Primary Care Network Pharmacy Technician

NHS; Havant; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Primary Care Network Pharmacy Technician

Havant and Waterlooville Primary Care Network

The post holder will be part of an already established Clinical Pharmacy Team and is expected to work independently for much of the time, alongside our other Pharmacy Technician.

The post holder will work with PCN Clinical Pharmacists and member practices to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient systems relating to patients prescribed medication as described in the PCN contract.

Recognising that each GP practice operates differently, the post holder will collaborate with practice managers, clinicians, and other practice staff to deliver primary care services such as repeat dispensing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines wastage, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical audits.

Main duties of the job

1. Undertake patient-facing activities to ensure effective medicines use through shared decision-making discussions with patients.
2. Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicines administration (e.g., checking inhaler techniques).
3. Conduct patient safety audits and incentive scheme actions.
4. Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation, including for new care home patients. Utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.
5. Synchronise medicines for patients transferring between care settings and link them with local community pharmacists.
6. Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling health inequalities.
7. Support clinical pharmacists with shared care protocols.
8. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
9. Support the implementation of national and local prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes, and other primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits, supporting delivery of QIPP, QOF, and enhanced service (LCS and IIF) targets.

About us

Havant and Waterlooville Primary Care Network (PCN) has five member practices in an area to the south of Hampshire, stretching from Denmead Practice in the north-west to Bosmere Medical Practice to the south of Havant. Together our practices are responsible for 67,000 patients.

The Havant & Waterlooville Primary Care Network (PCN) comprises five general practice member practices:

• Bosmere Medical Practice
• Oaks Healthcare
• Denmead Practice

You will work partly from within a primary care setting and partly in the community.

The post-holder will have the confidence to work with clinical and non-clinical colleagues from Havant & Waterlooville PCN practices, PCN colleagues, including Social Prescribers, Health & Wellbeing Coaches, Pharmacists, First Contact MSK Practitioners, Mental Health Practitioners, Care Coordinators, and colleagues working in secondary care, community health, adult social care, and the voluntary sector.

Job responsibilities

1. Undertake patient-facing activities to ensure effective medicines use through shared decision-making discussions with patients.
2. Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicines administration (e.g., checking inhaler techniques).
3. Conduct patient safety audits and incentive scheme actions, as directed.
4. Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation, including for new care home patients. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.
5. Synchronise medicines for patients transferring between care settings and link them with local community pharmacists as appropriate.
6. Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling health inequalities.
7. Support clinical pharmacists with shared care protocols.
8. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
9. Support the implementation of national and local prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes, and other primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits, supporting delivery of QIPP, QOF, and enhanced service (LCS and IIF) targets.

Technical and Administrative responsibilities

1. Understand and use EMIS clinical record system effectively.
2. Develop and implement schemes and action plans for delivery of PCN-wide Investment & Impact Fund (IIF) scheme targets.
3. Work with PCN MDTs and practices to support medicines optimisation in order to get the best value from medicines/reduce wastage.
4. Be the first port of call for practice reception teams triaging general prescription requests, to allow GPs and Clinical Pharmacists to focus on more clinically complex requests.
5. Encourage uptake and implementation of Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines.
6. Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, and members of PCN MDTs to support integration of the pharmacy team with other PCN and practice teams and with community pharmacy and secondary care colleagues.
7. Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation incentive schemes (e.g., medicines switches/alternatives) and ensure that all activities are monitored and evaluated.
8. Attend meetings as required; attend training courses and supervision sessions as required; keep up to date with Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
9. Work in accordance with PCN policies, including the equal opportunities policy and practice.
10. Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required from time to time.
11. Be prepared to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends if required.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

All employees are subject to the requirements of General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018 and must maintain strict confidentiality in respect of patient, client, staff, and organisational records.

Safeguarding Responsibilities

The organisation takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults, and addressing domestic violence very seriously. All employees have a responsibility to support the organisation in our duties by:

1. Attending mandatory training on Safeguarding children and adults.
2. Making sure they are familiar with their and the organisation's requirements under relevant legislation.
3. Adhering to all relevant national and local policies, procedures, practice guidance, and professional codes.
4. Reporting any concerns to the appropriate authority.

Equality and Diversity

The organisation is committed to promoting equal opportunities to achieve equity of access, experience, and outcomes and to recognising and valuing people's differences. This applies to all activities as a service provider, as an employer, and as a commissioner.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A PCN Pharmacy Technician is required to meet the qualification and training requirements for a Pharmacy Technician as specified by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), be registered with the GPhC, and be enrolled in, undertaking, or qualified from an approved training pathway (e.g., Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH)).
• Enrolled in, undertaking, or qualified from PCEP or MOCH.

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.

Havant and Waterlooville Primary Care Network