Pharmacy Technician

NHS; Oxford; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

The NHS is seeking a motivated Pharmacy Technician to join a multidisciplinary team within the South East Oxford Health Alliance. This role involves delivering medicines optimisation services, managing medication reviews, and supporting the integration of pharmacy services across practices, contributing to improved patient care and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Minimum two years qualified experience in Primary Care.
• Ability to conduct medication reviews and manage prescription processes.
• Experience in delivering clinical support and quality improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Deliver medicines optimisation services focusing on patient safety.
• Conduct technician-led medication reviews and chronic disease clinics.
• Support quality improvement initiatives and manage prescription processes.

Skills

Collaborative Working Relationships

Leadership

Management

Education

GPhC-approved qualification and registration

Completion of CPPE primary care pathway

Job description

Join an Innovative and Supportive Multidisciplinary Team!

We are seeking a highly motivated Pharmacy Technician to become part of our forward-thinking multidisciplinary team within the South East Oxford Health Alliance Primary Care Network (SEOxHA PCN). If you're passionate about improving patient care and excited to work in an evolving role, this is the opportunity for you.

Why Join Us?

This is your chance to apply your existing pharmacy knowledge and skills in a new, challenging environment while expanding your expertise in primary care. You'll have the opportunity to:

• Be at the forefront of medicines optimisation services, making a tangible difference to patient outcomes.
• Support the development and delivery of clinical services in a dynamic PCN environment.
• Work closely with a collaborative team to improve access to healthcare and enhance the quality of care.

About the Role

The successful candidate will be based across three practices within the South East Oxford area:

• Donnington Medical Partnership
• Temple Cowley Health Centre
• The Leys Health Centre

Your role will involve a balance of patient-facing activities, including technician-led clinics, and clinical administration, supporting the network with medicines optimisation, quality improvement, and contributing to key NHS frameworks such as QOF.

You'll be integral to streamlining operational processes and creating efficiencies across the network, allowing us to make the most of skill mix and improve service delivery.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver medicines optimisation services, focusing on improving patient safety and outcomes.
• Deliver technician-led medication or chronic disease review clinics, within area of competence, under the supervision of a pharmacist.
• Deliver medicines reconciliation at the point of discharge and on other transfers of care. Support reconciliation when appropriate if patients have been seen in outpatient settings.
• Provide clinical support to general practice teams and patients, including medication reviews, dealing with medication queries (within competence), and supporting treatment adherence.
• Assist in quality improvement initiatives for high-risk and shared care medicines, contribute to the achievement of QOF and other enhanced service targets.
• Use and maintain information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position, including medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings, and patient outcomes. Undertake prescribing audits using GP clinical systems (e.g., EMIS).
• Liaise with other pharmacy stakeholders, including but not limited to: community pharmacy teams, hospital pharmacy teams, and the Medicines Optimisation team at the ICB.
• Develop systems and processes to ensure optimal use of pharmacy resources and enhance patient access to care. Contribute to the review and development of practice repeat prescribing protocols and standard operating procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing.

About us

The SEOxHA Network delivers health and wellbeing services to a population of 33,000. The local community is diverse and culturally rich.

This is a unique opportunity to develop the role within the Primary Care Network (PCN) and collaborate with other team members to develop the PCN as a whole.

The team includes clinical pharmacists, a pharmacy technician, social prescribing link workers, and learning disability & care home patient coordinators.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will work as part of the multidisciplinary team across several GP practices to provide patient-facing and remote support alongside a wider pharmacy team. The role aims to:

• Support patients and practices with medication reviews
• Manage prescription processes
• Provide support on medicines optimisation and quality improvement (including QOF)
• Support the integration of the pharmacy team across sectors

Development support and mentorship will be provided by a senior pharmacy technician or clinical pharmacist. The post holder is expected to work towards the CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway if not already completed.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical activities are to be supported and advised by a clinical pharmacist.

Medication Review

• Technicians with appropriate training can undertake level 1 (prescription review) and level 2 (treatment review) activities. Clinical decisions requiring further input should be referred to a pharmacist or GP.
• Identify and prioritize patients for Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) and medicines reconciliation.
• Organize necessary monitoring tests prior to SMRs.
• Promote cost-effective prescribing by understanding local formularies and conducting audits for suitable alternatives.
• Engage in patient-facing activities to ensure effective medication use, adherence, and education.
• Support with medicines compliance, including inhaler technique assessments.
• Manage high-risk drugs, oversee audits, and ensure drug monitoring.
• Participate in activities to reduce medication waste and improve safety.
• Address lifestyle, social care needs, and public health considerations of patients.
• Provide lifestyle advice and liaise with other healthcare professionals and organizations.
• Conduct audits on antibiotic use and share findings with the MDT.
• Manage cascading of MHRA alerts.

Care home activities

• Medicines reconciliation for new care home patients.
• Synchronize medicines during patient transfers between care settings.
• Liaise with community pharmacy.

Technical and administrative

• Review and improve reconciliation processes.
• Streamline processes post-discharge and address clinical queries.
• Ensure efficient workflow within the MDT and staff training.
• Lead medicines optimization efforts across the PCN and share best practices.
• Support the MDT in following medicines optimization protocols.
• Manage electronic repeat dispensing (eRD) and prescription processes to reduce wastage.
• Promote eRD and online ordering to patients.
• Assist practice reception teams with prescription requests, especially complex cases.

Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)

• Train and support the MDT on legal, safe handling of medicines.
• Lead EPS protocol implementation.
• Review and refine MHRA alert cascades.
• Identify patients within alert criteria for review.

Developing relationships across the PCN

• Handle medication-related queries from patients, GPs, MDT, pharmacy, and other professionals.
• Collaborate with secondary care, community pharmacy, and other stakeholders.

Behavioural Competencies and Skills

Collaborative Working Relationships

• Recognize roles of colleagues and communicate effectively with stakeholders.
• Work as part of a team, recognizing personal limitations.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships within and outside the practice.
• Liaise with CCG colleagues and pharmacy technicians for peer support.

Leadership

• Collaborate with other practices and staff for patient benefit.
• Understand and implement pharmacy governance roles.
• Contribute to the practice vision and quality improvements.
• Set goals and motivate oneself to achieve results.

Management

• Understand national priorities and resource utilization.
• Adhere to standards and policies, and manage risks.
• Engage in performance management and extend service boundaries.

Education, Training and Development

• Be a role model and understand mentorship.
• Conduct teaching and assessments, and pursue CPD.
• Stay updated on educational policies and clinical practices.

Research and Evaluation

• Critically evaluate literature and identify evidence gaps.
• Present findings and apply research into practice.
• Understand research governance principles.

This description is a guide and may be reviewed and amended as needed.

Person Specification

Experience

• Previous experience in Primary Care.

Qualifications

• GPhC-approved qualification and registration.
• Minimum two years qualified.
• Completion of CPPE primary care pathway.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This role requires a DBS check due to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.