Practice Pharmacy Technician (ARRS)

NHS Jobs; Watford; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridgewater Surgeries in the United Kingdom is seeking a Practice Pharmacy Technician to support Clinical Pharmacists in safe and efficient repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation and cost-effective prescribing.

You will undertake medicines reconciliation, support budgets, audits and patient education, and provide expert advice to GPs, staff and patients under supervision. 37.5 hours per week, full time; salary dependent on experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist with repeat prescribing of ongoing medications.
• Undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and update patients' medical records/prescribing accordingly.
• Support achievement of Practice's prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework targets under supervision.
• Provide advice to GPs, staff and patients on prescribing to improve safety, quality and cost effectiveness.
• Participate in medication audits.
• Assist in monitoring and management of prescribing budgets and liaise with local medicines management team.
• Prepare evidence-based resources to support rational cost-effective prescribing.
• Support pharmacists with medication reviews and community visits as appropriate.
• Proactively handle the safe processing of prescriptions and assess risks.

Skills

Repeat prescribing

Medicines reconciliation

Prescribing budgets

Medication safety

Job description

Post Title: Practice Pharmacy Technician Location: Bridgewater Surgeries Salary: Dependent on experience Working Hours: 37.5 hours PW Full time Reports to: Lead Clinical Pharmacist

JOB SUMMARY

To support the Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

Job responsibilities

• To assist with repeat prescribing of ongoing medications.
• To undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients medical records / prescribing accordingly.
• To support the achievement of the practices prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework targets, under the supervision of the Lead Clinical Pharmacist and Lead GP for Medicine Management.
• To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness.
• To participate in medication audits.
• To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing budgets and to liaise with the local medicines management team.
• To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing.
• To support the Pharmacists to provide medication reviews, patient information leaflets, medicine awareness; and to undertake community visits as appropriate.
• To take a proactive approach to 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 referring to the appropriate GP in accordance with practice protocols.
• To advise on the sourcing and safe management of medicines as appropriate To assist in the submission of claims for personally administered drugs as required.
• Be responsible for the organisation, planning and of own workload to meet set deadlines.
• To deal with medication related queries from reception staff and patients.
• Responsibility for administration

Other duties and responsibilities

Other duties and responsibilities may include any or all the items in the following list:

• Taking messages and passing on information as appropriate.
• Computer data entry/data allocation and collation, processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures.
• Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare professionals and providers.
• Helping to keep all practice areas tidy and free from obstructions and clutter.
• Helping to maintain a positive, patient focussed culture.
• Helping to maintain a positive, supportive culture across the whole of the practice team.
• Any other duties commensurate with this position.
• Duties will vary from time to time under the direction of the Partners / Practice Manager dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels.

Patient services

• To provide medication review services to patients via clinics in the practice, and where required on domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes, and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care.
• To present at patient group meetings or other appropriate events to give advice on the appropriate use of medicines.
• To produce patient information leaflets and posters and run medicine awareness projects throughout the year.
• Assist Partners with the appropriate monitoring and management of their prescribing budgets.
• To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the medicine management team and all other relevant health professionals in the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing.
• To help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the practice to optimise the quality of prescribing.

Communication

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Reporting potential risks identified

Confidentiality

While seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential. Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Personal/Professional Development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.