Prescription Clerk

Job description

Job responsibilities

Benchill Medical Practice is a Group Practice based in an excellent modern health facility (with disabled access) offering a broad range of services to patients for over 30 years.

In addition to GPs, the practice also employs Physician Associates, Practice Nurses and Healthcare Assistants as well as being an established GP training practice. We also have a big Reception and Administration teams working collaboratively with the Healthcare Professionals to enhance patient care and their experiences within the Practice.

Job Summary

To be responsible for the accurate and timely processing of prescription requests from the entitled population, liaising effectively with all relevant personnel.

Duties can include, but are not limited to, the processing of repeat prescriptions in electronic and hard copy format, including online requests. In addition, the post holder will be required to support the multidisciplinary team, ensuring the strategic objectives of the organisation are met.

Limits Of Authority

Personnel - No authority to discipline or give instruction to other employees.

Financial - No authority to spend or commit the practice to spend.

Procedural - No authority to amend operational and administrative procedures without the consultation of a manager.

Security - To ascertain the reason for the presence of any unauthorised persons in

areas where the practice assets may be at risk.

Core Responsibilities

Process repeat prescription requests received to the practice by phone, email, post, slips and the online access system, in accordance with practice protocol

Produce prescriptions for the GP to sign in an acceptable timeframe.

Ensure all prescription requests are processed and are ready for collection within a surgery timeframe.

Generate requests for medication on behalf of the patient for non-repeat items.

Actively encourage patients to reconcile medications to facilitate monthly /bi-monthly collections.

Discuss with patients their requirements, encouraging patients to order only what they require.

Act upon compliance issues, liaising with the appropriate clinician.

Ensure medication reviews are arranged by maintaining an accurate recall system.

Input data into the patients healthcare records as necessary

Deal with all prescription related enquiries in a timely manner

Record and report adverse effects accurately and appropriately, informing the lead pharmacist /Practice Manager immediately.

Ensure safe and appropriate requesting monitoring as per protocols (awareness of monitoring requirements for selected drugs or categories of drugs and follow up required monitoring with patients)

Ensure patients have attended for chronic diseases reviews where appropriate.

Provide patients with information and education on their prescriptions and how to order via NHS App.

Keep up to date with the Practices formulary and the National restricted drugs list.

Liaise with pharmacies on the supply of prescribed drugs, alert clinicians of any supply issues and forward information on the recommended alternative.

Build good working relationships with local Pharmacies to help enable the Practice prescription service.

Check emails and tasks regularly, actioning them appropriately and in accordance with surgery protocols.

Escalate any problems to senior members of team Prescribing team lead/ GP/ Duty GP

Undertake training as required to support safe and effective services for the Practice.

Contribute to the safe and effective prescribing services of the surgery.

Providing patients with advice to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness of the appropriate medications.

Carry out system searches as requested to gather information for continuous improvement, safe management of repeat prescriptions.

To provide an efficient and accurate prescriptions service to patients

To have a thorough knowledge of all Practice procedures and work in accordance of written protocols.

To observe all requirements relating to CQC obligations and focus on medication safety.

Escalate any problems to Lead Pharmacist / Practice Manager.

Secondary responsibilities

In addition to the core responsibilities, the Prescription Clerk may be requested to:

Support the practice clinical pharmacist as required.

Partake in audit as directed by the audit lead.

Data Confidentiality

Benchill Medical Practice is governed by the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the following should be done to help us to comply with these legislations:

Maintaining data confidentiality as 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 Benchill Medical Practice information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorized persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their 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 own and others 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 free from hazards actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognized 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 jobholders role.

Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually) reporting potential risks identified.

Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

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 recognizes the importance of peoples 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 and 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 within Benchill Medical Practice

Taking responsibility for their 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 teams performance

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs

Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

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

Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services

The post-holder will:

Apply practice policies, standards and guidance

Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidance will affect own work

Participate in audit where appropriate.

Other Duties

Any other duties, as agreed with the line manager to meet the needs of the organisation.

This job description is an outline of the key responsibilities of the role and is not intended as an exhaustive list. The job may change after the initial three months to reflect the roles and responsibilities required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent
• GCSE Mathematics & English (C or above)

Desirable

• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care
• Medical Terminology
• GPhC registration as a Pharmacy Technician

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with the general public.
• Experience of working in a healthcare or Pharmacy setting.

Desirable

• Experience as working as a prescription clerk or dispenser.
• Knowledge of drug regulations.

Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written & oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite, professional & telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Effective time management (planning & organising)
• Ability to work as a team member autonomously.
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow policy and procedures.

Desirable

• EMIS Web user skills
• Understanding of clinical coding and medical terminology (although training will be given)

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Able to follow instructions.
• Polite and Confident
• Flexible and cooperative, prepared to work flexible hours.
• Motivated
• Forward thinker
• High levels of integrity (confidentiality & discretion and loyalty)
• Sensitive and empathic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure

Disposition

Essential

• Self-reliant, helpful, polite, friendly, patience, sympathetic and caring.

Special Attributes

Essential

• Ability to recognise and adhere to the need for strict confidentiality

Desirable

• Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Benchill Medical Practice

Address

Brownley Green Health Centre

171 Brownley Road

Wythenshawe

Manchester

M22 9UH

Employer's website

https://www.benchillmedicalpractice.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)