PCN Pharmacy Technician

Job responsibilities

Main Duties

The post holder will:

Support the role of PCN Clinical Pharmacists in the delivery of clinical pharmacy services

Perform medicines improvement work to maximise safe, cost-effective best practice in prescribing under the supervision of the GP or Clinical Pharmacist

Assist with medication safety monitoring systems (e.g. high-risk drugs)

Liaise with clinicians and administrative staff to resolve medicine-related queries

Monitor practice prescribing and adherence to practice, local and national prescribing policies

Support patients managing long term conditions by providing health promotion and lifestyle advice

Improve service and quality through mechanisms such as audits

Job Summary- Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility

Operational

Support the Clinical Pharmacists in Structured Medication Reviews (e.g. organise necessary monitoring tests before SMR)

Undertake patient-supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use through shared decision-making

Support medicine reconciliation of patients whose care is transferred back into primary care in a timely and effective manner liaising with patients and other providers to ensure patients receive appropriate medication

Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration, supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation post-discharge and other transfers of care

Assist with the development and implementation of systems to ensure safe and effective monitoring of high-risk medication

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing

Assist Clinical Pharmacists with any searches, data collection, medicine safety tasks

Work with pharmacy team to develop safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing Increase uptake of Electronic Repeat Dispensing

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

Review and analyse prescribing data across the network using available tools producing reports and feedback for practices

Undertake, participate and share outcomes of clinical audits to facilitate improvement

Implement changes to medication that result from CAS/MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local/national guidance

Collaborating Working Relationships

Work collaboratively with the PCN team

Develop relationships and work closely with community, hospital and MMT pharmacy colleagues and the wider health system

Liaise with other stakeholders for the collective benefit of patients

Participate in practice meetings, patient participation groups and other meetings to improve engagement with the role of pharmacy technician

Practice Targets

Support practices in achieving QOF and other local KPI

To be aware of the prescribing budget and identify and action areas for cost improvement

Work with PCN team to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved

Qualifications

Essential

• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician
• BTEC/NVQ3 Pharmacy services (or equivalent)

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development
• Experience working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician
• Experience working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician
• Understanding of prescribing and medicines management issues
• Awareness of systems to support the management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support the context of pathways of care
• Good clinical pharmaceutical knowledge including terminology
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies to improve prescribing of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
• Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
• Good interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
• Good communication skills, verbal and written, with ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Ability to work in a busy environment and prioritise tasks effectively whilst also supporting others
• Ability to accept guidance and constructive criticism
• Works effectively independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrates attention to detail, able to work accurately, identify errors quickly and easily
• Demonstrates ability to self-motivate and use own initiative to achieve goals Adaptable and flexible
• Able to maintain confidentiality
• Willing and able to travel throughout the 6 practices within PCN as required
• Good computer literacy
• Safeguarding training

Desirable

• Experience of working within primary care
• Awareness of GP budgets and funding systems
• Relevant theoretical and practical knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine
• Knowledge of GP systems (e.g. SystmOne/EMIS)

Transport

Essential

• Must be able to travel between practices sites

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).