Job Description

Title:

Pharmacy Technician

Reporting to:

Senior Clinical Pharmacist

Responsible to:

Surrey Heath Community Providers Ltd (SHCPL, 'The Federation')

Base:

Surrey Heath Community Providers Ltd, Knoll Road, Camberley

The role will require working from practices and care home sites across the Federation / Primary Care Network (PCN) footprint.

Hours per week:

30 hours (Part Time), hours per week.

Salary:

31,015.00 (FTE) per annum

Holiday Entitlement:

27 days per year (based on full time hours) plus Bank Holiday entitlement

Key Relationships:

Senior Clinical Pharmacists, Clinical Pharmacy Team, Federation Directors, Network Clinical Directors, GPs and other general practice healthcare professionals within Surrey Heath PCN/Federation, Federation Business Manager, Practice Managers / administrative staff within Surrey Heath PCN/Federation, Patients / residents / clients, Care Homes' staff, Community Pharmacists

Our Service:

Surrey Heath Community Providers offer a 365-day, 52-week service delivery and as part of that, we offer a seven days' a week, 8:00am to 8:00pm service. So as part of your normal working hours, you may be required to work evenings or weekends, to provide a seven-day service, as per the needs of the business.

Job Summary:

Joining our Clinical Pharmacy Team across General Practices and Care Homes in Surrey Heath and playing an important role complementing the clinical pharmacists and other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT). Working under supervision of a clinical pharmacist, undertaking resident/patient-facing activities and supporting the team of clinical pharmacists to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines within care homes and general practice, through shared decision-making conversations with residents/patients.

Initially focusing on supporting the Primary Care Network (PCN) implement the medicines optimisation requirements of the new Network Contract Direct Enhanced Services and other PCN Care Homes responsibilities. As the PCNs Care Homes plans mature, the focus of the role will expand to support the clinical pharmacists across general practice in Surrey Heath.

Supporting the clinical pharmacists in implementing effective medicine management in care homes and across the practices, and identifying areas for improvement, and initiating and managing change.

Key Responsibilities & Duties:

Function as part of the general practice and PCN team and working across the practices and care homes in Surrey Heath, developing professional supportive relationships. Carry out medicines optimisation tasks, to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of prescribing, and patient adherence and administration. Undertake tasks to support structured medication reviews/medication reviews. Build and run EMIS reports to identify/stratify patients/residents for review. Undertake medicines reconciliation, with support of other clinical staff review medication changes and communicate change appropriately, including for new care home residents / patients and post hospital discharge / out-patients. Synchronising medicines for patient transfer between care settings, linking with local community pharmacists, and referring to the clinical pharmacist for structured medication reviews (SMRs). Use consultation skills, where required, to work in partnership with patients/residents to ensure they use their medicines effectively (e.g. checking inhaler technique). Where competent, provide specialist expertise to address both the public health needs and social care needs of residents/patients, including providing lifestyle advice, service information, and helping tacking health inequalities. Support members of the practice team on matters relating to medicines optimisation, prescription requests, queries and drug monitoring. Deal with medication queries and requests, including urgent requests, from care homes, patients, carers, community pharmacies or other outside agency. Liaise with community pharmacies to assess patients and initiate blister packs, ensuring these are prescribed safely, appropriately and meet local guidance. Provide training and support to ensure the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the promotion of systems for safety or clinical effectiveness, such as Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering (e.g. EMIS Proxy) as appropriate. Provide support and education to practice reception teams in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests. Provide education and training to healthcare professionals, for example providing training on medicines storage, ordering and waste reduction at the care homes forum. Work with the practices, care homes and/or wider MDT to implement efficient medication ordering processes to help reduce wastage. Update and archive information on the residents' / patients' medication records. Proactively review patients' medical records to identify gaps in their care and identify action required. Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaise with clinical or specialist pharmacists for more complex patients. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Action drug alerts and recalls, within competence, independently or with other members of the team. Work autonomously making decisions within competence, e.g. extending medication review dates, where within competence. Deal with Practice alerts as appropriate, including QOF/QIS alerts. Work using local prescribing policies, and with reference to local formulary. Conduct medicines management and prescribing audits and share the outcomes of the clinical audits in order to facilitate changes in care homes and practice settings. Assist in ensuring medicines related policies are up to date and appropriately implemented. Identify areas for improvement in relation to medicines in a care home or GP setting, assist in implementing and reviewing any improvements. Assist in the implementation of strategies (local, regional, national) relating to medicines optimisation, initially with specific focus on the care home sector and frailty patients. Work collaboratively with the medicines management pharmacists, and PCN clinical pharmacy team to promote best practice protocols and guidelines Work to support the development of a system wide integrated care and frailty pathway offering proactive and systematic care to people in their own homes and care homes. Undertake tasks to support and enable the delivery of relevant projects and service development, including education and training, supporting communication, developing documentation, protocols, policies and procedures, for example, in relation to the implementation of an Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) and EMIS Proxy. Support the PCN to deliver quality and service improvement, including the 'QIPP' agenda, the Quality Outcomes Framework, achievement of the Investment and Impact Fund, and locally commissioned enhanced services Attend relevant meetings, when appropriate and possible. Deputise for the clinical pharmacist as required, e.g. deputising for the Care Homes Pharmacist at Care Homes meetings if required. Record and report activity undertaken to demonstrate the cost and/or clinical benefit. Maintain professional registration and comply with professional requirements. As appropriate to the post, maintain and develop professional competence and expertise, keep up to date with medical/therapeutic evidence and opinion, and local and national service, legislation and policy developments, agree objectives and a personal development plan and participate in the appraisal process. It is the employee's personal responsibility to comply with all organisational and statutory requirements (e.g. health and safety, equality and diversity, confidentiality and clinical governance). All our Registered healthcare professionals are also expected to support the 'evergreen' local COVID vaccination programme with the preparation and administration of vaccines, including clinical eligibility assessment, consent, administration and aftercare advice, in line with the relevant prescribing mechanism (e.g. National Protocol).

Equal Opportunities

The Federation / PCN / practices are committed to an equal opportunities policy that affirms that all staff should be afforded equality of treatment and opportunity in employment irrespective of sexuality, marital status, race, religion/belief, ethnic origin, age or disability. All staff are required to observe this policy in their behaviour to fellow employees.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, including:

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues. Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Confidentiality

In the course of 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 , the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, PCN staff, Federation staff, 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.

Data Protection

All employees must adhere to the PCN and Practice's Policy on the Protection and use of Personal Information, which provides guidance on the use and disclosure of information. The Practice also has a range of policies for the use of computer equipment and computer-generated information. These policies detail the employee's legal obligations and include references to current legislation. Copies of the policy on the protection and use of personal information, and other information technology, can be found in the Practice policies and procedures manual.

Risk Management

You will be responsible for adopting the risk management culture and ensuring that you identify and assess all risks to your systems, processes and environment and report such risks for inclusion within the PCN / Practice's risk registers. You will also attend mandatory and statutory training, report all incidents/accidents, including near misses, and report unsafe occurrences as laid down within The Practice Incidents and Accidents Policy.

Personal/Professional

Development

The post-holder will participate in any relevant training programme implemented by the PCN or a Practice as part of this employment, such training including:

Participation in an annual individual Appraisal and Development 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. This role is considered to be a developmental position and the jobholder will be encouraged to develop personal and business skills.

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk. Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision. Proactively seek and identify opportunities for quality / service improvement and lead such activities. Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will:

Communicate effectively and respectfully with colleagues, patients and carers. Recognize people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly. External communication will be with patients NHS bodies, and other GP practices and service providers.

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others' health, safety and security as defined in the Practice's Health & Safety Policy.

Special Working Conditions

The post-holder is required to travel independently between their base, care homes and practice sites (where applicable), and to attend meetings etc. hosted by other agencies. The post-holder may have contact with body fluids i.e. wound exudates; urine etc.

Carry out any other duties as reasonably required by the Senior Clinical Pharmacist or Clinical Director.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, and it is expected that you will participate in a wide range of activities.*
The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The post holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager. The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the practices, Federation and PCN.*

Person Specification:

The right to live and work in UK (Essential)*

Knowledge, Training, Skills and Experience

GCSE's including English and Maths (C and above) or equivalent (Essential)*
NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent. (Essential)*
Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). (Essential)*
Have completed, be enrolled in, be undertaking or prepared to undertake an approved primary care pharmacy educational pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH). (Essential)*
Experience in medicines management or community pharmacy. (Desirable)*
Experience of General Practice repeat prescribing policies and systems -Use of GP computer systems. (Desirable)*
Knowledge of pharmacy procedures and the wholesaler supply chain. (Essential)*
Skilled in using pharmacy references, both online and texts (including the CCG's formulary). (Essential)*
Understanding of medicines legislation and ethics. (Essential)*
Knowledge of diversity issues and ability to work in non-discriminatory way. (Essential)*
IT skills - in analysing and presenting prescribing activity data. (Desirable)*
Experience of multidisciplinary working. (Desirable)*
Experience of educating and training staff / patients / carers (Desirable)*

Communication Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills (Essential)*
Effective interpersonal and communication skills. (Essential)*
Strong influencing and negotiation skills (Essential)*
Ability to handle difficult & contentious situations with discretion and confidence. (Essential)*
Working within policies / procedures. (Essential)*

Analytical

Ability to analyse and interpret data and present reports. (Essential)*
Ability to apply the principles of evidence-based medicine to prescribing (Essential)*

Planning Skills

Ability to prioritise & work effectively to deadlines (Essential)*

Management Skills

Able to work under pressure. (Essential)*
Willingness / availability to support the Practice in its provision of primary care medical services during Surgery opening hours. (Essential)*

Autonomy and freedom to act

Self-motivation and ability to work on own initiative. (Essential)*
Ability to demonstrate political sensitivity and discretion (Essential)*
An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality. (Essential)*

Physical Skills

Working knowledge of Microsoft office with intermediate keyboard skills to write reports, documents and present data (Essential)*
Understanding of EMIS GP system (Desirable)*

Equality and Diversity

Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships in terms of day-to-day working practices. (Essential)*

Other

Access to own transport and a valid driving licence (Essential)*
Flexibility in working arrangements. (Essential)*
Reliable, enthusiastic, self- motivated, hardworking, honest, pleasant and approachable (Essential)*
Commitment to life-long learning / continuing professional development (Essential)*
Enthusiasm to develop new services to benefit patient care. (Essential)*

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 31,015.00 per year

Benefits:

On-site parking
Work Location: In person