PCN Pharmacy Technician

Integrated Care System; Norwich; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A Community Interest Company in healthcare in Norwich is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to join their team. The role involves working alongside clinical pharmacists and contributing to the safe prescribing and optimisation of medicines. Candidates must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and complete an approved 18-month training pathway. The position offers a chance to improve patient care within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Experience as a qualified pharmacy technician in a patient-facing role.
• Experience with I.T systems in a pharmacy environment.
• Ability to communicate complex information effectively.

Responsibilities

• Supporting prescription processes and medicines optimisation.
• Coordinating with clinical staff for medication reviews.
• Participating in quality assurance and safety processes.

Skills

Communication

Attention to detail

IT skills

Education

BTEC/NVQ level 3 in pharmaceutical sciences

Completion of approved 18-month training pathway

Tools

Clinical Systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Hours: 37.5hrs per week (hours can be worked over four or five days)

The UK government regulates the ability of employers to recruit non UK residents by issuing licenses to provide Visa Sponsorship. Unfortunately NPC does not hold a license for Visa Sponsorship and so cannot progress any applications for candidates without the right to work in the UK.

Anexciting opportunity has arisen to join Norfolk Primary Care, working as aPharmacy Technician across a Primary Care Network in Norwich.

Asa pharmacy technician you will work alongside our Clinical Pharmacists as a keymember of the GP practice teams, contributing to prescribing of the highestquality, safety and value, supporting medicines optimisation and prescribingprocesses.

Tobe eligible for this post candidates must have completed or be enrolled in, beundertaking or be prepared to start an approved 18-month training pathway (e.g.Primary care pharmacy educational pathway (PCPEP)) Pharmacy technicians must beregistered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. Entry to the PCPEPprogramme will include the option for an accreditation of Prior Learning (APEL)process.

Main duties of the job

Tobe part of the West Norwich Primary Care Network (PCN), working as a key memberwithin the GP practice teams, contributing to prescribing of the highestquality, safety and value and supporting medicines optimisation.

Reportingto a Clinical Pharmacist, the post holder will provide support to the GPs,Pharmacists, Dispensers, other clinical staff and reception teams toco-ordinate discharge summaries, medication reviews and ensure the safeprescribing of medication. The post holder will support the development of asafe, cost effective, efficient practice repeat prescribing system throughreviewing, improving and implementing medicines management processes.

Your core role in the GP practices willcover responsibilities in clinical, and technical and administrativeareas.

Job summary

Hours: 37.5hrs per week (hours can be worked over four or five days)

The UK government regulates the ability of employers to recruit non UK residents by issuing licenses to provide Visa Sponsorship. Unfortunately NPC does not hold a license for Visa Sponsorship and so cannot progress any applications for candidates without the right to work in the UK.

Anexciting opportunity has arisen to join Norfolk Primary Care, working as aPharmacy Technician across a Primary Care Network in Norwich.

Asa pharmacy technician you will work alongside our Clinical Pharmacists as a keymember of the GP practice teams, contributing to prescribing of the highestquality, safety and value, supporting medicines optimisation and prescribingprocesses.

Tobe eligible for this post candidates must have completed or be enrolled in, beundertaking or be prepared to start an approved 18-month training pathway (e.g.Primary care pharmacy educational pathway (PCPEP)) Pharmacy technicians must beregistered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. Entry to the PCPEPprogramme will include the option for an accreditation of Prior Learning (APEL)process.

Main duties of the job

Tobe part of the West Norwich Primary Care Network (PCN), working as a key memberwithin the GP practice teams, contributing to prescribing of the highestquality, safety and value and supporting medicines optimisation.

Reportingto a Clinical Pharmacist, the post holder will provide support to the GPs,Pharmacists, Dispensers, other clinical staff and reception teams toco-ordinate discharge summaries, medication reviews and ensure the safeprescribing of medication. The post holder will support the development of asafe, cost effective, efficient practice repeat prescribing system throughreviewing, improving and implementing medicines management processes.

Your core role in the GP practices willcover responsibilities in clinical, and technical and administrativeareas.

Clinical:

Undertakingpatient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use,through shared decision-making conversations with patients.

As determined bythe PCN practices, supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliationfor new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfersbetween care settings, linking with local community pharmacists, and referringto the pharmacist for structured medicationreviews.

Providingspecialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health andsocial care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information,and help in tackling local health inequalities.

About us

Norfolk Primary Care Ltd is a Community Interest Company. Itis established to:

Support and strengthen primary care and to promote andassist practices to improve quality by working with and on behalf of primarycare in Norfolk.

Help with challenges identified by practices workload, GPrecruitment, sharing best practice.

Recognise the changing nature of primary care and assist toensure that the right level of service is provided to address the needs of thelocal population.

Provide benefit to patients of primary care, the cliniciansand administrators who work in it and practice organisations in Norfolk.

Work within health systems to provide patient care ininnovative and solution-focussed ways.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Joboverview

Anexciting opportunity has arisen to join Norfolk Primary Care, working as aPharmacy Technician across a Primary Care Network in Norwich.

Asa pharmacy technician you will work alongside our Clinical Pharmacists as a keymember of the GP practice teams, contributing to prescribing of the highestquality, safety and value, supporting medicines optimisation and prescribingprocesses.

Tobe eligible for this post candidates must have completed or be enrolled in, beundertaking or be prepared to start an approved 18-month training pathway (e.g.Primary care pharmacy educational pathway (PCPEP)) Pharmacy technicians must beregistered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. Entry to the PCPEPprogramme will include the option for an accreditation of Prior Learning (APEL)process.

Mainduties of the job

Youwill provide support to our GPs, Pharmacists, other clinical staff andreception teams, co-ordinating discharge summaries and medication reviews,playing a central role in repeat prescribing processes, liaising with ourpatients, carers, hospital and community pharmacies, responding to medicationqueries and updating medical records.

KeyResponsibilities

Tobe part of the West Norwich Primary Care Network (PCN), working as a key memberwithin the GP practice teams, contributing to prescribing of the highestquality, safety and value and supporting medicines optimisation.

Reportingto a Clinical Pharmacist, the post holder will provide support to the GPs,Pharmacists, Dispensers, other clinical staff and reception teams toco-ordinate discharge summaries, medication reviews and ensure the safeprescribing of medication. The post holder will support the development of asafe, cost effective, efficient practice repeat prescribing system throughreviewing, improving and implementing medicines management processes.

Your core role in the GP practices willcover responsibilities in clinical, and technical and administrativeareas.

Clinical:

Undertakingpatient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use,through shared decision-making conversations with patients.

Carrying outmedicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g.checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicinesreconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work inpartnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.

As determined bythe PCN practices, supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliationfor new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfersbetween care settings, linking with local community pharmacists, and referringto the pharmacist for structured medicationreviews.

Providingspecialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health andsocial care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information,and help in tackling local health inequalities.

Taking a centralrole in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising withspecialist pharmacists for more complex patients.

Supportinginitiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

Support theClinical Pharmacist in SMRs i.e. organise necessary monitoring test prior toSMR

Manage sharedcare protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients

Technicaland Administrative:

Working with the GP practicemulti-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, includingimplementing efficient ordering and return processes and reducing wastage.Providing training and support on thelegal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation ofthe Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) and electronic Repeat Dispensing(eRD)Developing relationships with otherpharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team tosupport integration of the pharmacy team across health and social careincluding primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.

Supervisingpractice reception teams in sorting and streaming general prescriptionrequests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the moreclinically complex requests.

The role will also require pharmacytechnicians to support the implementation of national prescribing policies andguidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. Thiswill be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g. use of antibiotics),supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality andOutcomes Framework and enhanced services. In addition, pharmacy technicianswill assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation incentive schemes (e.g.medicines switches) and patient safety audits.

Trainingrequirements

Pharmacy technicians are registeredhealthcare professionals, who have been undertaking clinical and technicalroles in hospitals, community and primary care. Their initial 2-year trainingis mandated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), which specifies criteria to register as a pharmacy technicianand this covers the education, training and experiencerequirements.

The role may requiretravel between GP practice sites within the PCN area.

NPC Generic Job Description areas:Communication

Utiliseand demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fullyinformed and consent to treatment

Communicateeffectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternativemethods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding,cultural background and preferred ways of communicating

Anticipatebarriers to communication and take action to improve communication

Maintaineffective communication within the organisational environment and with externalstakeholders

Actas an advocate for patients and colleagues

Ensureawareness of sources of support and guidance (eg PALS) and provide informationin an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties andreferring where appropriate

Delivering a qualityservicePrioritise,organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotesqualityParticipatein quality assurance and safety processes across the organisation and itsactivitiesParticipatein shared learning across NPC and the wider organisational environmentUsea structured framework (e.g. root-cause analysis) to manage, review andidentify learning from patient complaints, clinical incidents and near-miss eventsAssessthe impact of policy implementation on care deliveryUnderstandand apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abusedchildren and adults, and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients healthprocedures and local guidanceLeadershippersonal and people development

Takeresponsibility for own learning andperformance including participating in coaching/supervision and acting as apositive role mode

Supportstaff development in order to maximise potential

Activelypromote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learnfrom each other and from external good practice

Encourageothers to make realistic self-assessment of their application of knowledge andskills, challenging any complacency or actions that are not in the interest ofthe public and/or users of services

Criticallyevaluate and review innovations and developments that are relevant to the areaof work

Enlistsupport and influence stakeholders and decision-makers in order to bring aboutnew developments in the provision of services

Contributeto planning and implementing changes within the area of care and responsibility

Contributeto the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards

TeamworkingUnderstandown role and scope and identify how this may develop over timeWorkas an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploringthe mechanisms to develop new ways of workingDelegateclearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice andassessment of competenceCreateclear referral mechanisms to meet patient needPrioritiseown workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embeddedwithin the culture of the teamWorkeffectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policiesimpacting upon care deliveryDiscuss,highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient careManageand lead on the delivery of specifically identified services or projects asagreed with the practice management teamAgreeplans and outcomes by which to measure successManagement of risk

Manageand assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measuresare in place to protect staff and patients

Monitorwork areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards andconform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines

Ensureappropriate supervision of safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.

Participatein mandatory and statutory training requirements

Applyinfection-control measures within the practice according to local and nationalguidelines

Interpretnational strategies and policies into local implementation strategies that arealigned to the values and culture of generalpractice

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in a patient facing role e.g. primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
• Experience of working with I.T systems i.e. Microsoft Office and or Clinical Systems
• Experience of following set procedures and protocols and working to quality standards
• Experience of working in a busy environment and meeting deadlines

Desirable

• Understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and service
• An appreciation of the nature of GPs and general practice. An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
• Experience and an awareness of common acute and long-term conditions that are likely to be seen in general practice

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face
• Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills organisation skills with the ability to constructively challenge the view and practices of managers and clinicians
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
• Good IT skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity
• Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily

Desirable

• Ability to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions
• Full driving license
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data

Qualifications

Essential

• Completion of or be enrolled in, be undertaking or be prepared to start an approved 18-month training pathway (e.g. Primary care pharmacy educational pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH)).
• Self-development through continuous professional development activity
• BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Desirable

• Registration with the Association of Pharmacy Technicians

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 seeNHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk Primary Care C.I.C.

Address

3rd Floor, Reed House

Peachman Way

Broadland Business Park

Norwich

NR7 0WF

Employer's website

https://norfolkprimarycare.com/ (Opens in a new tab)