Pharmacy Technician

NHS; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Plymouth seeks a Pharmacy Technician to manage medicines across various services. The role involves collaboration in a team, overseeing prescription management, and ensuring patient safety through effective medication practices. Candidates should possess strong communication skills and relevant UK registration. This is an excellent opportunity for those passionate about healthcare.

Qualifications

• Experience of multi-professional team working.
• Ability to assess, plan, treat and refer patients.
• Knowledge of complex and common conditions in primary care.

Responsibilities

• Manage patients' medicine queries.
• Support clinical pharmacist with medicines-related matters.
• Monitor practice adherence to prescribing policy.

Skills

Exceptional communication skills

High level of computer literacy

Experience of autonomous practice

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Current UK professional registration

Completion of the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (desirable)

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Pharmacy Technician to join our Primary Care Network based in Plymouth. A key member of the practice, responsible for medicines management services across the organisation. The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to manage repeat prescription authorisations and reauthorisation, acute prescription requests, management of medicines on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing.

Role Responsibilities:

Medicines Information:

• Manage patients and health care professionals medicine queries.
• Act as a source of medicines information for all of the practice team and patients (e.g. around doses, side effects, adverse events, possible alternatives e.g. low/out of stock)

Medication Safety And Quality:

• Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms such as audit and PDSA cycles.
• Implement drug withdrawals and alerts e.g. MHRA aimed at improving medicines safety.
• Work with primary care professional and patients to implement NICE and other evidence based guidelines.

About Us

We are an ambitious and diverse GP Practice Network, providing care to over 30,000 patients across six locations in Plymouth. We are a forward-thinking team that always aspire to fresh thinking and innovation for new or improved ways to delivering the best healthcare for our patients.

Job Responsibilities:

• To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team whilst in a supporting function to the clinical pharmacist and other clinicians and within agreed prescribing standard operating procedures
• To support the clinical pharmacist as the PCN point of contact for all medicines related matters
• To process repeat medication requests, including the conversion of acute requests to repeat medicines, changing quantities of medicines
• To issue prescriptions in line with agreed clinical protocols and within your competency
• To encourage cost-effective prescribing throughout the PCN
• To undertake medicines reconciliation post discharge and on other transfers of care
• To update and maintain accurate and timely patient medication records on each practice clinical system, including advice given and action taken
• To liaise with secondary and primary care colleagues to ensure correct medicines are continued following the transfer of care
• To monitor practice adherence to the prescribing policy
• To support virtual and remote models of consultation and support including e-consultations, telehealth and telemedicine
• To liaise with practices and implement and embed a robust repeat prescribing system for use across all practices
• To support the clinical pharmacist in improving the quality and effectiveness of prescribing through clinical audit and education to improve performance against NICE standards, and clinical and prescribing guidance
• To apply infection-control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines
• To identify and be proactive in your training needs and development and as agreed with the Clinical Pharmacist
• To support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the PCN
• To participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events
• To actively signpost patients to the correct healthcare professional
• To undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• To contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• When requested to by a clinician, have appropriate conversations with patients and initiate medications such as Vitamin D, Iron Supplements, Folic Acid, Statins etc as per the PCN protocol.
• To contribute to public health campaigns (e.g. flu clinics) through advice or direct care
• To maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Support delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives
• Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner
• Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Exceptional communication skills (written and oral)
• High level of computer literacy
• A flexible pro-active approach to work
• Experience of autonomous practice working and multi-professional team working
• Ability to work on own initiative and prioritise task effectively
• Ability to make clear decisions with confidence and communicate these effectively
• Ability to work under pressure while remaining calm in difficult situations
• Ability to effectively assess, plan, treat and refer patients appropriately and evaluate patient care confidently
• Broad and sound knowledge of complex and common conditions in primary care in both adults and children.
• Experience of working to protocols / guidelines and patient groups / patient specific directives.
• Professionalism and discretion when dealing with sensitive information, maintaining confidentiality at all times.

Desirable:

• Completion of the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (CPPE) course is preferred but not essential.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community. 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. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.