APEX Primary Care Network

Pharmacy Technician

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

Our APEX Primary Care Network are looking to expand their Pharmacy team.

Pharmacy technicians play a very important role, complementing clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team. The pharmacy technician will provide support to the network as a whole and each member practice as needed. The aim is to improve the quality of prescribing and patient outcomes across the network through high quality medicines review and optimisation.

Main duties of the job

Pharmacy technicians core role responsibilities will cover clinical, and technical and administrative categories; supporting improvements to maximize safe, cost effective prescribing and achieve the best clinical outcomes for patients. The post holder will be involved in many aspects of medicines management and be supported and developed in this role by the PCN clinical and Pharmacy Teams.

These will be very patient focused roles, in the first instance with an emphasis on improving processes to reduce any risks with medicines and enhance the patient experience especially at interfaces of care; as well as ongoing monitoring and supply of medication. Whilst based in primary care, there will be clear links to our inpatient and dispensary teams based in Lincoln.

We deliver services to working-age adults, the elderly, children and young people, those with learning disabilities and forensic services. We envisage the roles will become embedded within community teams delivering medicines management services for their patients and supporting the repeat prescription of medicine under shared care arrangements, working alongside a pharmacist and other healthcare professionals. Previous primary care experience is not essential as training will be provided.

This post requires the post holder to frequently travel to various locations.

About us

The APEX PCN takes a positive and proactive approach to support staff in their personal development and is embedding a Talent Management approach within the PCN, with the vision of helping people to be as good as they can be.

These are exciting times at APEX PCN as we expand our Medicines Optimisation services across the organisation. If you are a Pharmacy Technician experienced in or interested in advancing your career, these could be the posts for you, as we transform our medicines related services for our community/primary care patients.

We deliver our services by working in partnership with Local Authorities, the Clinical Commissioning Group, a wide range of voluntary organisations, as well as service users, their carers and the public. The services are spread over a wide semi-urban geographical area around the beautiful medieval city of Lincoln. https://www.lincoln.gov.uk/visitors.

Details

Date posted

15 September 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A4325-23-0020

Job locations

Birchwood Medical Practice

Jasmin Road

Lincoln

Lincolnshire

LN6 0QQ


Boultham Park Road

Lincoln

LN6 7SS


Moor Lane

North Hykeham

Lincoln

LN6 9AY


Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Pharmacy Technician

Reports to: PCN Pharmacist

GP Partners

JOB SUMMARY

To support the Practice Pharmacist to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

Assist the Practice Pharmacist and the GP Partnership to provide medication services to patients via clinics in the practice, 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.

Job Responsibilities

  • To support, train and oversee the administrative staff involved in the preparation of repeat prescriptions and to participate in the daily preparation of repeat prescriptions in order to ensure high quality, safe and timely repeat prescribing
  • To support the administration staff with medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients’ medical records / prescribing accordingly
  • 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 provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing in order to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness
  • To participate in medication audits
  • To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing the budgets and to liaise with the medicines management team at the CCG
  • To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing
  • To support the PCN Pharmacist to provide medication reviews, patient information leaflets, medicine awareness
  • 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 assist in the submission of claims for personally administered drugs as required
  • To act as a link between practice and local community and hospital pharmacy services

Responsibility for administration

  • Taking messages and passing on information as appropriate
  • Computer data entry, processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures
  • Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients , other team members and associated healthcare professionals and providers
  • Helping to maintain a positive and patient focussed culture
  • Helping to maintain a positive and supportive culture across the whole of the practice team
  • Other administration duties as required

Staff Management

  • To provide supervision, training and professional leadership to the practice administration staff/ prescribing staff as required

Patient Services

· Provide telephone and patient facing medicines support for patients

· Provide medication review services to patients via clinics in the practice, domiciliary visits and in care homes, and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care.

· To present at patient group meetings or other appropriate events to give medicines advice and information

· To produce patient information leaflets and posters and run medicines awareness projects throughout the year.

· Assist the Partnership with the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing budgets.

· To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the medicines management team and all other health professionals in the implementation of rational cost effective prescribing.

· To help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the practice to optimise the quality of prescribing.

· To be innovative and demonstrate a commitment to improve skills and abilities in self and others with regard to patient services.

Communication

The post-holder should recognise 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 people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately

In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may 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

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others’ health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

· Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

· Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines

· Correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

· Use and monitoring of the correct use of Standard Operating Procedures for cleaning and infection control

· Responsible for correct hand hygiene of self and others

· Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols, and implementation of those protocols within the team

· Active observation of current working practices across the team in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate

· Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process

· Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills across the full range of infection control and patient processes

· Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to own role in infection control, ensuring that provision of hand-cleansing facilities, wipes etc. are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate.

· Safe management of sharps procedures, including use, storage and disposal

· Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management

· Actively identifying, reporting, and correcting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised

· Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers

· Undertaking periodic infection control training

· Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards

· Waste management, including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection

· Spillage control procedures, management and training

· Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance

· Maintenance of sterile environments

· Correct cleaning of equipment used for near patient testing, such as blood glucose monitoring equipment, using the manufacturer’s instructions as appropriate

· Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Please see supporting information for full Job Description

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Pharmacy Technician

Reports to: PCN Pharmacist

GP Partners

JOB SUMMARY

To support the Practice Pharmacist to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

Assist the Practice Pharmacist and the GP Partnership to provide medication services to patients via clinics in the practice, 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.

Job Responsibilities

  • To support, train and oversee the administrative staff involved in the preparation of repeat prescriptions and to participate in the daily preparation of repeat prescriptions in order to ensure high quality, safe and timely repeat prescribing
  • To support the administration staff with medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients’ medical records / prescribing accordingly
  • 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 provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing in order to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness
  • To participate in medication audits
  • To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing the budgets and to liaise with the medicines management team at the CCG
  • To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing
  • To support the PCN Pharmacist to provide medication reviews, patient information leaflets, medicine awareness
  • 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 assist in the submission of claims for personally administered drugs as required
  • To act as a link between practice and local community and hospital pharmacy services

Responsibility for administration

  • Taking messages and passing on information as appropriate
  • Computer data entry, processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures
  • Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients , other team members and associated healthcare professionals and providers
  • Helping to maintain a positive and patient focussed culture
  • Helping to maintain a positive and supportive culture across the whole of the practice team
  • Other administration duties as required

Staff Management

  • To provide supervision, training and professional leadership to the practice administration staff/ prescribing staff as required

Patient Services

· Provide telephone and patient facing medicines support for patients

· Provide medication review services to patients via clinics in the practice, domiciliary visits and in care homes, and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care.

· To present at patient group meetings or other appropriate events to give medicines advice and information

· To produce patient information leaflets and posters and run medicines awareness projects throughout the year.

· Assist the Partnership with the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing budgets.

· To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the medicines management team and all other health professionals in the implementation of rational cost effective prescribing.

· To help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the practice to optimise the quality of prescribing.

· To be innovative and demonstrate a commitment to improve skills and abilities in self and others with regard to patient services.

Communication

The post-holder should recognise 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 people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately

In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may 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

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others’ health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

· Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

· Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines

· Correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

· Use and monitoring of the correct use of Standard Operating Procedures for cleaning and infection control

· Responsible for correct hand hygiene of self and others

· Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols, and implementation of those protocols within the team

· Active observation of current working practices across the team in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate

· Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process

· Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills across the full range of infection control and patient processes

· Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to own role in infection control, ensuring that provision of hand-cleansing facilities, wipes etc. are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate.

· Safe management of sharps procedures, including use, storage and disposal

· Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management

· Actively identifying, reporting, and correcting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised

· Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers

· Undertaking periodic infection control training

· Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards

· Waste management, including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection

· Spillage control procedures, management and training

· Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance

· Maintenance of sterile environments

· Correct cleaning of equipment used for near patient testing, such as blood glucose monitoring equipment, using the manufacturer’s instructions as appropriate

· Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Please see supporting information for full Job Description

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional registration with GPhC
  • BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
  • Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
  • Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
  • Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of evidence based medicine
  • Evidence of knowledge of Primary Care Networks and General Practice including an understanding of the GP Five Year Forward view
  • Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
  • An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
  • Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation.
  • Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of evidence based medicine
  • Evidence of knowledge of Primary Care Networks and General Practice including an understanding of the GP Five Year Forward view
  • Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
  • Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality
  • Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
  • Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation

Desirable

  • Evidence of knowledge of Primary Care Networks and General Practice including an understanding of the GP Five Year Forward view.
  • Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality.
  • An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing.
  • Able to use SystmOne.
  • Ability to work from home on some occasions where tasks allow.
  • Please see supporting information for full Person Specification.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional registration with GPhC
  • BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
  • Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
  • Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
  • Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of evidence based medicine
  • Evidence of knowledge of Primary Care Networks and General Practice including an understanding of the GP Five Year Forward view
  • Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
  • An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
  • Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation.
  • Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of evidence based medicine
  • Evidence of knowledge of Primary Care Networks and General Practice including an understanding of the GP Five Year Forward view
  • Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
  • Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality
  • Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
  • Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation

Desirable

  • Evidence of knowledge of Primary Care Networks and General Practice including an understanding of the GP Five Year Forward view.
  • Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality.
  • An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing.
  • Able to use SystmOne.
  • Ability to work from home on some occasions where tasks allow.
  • Please see supporting information for full Person Specification.

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

APEX Primary Care Network

Address

Birchwood Medical Practice

Jasmin Road

Lincoln

Lincolnshire

LN6 0QQ


Employer's website

https://www.birchwoodmedicalpractice.com/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

APEX Primary Care Network

Address

Birchwood Medical Practice

Jasmin Road

Lincoln

Lincolnshire

LN6 0QQ


Employer's website

https://www.birchwoodmedicalpractice.com/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Clinical Pharmacist

Yuen Toh

yuen.toh@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

15 September 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A4325-23-0020

Job locations

Birchwood Medical Practice

Jasmin Road

Lincoln

Lincolnshire

LN6 0QQ


Boultham Park Road

Lincoln

LN6 7SS


Moor Lane

North Hykeham

Lincoln

LN6 9AY


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