Pharmacy technician

Avenham Surgery; Preston; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare practice in Preston is looking for a Pharmacy Technician to improve patient care and support the prescribing team. Candidates should be registered pharmacy technicians with an NVQ level 3 Diploma, possess knowledge of EMIS, and have experience in general practice. The role involves conducting medicine reconciliations, managing prescriptions, and collaborating with healthcare professionals to ensure effective medications management.

Qualifications

• Registered pharmacy technician with relevant experience and qualifications.
• Familiarity with clinical systems and practices in primary care.
• Knowledge of NHS agenda and prescribing principles.

Responsibilities

• Support clinical pharmacist in prescription safety.
• Conduct medicines reconciliation and audits.
• Respond to patient medication queries professionally.

Skills

Knowledge of EMIS clinical system

Experience of working in a general practice setting

Knowledge of the principles of medicines optimisation

Good clinical pharmacy knowledge

Understanding of pharmacy law and ethics

Education

Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council

NVQ level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians

Tools

EMIS

Job description

Avenham Surgery is looking for a Pharmacy Technician to join our friendly and enthusiastic multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder will work directly for the practice to support the team and ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

Main duties of the job

We recognise the value and better need to utilise the role of pharmacy technicians within primary care to help patients stay safe and well out of hospital and are therefore looking to expand on our existing pharmacy team.

The purpose of this role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will play a pivotal role in helping patients to get the best from their medicines through effective medicines reconciliation after discharge and on other transfers of care, medication use reviews, identification of patients suitable for electronic repeat dispensing, promotion of online ordering, providing assurance of monitoring of high risk drugs, and handling of prescription queries within their areas of competence.

The post-holder will also assist the general practice team in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation, and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

About us

Avenham Surgery is an inner city practice with a patient population of approximately 7,500. We are close to the motorway with easy access to the coast and country side.

We have a very friendly practice team with a varied skill mix including GPs ENP, PN, NA and HCA. We also have access to our PCN SP and mental health workers. All of whom are supported by our administration team.

We are a training practice and take medical students, student PA and have an FY2 + GPST2's on rotation.

Job responsibilities

The Pharmacy Technician will work alongside our prescribing clerks and under the supervision of our clinical pharmacist.

Be responsible for the organisation, planning and of own workload to meet set deadlines

Use and maintain information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings, and patient outcomes

Take a proactive approach towards the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment of risk and making recommendations for improvement

To respond to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner and within practice protocol, referring to the appropriate clinician when required

Liaise with other pharmacy stakeholders e.g. Medicines Optimisation/Community Pharmacy/Hospital Pharmacy/PCN Pharmacy teams

Support and eventually deliver training and development to practice based prescribing clerks and administrators to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration

Undertake medicines reconciliation reviews post-discharge and on other transfers of care, within the remit of practice protocols and growing individual competency

Run medication safety audits and highlight patients that require clinical review e.g. in response to MHRA / national patient safety alerts, the local incentive scheme, quality and outcomes framework (QOF) or local updates

Help review and contribute to the practice's repeat prescribing and high-risk drug monitoring protocols

Undertake medication use reviews and support the pharmacist by identifying patients who need further clinical medication review and assisting where able, e.g. through the provision of patient safety information leaflets, joining on community visits etc.

Participate in practice MDT meetings, patient participation groups, and other meetings to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation

Person Specification

Experience

• Knowledge of EMIS clinical system
• Experience of working in a general practice setting
• Knowledge of the principles of medicines optimisation
• An appreciation of the NHS agenda and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
• Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
• Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation

Qualifications

• Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a pharmacy technician
• NVQ level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians.
• EMIS Experience

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.