, GPs, nurses, practice staff, and community pharmacists. While pharmacy technicians do not prescribe or make clinical decisions, they work under supervision to support medicine optimisation, improve repeat prescribing processes, and ensure high standards of dispensary management.
The post holder will be instrumental in leading improvements to prescribing, ensuring compliance with NICE guidance and national initiatives, managing the dispensary team and operations, and enhancing patient outcomes through better medicines management and operational leadership.
Key Responsibilities
1. Clinical Pharmacy Technician Duties
- Work in accordance with agreed practice prescribing SOPs and under the supervision of clinical pharmacists and GPs.
- Support medication reviews, medicines reconciliation (especially post-discharge), and synchronisation of patient medications.
- Process repeat medication requests, switching medications per approved protocols, and promoting repeat dispensing and online ordering.
- Assist in implementing national prescribing guidance, medicines optimisation initiatives, and local health strategies (e.g. QIPP, QOF, IIF).
- Participate in structured medication reviews shared care protocols.
- Support audits, clinical searches, and data analysis for prescribing trends, safety, and quality.
- Communicate medication changes clearly to patients and liaise with community pharmacy and secondary care when necessary.
- Provide a point of contact for medication queries from patients and staff.
- Participate in education and training of practice staff on medicines optimisation.
- Contribute to the development and review of medicines-related SOPs and practice policies, ensuring CQC compliance.
- Communicate with local pharmacies regarding stock supplies issues and shortages.
2. Dispensary Management Responsibilities
Staff Management & Leadership
- Manage and supervise all dispensary staff, ensuring rota coverage and adequate staffing levels.
- Conduct annual appraisals and performance reviews; oversee induction and ongoing training.
- Support HR processes, including recruitment, retention, disciplinary procedures, and absence management.
- Lead a culture of learning, professional development, and continuous improvement across the dispensary team.
- The post-holder has delegated authority to act on behalf of the practice in operational decisions relating to the dispensary, including urgent HR and safety matters, within agreed protocols.
- The post-holder will support emergency response processes within the practice, including medicine recalls, infection outbreaks, and serious incident investigations.
- Work closely with the Reception Team Lead to ensure smooth front-desk operations, consistent service quality, and effective communication across departments.
Dispensary Operations
- Oversee the preparation and submission of monthly prescriptions to NHS Prescription Services.
- Ensure accurate prescription sorting, endorsement checks, and returns management.
- Maintain and regularly review Dispensary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards (e.g., MHRA alerts, prescription security).
- Lead on DSQS (Dispensing Services Quality Scheme) submissions and audits including DRUMS.
Stock Management & Purchasing
- Oversee stock ordering, delivery checks, and invoice reconciliation.
- Maintain optimum stock levels and ensure timely rotation and disposal of expired stock.
- Liaise with pharmaceutical representatives to secure optimal discounts.
- Conduct regular stocktakes and ensure accurate financial reconciliation for year-end accounts.
3. Technical and Administrative Support
- Maintain accurate and secure medication records in the clinical system, ensuring compliance with IG and IT security.
- Assist in generating data for national frameworks (QOF, IIF), enhanced services, and local audits.
- Support the management team in practice-level reporting, TeamNet updates, and medicines-related communications.
- Develop searches and reports to support clinical decision-making and strategic planning.
- Promote and maintain use of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD), and online ordering systems.
- Support system integration across primary care, community pharmacy, and secondary care.
- Responsible for running reports and manipulating data to support decision-making, performance monitoring, and audit readiness.
- Collaborate with the administration team to support tasks such as handling recalls, running reports, and carrying out routine or periodic administrative audits to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
- Assist in the collection, organization, and analysis of research data to support ongoing projects.