PCN Pharmacy Technician

Integrated Care System; Newton le Willows; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

An Integrated Care System in Newton le Willows is looking for a Pharmacy Technician to provide support across its GP practices. The role involves offering technical and administrative assistance to Clinical Pharmacists, promoting safe, cost-effective patient care, and working within a dynamic team. Candidates should possess pharmacy qualifications, along with strong communication skills and a commitment to professional development. Experience in primary care and knowledge of GP systems is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council required.
• Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development.
• Minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide medication review services and patient-centered care.
• Work with a multidisciplinary team to promote cost-effective prescribing.
• Update and maintain accurate patient medication records.

Skills

Pharmacy knowledge

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

BTEC/NVQ level 3 in pharmacy services

Tools

EMIS Web

Job description

Newton and Haydock Primary Care Network has an excitingopportunity for a Pharmacy Technician to work across GP practices in theirPrimary Care Network (PCN). Newton and Haydock PCN is a forward-thinkingPCN compromising of Modality St Helens, Patterdale LodgeMedical Centre, Vista Road Surgery and Newton Practice in Haydock andNewton-le-Willows. We recognise the value that pharmacy technicians can bringto our practices and our patients, and we look forward to growing our PCNpharmacy team. Our aim is to provide exemplary patient care, finding innovativesolutions in general practice to deliver the best care we can to our patients.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and forward-thinking pharmacytechnician to join our like-minded PCN. The post-holder will provide technicaland administrative support to the Clinical Pharmacists and other members of thePCN team. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team, advising andsupporting colleagues in line with local and national guidance, to promote highquality, safe and cost-effective care for patients. You will become part of agroup of PCN Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians working under thesupervision of the Lead PCN Clinical Pharmacist.

Primary care experience would be an advantage, however, isnot essential. Flexibility, enthusiasm and good pharmacy knowledge areessential.

Main duties of the job

The purpose of the role is to maximise safe, cost-effective,prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post-holder will helppatients get the best from their medicines, use existing protocols to maximisecost-effective preparations, improve repeat prescribing processes (includinguse of electronic repeat dispensing and online ordering), minimising clinicalrisk and reducing avoidable wasted medicines.As well, the post-holder will develop and encourage a positive cultureof medicines optimisation principles to assist the PCN in achieving local andnational medicines-related objectives.

• To help achieve efficiencies and effectivenesswithin the prescribing activities of the PCN member practices.
• To promote high quality cost-effective andevidence-based use of medicines within the PCN.
• To work within the Pharmacy Team, with clinicalpharmacists to respond to medication-related queries.
• To work within the Pharmacy Team, with clinicalpharmacists to develop and ensure a safe efficient medicines optimisationprogramme including repeat prescribing, medication review and medicinesreconciliation services.

This role will involve a mixture of cross-site andremote working where appropriate. The main focus will be to workwith practices and the PCN pharmacy team to support the safe prescribing ofhigh-risk medicines, and ensure practices are compliant with CQC standardswhere medicines are involved.

About us

Newtonand Haydock Primary Care Network consists of 4 NHS GP practices inNewton-le-Willows and Haydock, across several sites. The Network enables NHS staff to work acrossthe practices to help deliver services to 50,000 patients.

ThePractice Sites:

• Haydock Medical Centre, Woodside Road, Haydock
• Newton Medical Centre, 1 BelvedereRoad, Newton-le-Willows
• Newton Community Hospital Practice,Bradleigh Road, Newton-le-Willows
• Patterdale Lodge, Legh Street and HighStreet, Newton-le-Willows
• Vista Road Surgery, Newton-le-Willows

Job responsibilities

Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility

Clinical

• To use highly developed knowledge and skills toprovide high standards of patient centred care.
• To provide medication review services topatients via clinics in practices, and in residential and nursing homes and todeliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing andimprove the quality of patient care.
• Provide advice and guidance to patientsregarding medication optimisation and lifestyle e.g. inhaler techniques, smokingcessation etc.
• Toupdate and maintain accurate patient medication records on the practiceclinical computer system, including advice given and action taken to ensurethere is a clear audit trail and changes are clearly accounted for.
• Carry out housekeeping whilst in patientsrecords e.g. dose optimisation and medication alignment.
• Conduct medication reconciliation followingdischarge from hospital, and other transfers of care (e.g. new patients, carehome residents), to ensure that medication changes are safely implemented.
• Liaise with secondary and primary carecolleagues to ensure correct medicines are continued following the transfer ofcare and to address discrepancies, supply issues and queries.
• To support the safe and effective repeatprescribing of high-risk medicines, ensuring that regular monitoring as perlocal/shared care guidance is taking place.
• Work with the practice managers, practicepharmacists and GPs to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standardswhere medicines are involved.
• Carry out medication switches in line with ICBagreed specific protocols.
• Where appropriate, help practices implementchanges to medicines that result from MHRA drug alerts and product withdrawal,within levels of competence and in a timely manner.
• Assist with any medication related QOF workwhere needed.
• Answer queries around medication from patients,secondary care professionals, community pharmacists and other healthcareprofessionals.

Technical and administrative

• Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team toensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.
• To promote cost effective, safe, evidence-basedprescribing in accordance with local formulary, medication optimisationstrategy and national guidance.
• Develop relationships with other pharmacyprofessionals and members of the multidisciplinary team to support integrationacross health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy,secondary care and mental health.
• To attend and participate in practice clinicalmeetings and other multi-disciplinary meetings where necessary.
• To attend local medicines management meetings ofrelevance.Contribute to public health campaigns e.g. COVIDvaccination programmes.
• Undertake specific project work and audits underthe supervision of PCN Lead pharmacist or other clinical pharmacists.
• To help plan, develop and support theintroduction of new working processes within the PCN, to optimise the qualityof prescribing.
• Support with the development of procedures andprotocols.
• Help to maintain a positive, supportive cultureacross the whole of the PCN team.
• To maintain registration as a pharmacytechnician and comply with GPhC pharmacy standards.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
• BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmacy services
• Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development
• Completed/intention to enrol onto the CPPE Primary Care Pathway

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience
• Good all-round pharmacy knowledge, including law and ethics, current legislation and practical skills
• Knowledge of the principles of medicines optimisation
• Please refer to supporting document attached to this application for full person specification
• Experience of working within primary care
• Knowledge of GP systems (e.g. EMIS Web)

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.

Depending on experienceEquivalent to AfC Band 5 (based on experience)