Pharmacy Technician Bournemouth

Meeveem Limited; Bournemouth; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

South Coast Medical Group is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to join our NHS primary care network in Bournemouth. The role is full-time, 37.5 hours weekly, Monday to Friday, with a salary up to £14.21/hr DOE.

You will support GP practices to assess and treat patients with medicines and provide Medicines Optimisation across the network. The ideal candidate will hold a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills or equivalent, be registered with the GPhC, and have strong communication, accuracy

Qualifications

• A minimum of a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills or equivalent qualification is required.
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is essential.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, are essential.
• Proficiency in using pharmacy software systems is important.

Responsibilities

• Pharmacy technicians core role responsibilities will cover clinical, technical, and administrative categories.
• Lead improvements to maximise efficient, safe, cost‑effective best practice in prescribing to improve patient care.
• Support patients with questions and concerns about their medicines and signpost to appropriate services.
• Participate in the daily preparation of repeat prescriptions for care homes and list holders.
• Develop and review repeat prescribing protocols across the PCN to improve efficiency.
• Support medicines reconciliation and medication reviews prioritising high-risk patients.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Attention to detail

Pharmacy software proficiency

Education

Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills

GPhC registration

Tools

Pharmacy software systems

Job description

Job Summary

We are looking for a Pharmacy Technician to join our Network. This post is full time, 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. This post will support GP practices to assess and treat patients using your expert knowledge of medicines.

• 37.5 Hours Per Week Monday to Friday
• Salary up to £14.21/hr DOE
• Working across the Network

To provide integrated pharmacy care and medicines optimisation services contributing to effective patient care and ensuring avoidable adverse events and hospital admissions are prevented.

To liaise with hospital pharmacy teams, GP practices, local community pharmacists, social services, and care agencies to ensure any continuing medicine management issues are addressed and managed throughout the patients care pathway.

To provide relevant information to patients/carers and staff on matters relating to medication

Liaise with the clinical pharmacist and other members of the Multidisciplinary team (MDT) to provide support and solutions.

Counsel patients on how to take their medicines and identify any barriers to them taking their medication, referring to a pharmacist as needed.

To undertake face to face and person‑centred consultations with the emphasis on shared decision making.

Our vision is: Be the best provider in healthcare, education and training for our local communities.

Main duties of the job

A minimum of a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills or equivalent qualification is required. Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is essential.

Previous experience working as a pharmacy technician in a primary care setting is preferred. Experience in dispensing medication, managing stock, and providing patient counselling is highly desirable.

Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, are essential. The ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide excellent customer service is crucial. Attention to detail, accuracy in dispensing medication, and proficiency in using pharmacy software systems are also important.

A good understanding of pharmaceutical regulations, guidelines, and best practices in primary care settings is required. Knowledge of medical terminology, drug interactions, and pharmaceutical calculations is essential.The ideal candidate should be reliable, organized, and able to work efficiently under pressure. A professional and empathetic approach to patient care, along with a commitment to continuous professional development, is important.

Additional requirements: Flexibility in working across all sites is essential, Compliance with confidentiality and data protection regulations is mandatory.

Job Type

Full‑time

Experience

• Pharmacy technician: 1 year (required)

Work Location

In person

About us

South Coast Medical Group is an award‑winning NHS Primary Care Home, comprising six GP surgery locations in the Bournemouth general area and serving over 55,000 patients in total.

By working at scale, we are better able to promote health and provide for the differing needs of the communities of local people and a balanced workload for our staff. It also enables us to employ a significant multi‑disciplinary team including Pharmacists, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Paramedics (for pre‑assessment screening and home visits) all of whom reduce the clinical workload for GPs.

SCMG is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Job responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians core role responsibilities will cover clinical, technical, and administrative categories.

The purpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise efficient, safe, cost‑effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will help patients to get the best from their medicines by supporting all National and Dorset ICs medicines optimisation programmes, improving repeat prescribing processes, promoting ion of repeat dispensing and online ordering, minimising clinical risk due to medicines and aiming to reduce wasted medicines.

Queries - To respond to patient queries from patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the appropriate healthcare professional in accordance with practice protocols. Support patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines signposting patients to appropriate services and other healthcare professionals (e.g. community pharmacy, face to face medicines review with the practice pharmacists). To offer practical advice to patients and carers for minor ailments.

Processing Repeat Prescriptions - To participate in the daily preparation of repeat prescriptions for care homes residents and for list holders on leave at SCMG in order to ensure high quality, safe and timely repeat prescribing.

Co‑ordinating Repeat Prescribing Systems - To proactively contribute to the review and development of repeat prescribing protocols / Standard Operating Procedures across the PCN to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing systems.

Medicines Reconciliation - To support the practice pharmacists with medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients medical records / prescribing accordingly liaising with community pharmacy to ensure the correct medicines are continued following transfer of care. (Including updating weights and renal function tests).

Medication Review - To support the practice pharmacists to complete medication reviews prioritising patients with polypharmacy, strong opioids, high risk medicines and patients with unplanned hospital admissions or as directed by the PCN DES.

Care Home Patients - To support the Care Home Pharmacist with medication reviews in Care Homes and updating patients medical records / prescribing accordingly (including updating weights and renal function tests.

Domiciliary Medication Review - To support medication reviews to patients via domiciliary visits if appropriate and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost‑effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care and ensure adherence.

Leading and supporting on cost effective prescribing initiatives - To implement medication changes in line with Dorset ICs CCG guidelines in agreement with the practice. To review medicines described as Red Formulary specials or unlicensed medicines and liaise with practice pharmacist/ designated GP to justify use.

To reduce the prescribing of medicines available over the counter, low value and low priority treatments and self‑care items. To raise awareness of medicines that should be purchased and lead on projects to inform patients and reduce prescribing in line with NHS England guidelines.

Medicines Audit & Service Evaluation / Development - To participate in audits to monitor and analyse individual practice / primary care network prescribing performance and trends against Dorset ICs and National targets, using data and identifying priority areas for action. To produce and present written and verbal prescribing reports for practices / primary care networks including recommendations and assistance in the implementation of these recommendations.

High Risk Medicines - To support the PCN Senior practice pharmacist by ensuring monthly review of High Risk medicines, checking that routine monitoring is completed regularly reporting any variances and taking appropriate action as specified by designated GPs.

Long term clinical conditions / Service Evaluation - To support practice nurses in providing care for long term conditions which might include ensuring Respiratory patients have good inhaler technique, Diabetes patients know how to use blood glucose monitoring equipment. Helping to ensure blood tests have been completed for long term conditions and medicines prescribed are safe and appropriate e.g., HbA1C / GFR and diabetes reviews / medications.

External reviews and CQC Inspections - To support the practice and PCN when preparing for external reviews and CQC inspections ensuring SOPs relevant to medicines are current, relevant and up to date. Support the work of practice pharmacist and prescribing lead to ensure practice is compliant with CQC standards relating to medicines.

Safe storage of medicines and vaccinations - To ensure fridge monitoring is complete and complies with legislation at SCMG. To ensure medicines are stored safely and complies with legislation. To ensure stock is maintained and out of date stock is identified and disposed of in a timely manner. To oversee ordering processes for formulary medicines, blood glucose meters and vaccines.

Liaising with Dorset ICs - To support the PCN Senior Pharmacist to liaise with the IC in response to monitoring and management of prescribing budgets.

Training - To deliver specialist training to GPs, practice, community and care staff, and patients to promote and ensure current best practice related to prescribing appropriate to your knowledge, competencies and specialist areas under the supervision of the PCN Senior Pharmacist. To maintain mandatory training competencies as specified by Practice Manager.

Medicines Safety and Alerts - To highlight and discuss MHRA alerts and product withdrawals with GPs, HCPs and PCN Senior Pharmacist agreeing and implementing changes, informing patients and community pharmacies. To ensure prescribing supports current safety recommendations e.g. Insulin - prescribed by brand.

QOF and IIF - To support the achievement of the PCNs prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework and Investment and Impact Fund (IIF) targets.

Repeat prescribing staff management - To provide supervision, training and professional leadership to the practice administrative staff in the preparation of repeat prescriptions.

Medicines Information - To signpost and share with PCN Staff Dorset ICs Medicines internet pages, prescribing newsletters and formulary and other useful resources. To participate in medicines information tasks from health professionals within your scope of practice and under the supervision of the PCN Senior Pharmacist.

Supporting Digital Solutions - To promote and adopt digital solutions including Patient Access, NHS App, Electronic Repeat Dispensing, Electronic Prescription Services (EPS), Ardens, AccuRx to patients and practice staff.

Qualifications

Essential

• General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

South Coast Medical Group

Address

South Coast Medical Group GP Surgery
12-14 Walpole Rd
Bournemouth
Dorset
BH1 4HA
United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://southcoastmedicalgroup.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

HR Administrator
Jane McGuigan
[e-mail]
01202163388