Pharmacy Technician

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties:

Completing prescription requests

Processing/Coding diagnosis from clinic and discharge letters

Helping with medication changes from clinic and discharge letters

Working with the pharmacist running High Risk Drug Monitoring Audits and arranging appointments (DMARDs, DOACs, Lithium, Antipsychotics)

Keeping up to date on Medicines Safety Audits MHRA Alert Audits on Ardens and processing results

Prescription queries from patients

Medication synchronisation

Monitoring CD prescriptions and ordering

Medication requests from DNs/Hospices/Dieticians where appropriate

Helping towards QOF (ensuring appointments are made for long term conditions in line with birth month etc)

Medication review monitoring etc ensuring urate is done for Allopurinol, ECG for QOF, Prolactin for Antipsychotics etc

Updating Ophthalmology meds/drops

Medicines Optimisation projects in line with local drives and formulary updates (deprescribing OTC meds, checking iron/folate on repeats which levels are now normal and no longer needed).

Checking formulary items/updates making cost effective swaps

Issuing medication alternatives when out of stock

Helping change medication to liquids if swallowing difficulties

Clinical Responsibilities:

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

Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews, and medicines reconciliation.

Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.

Support with medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings and linking with local community pharmacists.

Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.

Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients.

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits.

Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, and other relevant primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g. use of antibiotics), supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services.

Technical and Administrative Responsibilities:

Work with the Practice Pharmacist /PCN Pharmacy Hub team to ensure efficient medicines and system optimisation.

Supervise practice reception teams in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, helping to implement clinical monitoring during the reauthorization process.

Provide leadership for medicines optimisations systems.

Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

Develop professional relationships with other pharmacy and healthcare professionals in the area.

Person Specification

Skills and Qualities

Essential

• Able to prioritise own workload
• Able to work under own initiative within boundaries of role
• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Able to work in a changing environment
• Flexible approach to work
• Committed to own CPD, with support from employer
• Reliable, polite, and approachable
• Awareness of own personal and professional limitations, and willing to seek advice where necessary
• Full UK driving Licence
• Highly motivated
• Flexibility
• Enthusiasm
• Team player
• Ability to work across boundaries

Desirable

• IT skills

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 3 Diploma or equivalent in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians or similar
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Willingness to work under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective and efficient use of medicines

Desirable

• Enrolled in, be undertaking, have completed, or be prepared to start an approved 18-month training pathway (e.g. Primary care pharmacy educational pathway (PCPEP) or Association of Pharmacy Technician

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of ability to work proactively and independently
• Desirable
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Knowledge of SystmOne
• Experience working in a Primary Care setting

Desirable

• Experience working in Primary care
• Experience working in GP practice

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

Carmel Medical Practice

Address

Carmel Medical Practice

Nunnery Lane

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 8SQ

Employer's website

https://www.carmelmedicalcentre.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)