Pharmacy Technician

NHS Jobs; Blyth; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to work within a multidisciplinary primary care team, supervised by a Clinical Pharmacist and GPs. The role focuses on medicines optimisation, reconciliation, repeat prescriptions, and safety governance to reduce GP workload while ensuring safe, cost-effective care.

Key duties include reconciliation after hospital discharge, managing repeat prescriptions, liaising with community pharmacies and care homes, and supporting prescribing with formulary

Qualifications

• Maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Participate in continuing professional development (CPD).
• Attend mandatory training and PCN meetings.

Responsibilities

• Medicines Optimisation: support medicines optimisation initiatives across the practice and PCN; identify patients requiring medication reviews; promote cost-effective prescribing.
• Medicines Reconciliation: reconcile medicines after hospital discharge; review discharge summaries and outpatient letters; update patient records accurately.
• Repeat Prescription Management: process and authorise repeat prescriptions; review requests for over-ordering; identify patients needing medication monitoring.
• Prescribing Support: manage medication queries; liaise with community pharmacies, hospitals and care homes; support formulary compliance.
• Clinical System Management: maintain accurate patient medication records; ensure coding and recalls; support searches relating to monitoring.
• Monitoring and Safety: identify patients requiring blood tests or monitoring; support recall systems for high-risk medicines; escalate safety concerns.
• Medicines Safety and Governance: participate in significant event reviews; support Medicines Safety Alerts; report medicines-related incidents.
• Care Home and Community Pharmacy Liaison: work with care homes; liaise with community pharmacies; support medicines management for vulnerable groups.
• Patient Support: provide advice on medication use; help patients understand changes; signpost when clinical assessment is needed.
• Service Development: contribute to development of medicines optimisation services; participate in quality initiatives; support PCN objectives.
• Training and Development: maintain GPhC registration; CPD; attend mandatory training and PCN meetings.

Skills

GPhC registration

Medicines optimisation knowledge

Job description

Job Purpose

The Pharmacy Technician will work as part of the multidisciplinary primary care team under the supervision of a Clinical Pharmacist and GP(s), supporting the safe and effective use of medicines. The post holder will improve the quality of patient care by assisting with medicines optimisation, medication reconciliation, prescribing support, repeat prescription management, audits and medicines-related administration. The role contributes to reducing GP workload while ensuring patients receive safe, efficient and cost-effective pharmaceutical care.

Key Responsibilities

Medicines Optimisation

• Support medicines optimisation initiatives across the practice and PCN.
• Identify patients requiring medication reviews.
• Assist in reducing medicines waste.
• Promote cost-effective prescribing.
• Undertake medication reviews.

Medicines Reconciliation

• Reconcile medicines following hospital discharge.
• Review discharge summaries and outpatient clinic letters.
• Update patient records accurately.
• Highlight discrepancies or concerns to the Clinical Pharmacist or GP.

Repeat Prescription Management

• Process and authorise repeat prescriptions in accordance with practice protocols and competency.
• Review requests for over-ordering or inappropriate prescribing.
• Identify patients requiring medication monitoring before issue.
• Support implementation of electronic repeat dispensing (eRD).

Prescribing Support

• Manage medication queries from patients and healthcare professionals.
• Liaise with community pharmacies, hospitals and care homes.
• Support formulary compliance and local prescribing guidance.
• Assist with prescription synchronisation and medication adherence initiatives.

Clinical System Management

• Maintain accurate patient medication records.
• Ensure coding and medicines-related information is recorded correctly.
• Support searches and recalls relating to medication monitoring.

Monitoring and Safety

• Identify patients requiring blood tests or clinical monitoring.
• Support recall systems for high-risk medicines.
• Assist in monitoring patients prescribed medicines requiring regular review.
• Escalate medicines safety concerns appropriately.

Medicines Safety and Governance

• Participate in significant event reviews involving medicines.
• Support implementation of Medicines Safety Alerts.
• Assist in audits relating to prescribing quality and patient safety.
• Report medicines-related incidents in accordance with practice policy.

Care Home and Community Pharmacy Liaison

• Work collaboratively with care homes regarding medication processes.
• Liaise with community pharmacies regarding prescription queries.
• Support medicines management for vulnerable patient groups.

Patient Support

• Provide advice on medication use within competence.
• Support patients to understand changes to medicines.
• Signpost patients appropriately where clinical assessment is required.

Service Development

• Contribute to the development of medicines optimisation services.
• Participate in service improvement initiatives.
• Support achievement of Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), Enhanced Services and PCN objectives.

Training and Development

• Maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Participate in continuing professional development (CPD).
• Attend mandatory training and PCN meetings.