Pharmacy Technician

Melrose Surgery

The closing date is 22 May 2024

Job summary

We are looking for a Pharmacy Technician to work in our busy practiceand as such, we are looking for a motivated individual who is flexible to respond to the developing nature of the role and the needs and priorities of individuals requiring support. We will offer the successful applicant training and support for career progression.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will join our Pharmacy team and work under the supervision of the Practice Pharmacists to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication, provide technical and administrative support to the clinical team as well as supporting the team with queries from patients and other healthcare teams including face to face over the telephone. The successful applicant will also help with medicines reconciliation of incoming clinical correspondence. They will also help patients to get the best from their medicines by communicating changes to them, improving repeat prescribing processes, promotion of repeat dispensing and taking part in the annual Prescribing Quality Improvement Schemes.

About us

Melrose Surgery is looking to recruit a Full/Part time Pharmacy Technician for our multi-disciplined friendly practice to join our established Practice Pharmacy team. Melrose surgery comprises of 4 GP Partners, two Practice Pharmacists, one Pharmacy technician, 2 Practice Nurses, 3 Healthcare Assistants, GPAs a Paramedic, and a team of administrators and receptionists. We are CQC Good Rated. We use the Emis Computer System.The face of Primary Care is changing, and this includes developing Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy and we have remained at the forefront of changes to Primary Care.

Date posted

22 April 2024

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

A4315-24-0000

Job locations

Melrose Surgery

73 London Road

Reading

RG1 5BS

Job description

Job responsibilities

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION

Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice is part of an exciting programme of transformation to develop a new model of care which addresses our ambition to deliver person-cantered, coordinated care in our Practices. The Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice model is supported by the direction of national policy including the Five Year Forward View and GP Forward View where there is a need to better utilise the role of pharmacy within primary care to pro-actively help patients stay safe and well and out of hospital as well as helping to reduce the demands on general practice.

Pharmacy technicians play an important role, complementing clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team. Pharmacy technicians are different to clinical pharmacists as they are not able to prescribe or make clinical decisions, instead working under supervision to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines.

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 better understanding of the principles of medicines optimisation throughout the practice teams and promoting good practice in line with therapeutic developments.

SPECIFIC JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

CLINICAL

Work with the Clinical Pharmacists and Clinicians in accordance with agreed practice prescribing standard operating procedures.

Process repeat medication requests, including the conversion of acute requests to repeat medicines, changing quantities of medicines. Processing prescriptions in line with agreed clinical protocols and within your competency

support medication reviews/monitoring and medicines reconciliation post discharge (or other transfer of care) and synchronizing medicines for patient especially if transferring between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies.

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

Support the Clinicians and Clinical Pharmacists in Structure Medication Reviews (SMR) i.e. organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.

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

. To develop and maintain medicines related communication to all Practice staff

To assist with the development and review of medicine audits

Provide a contact for patients and colleagues with medication queries.

Support with project work/prescribing initiatives/clinical audits under the support of the Pharmacist

Liaise with Clinicians and staff to resolve prescribing queries.

TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

To update and maintain accurate patient medication records on the practice clinical computer system, including advice given and action taken.

To assist the Pharmacist with data analysis of prescribing behaviour in line with NICE guidance and local clinical commissioning directives.

To adhere to strict confidentiality policies at all times.

Attend local meetings seeking to improve access to medicines or repeat prescribing processes.

Support promotion and maintenance of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering

Support the development of practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex patients.

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

All Pharmacy Technicians must work within their competencies, and have professional indemnity for their role