Pharmacy Technician

NHS Jobs; Northolt; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Yeading Medical Centre is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to support medicines optimisation, prescription management and patient safety within primary care. You will work with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists and practice staff to improve outcomes and ensure safe, cost-effective use of medicines through audits, electronic prescribing and governance.

This role focuses on reviews, reconciliation for care home patients, repeat prescribing and contributing to national prescribing guidance and service

Responsibilities

• Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients.
• Promote antimicrobial stewardship and reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
• Assist with medicines optimisation schemes, prescribing incentives and patient safety audits.
• Support safe repeat prescribing and monitoring of high-risk medicines.
• Promote electronic prescribing and efficient prescription processes to minimise errors and waste.
• Handle prescription queries and requests within the scope of competence.
• Support reception teams in sorting and prioritising prescription requests.
• Improve medicines ordering, returns and stock management processes.
• Support the implementation and effective use of the Electronic Prescription Service.
• Support implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance across general practice, care homes and other primary care settings.
• Undertake clinical audits, including audits of antibiotic prescribing.
• Contribute to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and enhanced services; participate in research and quality improvement initiatives.
• Develop and review practice protocols, guidelines and procedures.
• Support the implementation of changes arising from audit findings and service reviews.
• Work collaboratively with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• Build effective working relationships across primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, mental health and social care.
• Provide training and guidance to practice staff on the safe, secure and legal handling of medicines.
• Contribute actively to the general practice team and support the delivery of enhanced services.
• Comply with relevant legislation, professional standards and practice policies.
• Follow safeguarding procedures relating to adults and children.
• Support the management of patient complaints when required.
• Contribute to learning from incidents, medication errors and near misses to improve patient safety.
• Demonstrate initiative, sound judgement and effective problem-solving skills.
• Maintain confidentiality, accurate records and professional conduct at all times.
• Undertake mandatory training and participate in professional development.
• Support clinical governance, service improvement and the delivery of high-quality patient care.
• Work within the limits of competence, seeking advice or referring clinical concerns appropriately.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the role and service requirements.
• The Pharmacy Technician will contribute to safer prescribing, improved medicines optimisation, reduced medication waste, effective teamwork, compliance with national guidance and improved patient outcomes across Yeading Medical Centre and its associated care settings.

Job description

Job Description: Pharmacy Technician Organisation: Yeading Medical Centre Department: Primary Care / Medicines Management Job Purpose To support the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality patient care by assisting with medicines optimisation, prescription management, medication safety and clinical governance. The Pharmacy Technician will work collaboratively with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, practice staff and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve patient outcomes and ensure the safe, efficient and cost-effective use of medicines.

Key Responsibilities

• Medicines Optimisation and Patient Safety Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients. Promote antimicrobial stewardship and reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Assist with medicines optimisation schemes, prescribing incentives and patient safety audits. Support safe repeat prescribing and the monitoring and management of high-risk medicines. Promote electronic prescribing and efficient prescription processes to minimise medication errors and waste.
• Prescription Management Handle prescription queries and requests directly within the scope of competence. Support reception teams in sorting and prioritising prescription requests, referring complex clinical matters to GPs or Clinical Pharmacists. Improve medicines ordering, returns and stock management processes. Support the implementation and effective use of the Electronic Prescription Service.
• Clinical Audits and Quality Improvement Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance across general practice, care homes and other primary care settings. Undertake clinical audits, including audits of antibiotic prescribing, and contribute to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and enhanced services. Participate in research, quality improvement initiatives and the development and review of practice protocols, guidelines and procedures. Support the implementation of changes arising from audit findings and service reviews.
• Teamwork and Communication Work collaboratively with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the wider multidisciplinary team. Build effective working relationships across primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, mental health and social care. Provide training and guidance to practice staff on the safe, secure and legal handling of medicines. Contribute actively to the general practice team and support the delivery of enhanced services.
• Governance, Safeguarding and Continuous Improvement Comply with relevant legislation, professional standards and practice policies. Follow safeguarding procedures relating to adults and children. Support the management of patient complaints when required. Contribute to learning from incidents, medication errors and near misses to improve patient safety. Demonstrate initiative, sound judgement and effective problem-solving skills. Maintain confidentiality, accurate records and professional conduct at all times.

General Responsibilities

• Undertake mandatory training and participate in professional development. Support clinical governance, service improvement and the delivery of high-quality patient care. Work within the limits of competence, seeking advice or referring clinical concerns appropriately. Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the role and service requirements.

Expected Outcomes

The Pharmacy Technician will contribute to safer prescribing, improved medicines optimisation, reduced medication waste, effective teamwork, compliance with national guidance and improved patient outcomes across Yeading Medical Centre and its associated care settings.