We are looking at an enthusiastic experienced Pharmacy Technician to join our Clinical Pharmacy Team in the Barnstaple Alliance Primary Care Network.
To support the PCN Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.
The role will also include training and development of practice based prescribing co-ordinators and administrators to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration within general practice, especially with relation to repeat prescribing systems and processes.
Hours can be flexible between 25 hours - 37.5 hours a week to suit the right candidate. The closing date is 18 August 2025 with interviews planned for the 4th of September.
Salary:
30,000-36,000 WTE per year depending on qualifications and experience
Responsibilities
CLINICAL
Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.
To undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients' medical records / prescribing accordingly.
To support cardiovascular preventative initiatives within the PCN, including tasks such as assisting with hypertension case finding, cholesterol monitoring, and facilitating patient access to lifestyle and medication reviews.
To support the achievement of the PCN's prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework targets.
Working with the Clinical Pharmacist (s) and Prescribing Co-ordinators to contribute to the review and development of repeat prescribing protocols / Standard Operating Procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing systems.
To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness.
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(s) in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) i.e. organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR
To participate in medication audits, including antimicrobial stewardship.
Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
To support the PCN Clinical Pharmacist 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 vaccinate patients under a patient specific direction, as required.
Be responsible for the organisation, planning and of own workload to meet set deadlines.
TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
Other duties and responsibilities to be undertaken may include any or all the items in the following list:
Computer data entry/data allocation and collation, processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures.
Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.
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 the PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF, IIF and locally commissioned enhanced services.
Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.
To prepare evidence-based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing.
To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing budgets and to liaise with the medicines management team at the Devon ICB.
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.
To help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the PCN to optimise the quality of prescribing.
Duties will vary from time to time under the direction of the PCN Clinical Directors dependent on current and evolving PCN workload and staffing levels.
All Pharmacy Technicians must work within their competencies and have professional indemnity for their role.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Communication
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members.
Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
Recognize people's 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 holder's 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.
Equality and Diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
Acting in a way that recognises 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.
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.
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
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.
Person Specification
Knowledge/ Skills
Essential
An appreciation of the NHS agenda and Government targets
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
Good IT skills
Good organisational skills
Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment.
Ability to work as part of a team.
Motivational & negotiation skills
Time management skills. Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload.
Teaching skills
Desirable
People management
Ability to make decisions.
Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
Experience
Essential
Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy.
Desirable
Recent previous experience within comparable role in General Practice
Experience of prescribing/clinical systems such as SystmOne, EMIS
Previous experience working within a patient facing role
Qualifications
Essential
Registered with the GPhC as a Pharmacy Technician
BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
Evidence of CPD
Desirable
Medicines reconciliation Certificate or equivalent.
Other
Essential
Ability to work flexibly with the ability to travel between sites and undertake domiciliary visits.