Job Description

Job Summary

The ambition is to better utilise the role of pharmacy within primary care to pro-actively help patients stay safe and well and out of hospital as well as helping to reduce the demands on general practice.

The post holder is a Pharmacy technician, who acts within their professional boundaries, supporting pharmacists in general practice to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines. In this role they will be supervised by a pharmacist who will develop, manage and mentor them.

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

Primary duties and areas of responsibility

Clinical

Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients. Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively. As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies. Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structure Medication Reviews (SMR) i.e. organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR. Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities. Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.

Technical and Administrative

Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed. Support medications reconciliation for patients when they are discharged from hospital. Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering. Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of the multidisciplinary team to support integration across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health. Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests. Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. Support the Practice to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services. Support the Practice in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.

General

The postholder will:

Be committed to a culture that promotes equality and values diversity, actively promote Equality and Diversity issues relevant to the post and comply with relevant ABC policies. Ensure the principles of openness, transparency and candour are observed and upheld in practices. Acquire through training, the appropriate level of safeguarding knowledge, skills and practice required and comply with relevant ABC safeguarding policies. Ensure that any infection prevention and control issues are reported to the line manager in accordance with Infection Prevention and Control guidelines

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community, or hospital pharmacy

Desirable

Evidence of continued professional development (CPD) Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities, and challenges

Knowledge and Understanding

Essential

Relevant theoretical and practical knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s) 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, ethics and current legislation

Desirable

Understanding of NHS long term plan and priorities relevant to primary care Awareness of funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality

Qualifications

Essential

Professional registration with GPhC BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences

Attributes

Essential

Works effectively independently and as a member of a team Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder focused response Self-motivated and proactive Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required. Independently mobile to be able to work across several sites and travel to meet with stakeholders Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change Demonstrate ability to work in a busy environment; ability to deal with both urgent and important tasks and to prioritise effectively whilst also supporting others Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills

Skills and Competencies

Essential

Computer literate with an ability to use Microsoft office packages. Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily Able to effectively manage allocated resources Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems Excellent verbal and written communication skills with team members, patients, carers, and other healthcare professionals, whilst recognising peoples needs for alternative methods of communication Influencing and negotiating skills An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues

Desirable

Ability to use the required GP clinical systems

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

About Us

Silverdale Practice is a well-established training Practice based in Burgess Hill West Sussex. We have two sites in Burgess Hill and provide a safe and sustainable service to our registered list of 13,600 patients. Our Practice Business Manager supports a team of 5 GP Partners, salaried GP's, Paramedics, Nurses, Pharmacist, Care Coordinators, Medical Secretaries, GP Assistants, Patient Services Team and Admin Team. We are a member practice of the Burgess Hill Villages PCN.

Closing date for applications is 23rd January (if we receive a high volume of applications we may close the advert early)

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: 27,496.00-34,188.00 per year

Expected hours: 25 - 30 per week

Application question(s):

Do you have BTEC/NVQ level 3 or Equivalent in Pharmaceutical Sciences?
Licence/Certification:

GPhC Registration (preferred)
Work Location: In person