Medicines Technician Locality

The Methodist Church in Britain; Wolverhampton, Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain seeks a Medicines Technician to join the Prescribing Support Team serving GP practices across the ICB area. The role focuses on medicines optimisation, audits, cost-effective use, and leading improvement projects, with mobile work between practices and offices.

Applicants must be GPhC-registered pharmacy technicians with post-registration experience; duties include analysing prescribing data, providing training, developing SOPs, and contributing to medicines

Qualifications

• GPhC-accredited pharmacy technician qualification or GPhC-approved apprenticeship.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Experience writing SOPs or work protocols.

Responsibilities

• Promote high quality, cost-effective prescribing in GP practices.
• Audit repeat medication systems and participate in clinical audits.
• Lead medicines management projects and improvement initiatives.
• Provide specialist prescribing support and training to staff.
• Develop relationships with allocated GP practices.
• Analyse prescribing data to inform action plans.
• Manage project monitoring within the Prescribing Support Team.
• Provide day-to-day business and administrative support.

Skills

Medicines management

Legislation knowledge

Microsoft Office

Financial aspects

Project principles

Education

GPhC-accredited qualification

GPhC-approved apprenticeship

Job description

This Medicines Technician post sits in the Prescribing Support Team of Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull ICB, working with allocated GP practices across three localities. The work centres on supporting medicines optimisation, auditing repeat medication systems, promoting cost-effective product use and tackling medicines waste, alongside leading or joining improvement projects. The role involves mobile working between GP practices and ICB offices, with hours in the 8am to 6pm weekday core window. Applicants need current GPhC registration as a pharmacy technician and post-registration experience.

What the job involves

• Promote high quality, evidence-based, cost-effective prescribing by primary care clinicians in GP practices
• Audit repeat medication systems and take part in clinical audits
• Promote cost-effective product use and review areas where medicines waste can be reduced
• Participate in, and where appropriate lead, medicines management projects and improvement initiatives
• Provide specialist prescribing support, advice and training within agreed parameters to practice staff and ICB colleagues
• Develop and maintain key relationships with allocated GP practices
• Analyse complex data, including prescribing data and informatics systems, to inform locally delivered action plans
• Work across the ICB on projects and promote awareness of medicines optimisation issues
• Manage project monitoring and progress-chasing for the Prescribing Support Team
• Act as key contact for identified groups, organising meetings, issuing papers and compiling minutes
• Provide day-to-day business and administrative support, including diary planning and personal assistance
• Undertake ad-hoc project work and other reasonable duties set by the line manager

What’s required

Qualifications

• GPhC-accredited pharmacy technician qualification or GPhC-approved apprenticeship, with evidence of continuing professional development

Registration & licences

• Registration with the GPhC as a pharmacy technician

Experience

• Relevant post-registration experience as a pharmacy technician
• Writing and developing standard operating procedures or work protocols
• Managing or maintaining information systems
• Working in a fast-paced environment with regularly changing priorities
• Handling confidential and sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy

Skills & knowledge

• Broad medicines management knowledge
• Knowledge of legislation and clinical governance for medicines and prescribing
• Medicines information and internet resource knowledge, with working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Understanding of financial aspects of medicines in primary care
• Knowledge of project principles and techniques

Other

• Excellent verbal and written communication, with strong proofreading and error-free document production
• Ability to analyse complex data and situations and develop a range of options
• Ability to negotiate on difficult, contentious issues with clinicians and take decisions under pressure
• Flexible approach to work and ability to travel across the ICB area

Nice to have

• Involvement in educating others and presentation skills
• Understanding of financial aspects of medicines in primary care
• Understanding of prescribing data
• Broad or specialist knowledge across work procedures, underpinned by theory or experience
• Business, project support or manager experience
• Knowledge of pharmacy practice in primary care
• Experience of working with GP clinical systems
• Project management experience or qualification, including project tools and techniques

What’s offered

• Flexible and agile working, from practice locations or an office base
• Opportunity to develop insight into primary care and work across different healthcare settings
• Priority consideration for employees formally notified they are at risk of redundancy who meet the essential requirements