Job responsibilities
Job Summary
Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice is part of an exciting programme to transform and develop a new model of care addressing our ambition to deliver patient-centred coordinated care across Fareham & Portchester PCN. Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice is supported by national policy which has highlighted a need to better utilise the role of pharmacy professionals within primary care. Our aim is to pro-actively help patients stay safe, out of hospital and reduce the demands on healthcare provision.
Pharmacy technicians play an important role; complementing clinical pharmacists, social prescribers, the Home Visiting Team, other members of the PCN team as well as staff within each practice Not only will you be working closely within the PCN, you will be expected to work closely with colleagues outside of the organisation such as other PCNs, community pharmacies, CCG pharmacy professionals and secondary care. The pharmacy technicians core responsibilities will cover clinical, technical and administrative duties.
The purpose of the role is to improve patient care by implementing best practice and maximising prescribing safety. The post holder will help patients get the most from their medicines, improve repeat prescribing processes, lead and promote repeat dispensing/online ordering as well as aiming to reduce medicine waste.
In addition, the post holder will be responsible for developing the understanding of medicines optimisation throughout the practice teams. This will involve assisting the PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and the utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.
The role is funded under the additional role reimbursement scheme (ARRS). The post-holder will be required to enrol on the CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP). You will have a key role in the pharmacy team which consists of five clinical pharmacists.
Clinical
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.
As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies.
Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structure Medication Reviews (SMR) i.e. organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR
Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.
Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.
Support the PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services
Technical and Administrative
Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.
Support prescription team by implement efficient ordering processes and reducing medication wastage.
Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering
Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of the multidisciplinary team to support integration across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.
Support and provide leadership for practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.
Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.
All Pharmacy Technicians must work within their competencies, and have professional indemnity for their role.
The post-holder will:
Develop a culture that promotes equality and values diversity. The post-holder must be aware of and committed to the Equality and Diversity policies of the appointing GP practices and comply with all the requirements of these policies and actively promote Equality and Diversity issues relevant to the post.
Ensure the principles of openness, transparency and candor are observed and upheld in all working practices.
The post holder will have, or acquire through training provided by the organisation, the appropriate level of safeguarding and knowledge, skills and practice required for the post and be aware of and comply with the organisations safeguarding protection policies and procedures.
Ensure that any infection prevention and control issues are reported to the line manager/Infection Prevention and Control
Equality and diversity:
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Personal/Professional development:
The post-holder will participate in the CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP) and any other training required by the practices as part of this employment, with such training to include:
Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
Quality:
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:
Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications and Experience
Professional registration with GPhC
BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
2-3 years post-qualification experience in any pharmacy sector.
Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges
Knowledge and Understanding
Relevant advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of general practice and evidence based medicine
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 organisation(s)
Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of Federation and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality
Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
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
Skills and Competencies
Computer literate with an ability to use the required GP clinical systems (desirable) and Microsoft office packages (essential)
Understand the aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this for the Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice pilot sites
Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily
Able to effectively manage allocated resources
Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines
Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems
Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Influencing and negotiating skills
An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues
Attributes
Works effectively independently and as a member of a team
Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder focused response
Self-motivated and proactive
Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work
Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required
Independently mobile to be able to work across several sites and travel to meet with stakeholders
Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
Demonstrate ability to work in a busy environment; ability to deal with both urgent and important tasks and to prioritise effectively whilst also supporting others
Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills