Pharmacy Technician

Cestria Health Centre

The closing date is 28 March 2025

Job summary

This is a new role for a Pharmacy Technician to work for Cestria Health Centre. The role is to support the Practice based Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and support all Practice staff to develop and improve processes. Innovative ideas are welcomed, and excellent communication skills, enthusiasm and motivation are essential skills for a successful candidate. A key part of the role will be dealing with daily medication requests and queries, and communicating with patients and Community Pharmacies.

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. This will involve assisting the Practices in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

Main duties of the job

Manage incoming medication requests

Liaise with patients to resolve queries and support their use of medication

Contribute towards improvement of prescribing processes in general practice

Promotion of electronic repeat dispensing and online ordering

Carry out housekeeping whilst in patient records e.g. dose optimisation and medicines synchronisation

Use and maintain information systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings and patient outcomes

To utilise GP practice clinical systems to conduct prescribing audits

To undertake, participate and share the outcomes of clinical audits to facilitate improvement and changes in practice

Support the role of the Clinical Pharmacist on the delivery of the new Primary Care Networks specification model

Where applicable, contribute/participate in practice meetings, patient participation groups, and other meetings to improve engagement of the role of pharmacy technician and to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation

To be responsible for the organisation and planning of own workload to meet set deadlines

To undertake learning and development to maintain the required knowledge and skills for practice based work

To carry out other duties which are appropriate to the skills and competencies of the post holder and grade of the post as the priorities of the service change

About us

We are a long-established practice based in the small market town of Chester le Street. We have a growing patient population, currently 12,700. We have a sister practice in Coxhoe with 7,100 patients. Cross-Site PCN working may be required. We have our own car park and staff kitchen and common room. There are 8 GP partners and several salaried doctors and Nurse Practitioners. Our organisation employs around 50 people and our Partner-Practice Manager is Denise Minnis. We look forward to welcoming you to the team!

Date posted

03 March 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

A5383-25-0005

Job locations

Cestria Health Centre

Whitehill Way

Chester-le-Street

DH2 3DJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage incoming medication requests, e.g. from Patients, Pharmacies, Care Homes etc.

Assisting the Practice admin team/s with medication queries.

Liaise with patients to resolve queries and support their use of medication

Contribute towards improvement of prescribing processes in general practice

Promotion of electronic repeat dispensing and online ordering

Carry out housekeeping whilst in patient records e.g. dose optimisation and medicines synchronisation

Use and maintain information systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings and patient outcomes

Handle function specific information, which may be sensitive, complex or confidential and appropriately recording, transferring and/or coordinating such information in accordance with the Data Protection Act; Caldicott Guidelines and the Confidentiality Code of Conduct

To utilise GP practice clinical systems to conduct prescribing audits

To undertake, participate and share the outcomes of clinical audits to facilitate improvement and changes in practice

Support the role of the Clinical Pharmacist on the delivery of the new Primary Care Networks specification model

Where applicable, contribute/participate in practice meetings, patient participation groups, and other meetings to improve engagement of the role of pharmacy technician and to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation

To be responsible for the organisation and planning of own workload to meet set deadlines

To undertake learning and development to maintain the required knowledge and skills for practice based work

To carry out other duties which are appropriate to the skills and competencies of the post holder and grade of the post as the priorities of the service change

Job description

Job responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage incoming medication requests, e.g. from Patients, Pharmacies, Care Homes etc.

Assisting the Practice admin team/s with medication queries.

Liaise with patients to resolve queries and support their use of medication

Contribute towards improvement of prescribing processes in general practice

Promotion of electronic repeat dispensing and online ordering

Carry out housekeeping whilst in patient records e.g. dose optimisation and medicines synchronisation

Use and maintain information systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings and patient outcomes

Handle function specific information, which may be sensitive, complex or confidential and appropriately recording, transferring and/or coordinating such information in accordance with the Data Protection Act; Caldicott Guidelines and the Confidentiality Code of Conduct

To utilise GP practice clinical systems to conduct prescribing audits

To undertake, participate and share the outcomes of clinical audits to facilitate improvement and changes in practice

Support the role of the Clinical Pharmacist on the delivery of the new Primary Care Networks specification model

Where applicable, contribute/participate in practice meetings, patient participation groups, and other meetings to improve engagement of the role of pharmacy technician and to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation

To be responsible for the organisation and planning of own workload to meet set deadlines

To undertake learning and development to maintain the required knowledge and skills for practice based work

To carry out other duties which are appropriate to the skills and competencies of the post holder and grade of the post as the priorities of the service change

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
  • Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges

Desirable

  • Postgraduate qualifications of a relevant nature. e.g. FdSc in Medicines Management/Pharmacy Services; BTEC Therapeutics

Experience

Essential

  • An appreciation of the NHS agenda and government targets
  • 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 Practice(s)
  • Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
  • Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
  • An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues

Desirable

  • Relevant advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of general practice and evidence-based medicine
  • Knowledge/understanding of Primary care and/or General Practice
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
  • Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges

Desirable

  • Postgraduate qualifications of a relevant nature. e.g. FdSc in Medicines Management/Pharmacy Services; BTEC Therapeutics

Experience

Essential

  • An appreciation of the NHS agenda and government targets
  • 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 Practice(s)
  • Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
  • Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
  • An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues

Desirable

  • Relevant advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of general practice and evidence-based medicine
  • Knowledge/understanding of Primary care and/or General 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).

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

Cestria Health Centre

Address

Cestria Health Centre

Whitehill Way

Chester-le-Street

DH2 3DJ


Employer's website

https://www.cestriahealthcentre.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Cestria Health Centre

Address

Cestria Health Centre

Whitehill Way

Chester-le-Street

DH2 3DJ


Employer's website

https://www.cestriahealthcentre.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Lead

Ashleigh Hunter

ashleigh.hunter@nhs.net

Date posted

03 March 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

A5383-25-0005

Job locations

Cestria Health Centre

Whitehill Way

Chester-le-Street

DH2 3DJ


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