Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, accomplished and self-motivated Pharmacy Technician to join our established Primary Care Network (PCN).
You will have
high levels of integrity and accuracy and be an empathetic, dependable
communicator. You will be joining a
skilled and innovative multi-disciplinary team and utilising your technical
skillset and pharmaceutical knowledge in tasks such as medicines reconciliation,
and audits.
Main duties of the job
You will ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems relating to patients prescribed medication as described in the PCN contract.You should be confident working independently for much of the time, whilst recognising that each GP practice operates differently and as such, collaborate effectively with surgery colleagues.
About us
Primary Care
Networks (PCNs) are a fundamental part of the NHS Long-Term Plan, bringing GP
practices together to enhance workforce recruitment and retention, manage
financial and operational challenges, expand services for patients, and
integrate more effectively with the broader health and care system.
Within
Totton PCN, we have two surgeries, New Horizons Medical Partnership and
Testvale Surgery, serving a population of approximately 37,000 patients. Both surgeries are active training practices
with CQC ratings of Good. Totton PCN are an expanding and
progressive organisation with excellent patient care as our central value. We have a host of multidisciplinary staff
within the PCN including a Pharmacy Team, FCP MSK, Social Prescribers, Home
Visiting Service, Care Co-ordinators, Care Navigators and a well-established
Mental Health Team.
Please do not delay applying for this vacancy as interviews will be held prior to the closing date if suitable applications are received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Clinical Responsibilities
- Undertake patient-facing activities to ensure effective medicines use through shared decision-making discussions with patients.
- Carry out: Medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicines administration (e.g. checking inhaler techniques).
- Carry out: Patient safety audits and incentive scheme actions, as directed.
- Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation, including for care home patients. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively. N.B. Structured medication reviews (SMRs).
- Synchronise medicines for patients transferring between care settings and link them with local community pharmacists as appropriate e.g. processing discharge summaries.
- Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, smoking cessation, weight management and alcohol reduction.
- Working with GPs and pharmacists to reduce health inequalities e.g. tackling medication access issues for deprived communities.
- Support clinical pharmacists with shared care protocols e.g. checking compliance, liaising with patients and updating records.
- Support the implementation of national and local prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings - this will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits, support delivery of QIPP, QOF and enhanced services (LCS and IFF) targets.
2. General Responsibilities
- Using and maintaining information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position, including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings and patient outcomes.
- Develop and implement schemes and action plans for delivery of PCN-wide Investment & Impact Fund (IIF) scheme targets.
- Work with PCN MDTs and practices to support medicines optimisation to get the best value from medicines/reduce wastage.
- Encourage uptake and implementation of Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines.
- Assist in delivery of medicines optimisation incentive schemes (e.g. medicine switches/alternatives) and ensure that all activities are monitored and evaluated.
- Attend meetings as required; attend training courses and supervision sessions as required. Participate in relevant NHS training pathways for primary care Pharmacy Technicians, ensuring Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Work in accordance with PCN policies, including the equal opportunities policy and practice.
- Develop relationships with other Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacists and members of PCN MDTs to support integration of the pharmacy team with other PCN and practice teams and with community pharmacy and secondary care colleagues.
- Carry out 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
1. Clinical Responsibilities
- Undertake patient-facing activities to ensure effective medicines use through shared decision-making discussions with patients.
- Carry out: Medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicines administration (e.g. checking inhaler techniques).
- Carry out: Patient safety audits and incentive scheme actions, as directed.
- Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation, including for care home patients. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively. N.B. Structured medication reviews (SMRs).
- Synchronise medicines for patients transferring between care settings and link them with local community pharmacists as appropriate e.g. processing discharge summaries.
- Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, smoking cessation, weight management and alcohol reduction.
- Working with GPs and pharmacists to reduce health inequalities e.g. tackling medication access issues for deprived communities.
- Support clinical pharmacists with shared care protocols e.g. checking compliance, liaising with patients and updating records.
- Support the implementation of national and local prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings - this will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits, support delivery of QIPP, QOF and enhanced services (LCS and IFF) targets.
2. General Responsibilities
- Using and maintaining information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position, including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings and patient outcomes.
- Develop and implement schemes and action plans for delivery of PCN-wide Investment & Impact Fund (IIF) scheme targets.
- Work with PCN MDTs and practices to support medicines optimisation to get the best value from medicines/reduce wastage.
- Encourage uptake and implementation of Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines.
- Assist in delivery of medicines optimisation incentive schemes (e.g. medicine switches/alternatives) and ensure that all activities are monitored and evaluated.
- Attend meetings as required; attend training courses and supervision sessions as required. Participate in relevant NHS training pathways for primary care Pharmacy Technicians, ensuring Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Work in accordance with PCN policies, including the equal opportunities policy and practice.
- Develop relationships with other Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacists and members of PCN MDTs to support integration of the pharmacy team with other PCN and practice teams and with community pharmacy and secondary care colleagues.
- Carry out 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
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Medicines policy, current NHS policies, processes and structures especially relating to medicines and pharmacy awareness of equality and valuing diversity principles.
- Knowledge of, and ability to work to, policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
- Understanding of pharmacy law, ethics and current legislation.
- Good clinical knowledge of common long-term conditions and clinical terminologies.
- Understanding of confidentiality and data protection act.
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
- High level of written and oral communication skills.
Desirable
- Understanding the context of general practice and having an appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing.
- Patient counselling and consultation skills.
Qualifications
Essential
- BTEC/NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualifications in pharmacy (Meeting the qualification requirements for a Pharmacy Technician as specified by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)).
- Be registered with the GPhC.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Be enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from an approved training pathway e.g.: Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH).
Experience
Essential
- Work under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective use of medicines.
- Good clinical pharmacy knowledge, including terminology.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients).
- Recognise priorities when problem solving and identify deviations from the normal pattern and can refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.
- Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
- Work effectively independently and as a team member.
- Good IT skills.
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional experience and direct service provision.
Desirable
- Minimum 2 years experience of working as a Pharmacy Technician.
- Working in Primary Care.
- Experience of EMIS clinical record systems.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Flexible, cooperative & adaptable.
- Motivated forward-thinker.
- Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required.
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Occupational Health clearance.
- Possess a valid driving license and transport for home visits.
Desirable
- Flexibility to work outside core office hours.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Medicines policy, current NHS policies, processes and structures especially relating to medicines and pharmacy awareness of equality and valuing diversity principles.
- Knowledge of, and ability to work to, policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.
- Understanding of pharmacy law, ethics and current legislation.
- Good clinical knowledge of common long-term conditions and clinical terminologies.
- Understanding of confidentiality and data protection act.
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
- High level of written and oral communication skills.
Desirable
- Understanding the context of general practice and having an appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing.
- Patient counselling and consultation skills.
Qualifications
Essential
- BTEC/NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualifications in pharmacy (Meeting the qualification requirements for a Pharmacy Technician as specified by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)).
- Be registered with the GPhC.
- Demonstrable commitment to professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Be enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from an approved training pathway e.g.: Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH).
Experience
Essential
- Work under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective use of medicines.
- Good clinical pharmacy knowledge, including terminology.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients).
- Recognise priorities when problem solving and identify deviations from the normal pattern and can refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.
- Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
- Work effectively independently and as a team member.
- Good IT skills.
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional experience and direct service provision.
Desirable
- Minimum 2 years experience of working as a Pharmacy Technician.
- Working in Primary Care.
- Experience of EMIS clinical record systems.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Flexible, cooperative & adaptable.
- Motivated forward-thinker.
- Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required.
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Occupational Health clearance.
- Possess a valid driving license and transport for home visits.
Desirable
- Flexibility to work outside core office hours.
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
Totton Primary Care Network
Address
Totton Primary Care Network Hub
Testwood Lane
Totton
Hampshire
SO40 3ZN