Pharmacy Technician

Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsible to

Senior Pharmacist, Sevenhills Primary Care Network

Location

Sevenhills Primary Care Network, covering the areas of Darnall, Handsworth and Tinsley

Purpose of the role

Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice is part of an exciting programme of transformation to develop a new model of care which addresses our ambition to deliver person-centred, coordinated care across the district. The Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice model is supported by the direction of national policy including the Five Year Forward View and GP Forward View where there is a need 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.

Pharmacy technicians play an important role, complementing clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multidisciplinary team. Pharmacy technicians are different to clinical pharmacists as they are not able to prescribe or make clinical decisions, instead working under supervision to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines.

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

The purpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will help patients to get the best from their medicines by switching medications to agreed and approved protocols, improving repeat prescribing processes in General Practice, including promotion of repeat dispensing and online ordering, minimising clinical risk and aiming to reduce wasted medicines.

In addition, the post holder will be responsible for encouraging the development of better understanding of the principles of medicines optimisation throughout the practice teams and promoting good practice in line with therapeutic developments. This will involve assisting the PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

There may be a requirement to travel within the S9 and S13 areas. There are no line management responsibilities for the post holder.

Clinical Responsibilities

Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicinesuse, 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 i.e. undertake medicines use review and 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 Responsibilities

Support the PCN multidisciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.

Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reducing medication wastage.

Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service.

Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing 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 PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, IIF, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services

Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements

Professional development

1.Work with a named clinical point of contact for advice and support

2.Undertake continual personal and professional development, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the role and responsibilities, and provide evidence of learning activity as required

3.Participate in appraisal

4.Participate in any network mandated training including CPPE primary care education pathway, GP Pharmacy Technician Medicines Optimisation Programme, or equivalent, if not already complete or exempt.

5.Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, equality, diversity and inclusion training and health and safety

Miscellaneous

1.Demonstrate a flexible attitude and be prepared to carry out other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time within the general character of the post or the level of responsibility of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner

2.Identify opportunities and gaps in the service and provide feedback to continually improve the service and contribute to business planning

3.Work in accordance with practice and PCN policies and procedures

4.Contribute to the wider aims and objectives of the PCN to improve and support primary care.

5.Engage with local peer support, clinical supervision and action learning sets

The main duties and responsibilities shown above are not exhaustive but should merely be regarded as a guide. The post holder will be expected to conduct any reasonable activities according to the service needs at that time. These will be subject to periodic review and may be amended to meet the challenging needs of the service. The post-holder will be expected to participate in this process and the organisation would aim to reach agreement to changes.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Ability to demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines Ability to work flexibly and enthusiastically within a team or on own initiative Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• 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 and ethics and current legislation Ability to maintain comprehensive clinical notes and implement and evaluate care plans Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion Strong organisational skills, including planning, prioritising, time management and record keeping Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and clinical systems Ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety High level of written and verbal communication skills Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills

Desirable

• Relevant advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine An appreciation of the NHS agenda and Government targets Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities, individuals, their families and carers Knowledge of Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults policies and processes

Experience

Essential

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

Desirable

• 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

Qualifications

Essential

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

Desirable

• PCN CPPE, GP Pharmacy Technician Medicines Optimisation Programme or equivalent

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Primary Care Sheffield

Address

Primary Care Sheffield Ltd

28 Kenwood Park Road

Sheffield

S7 1NF

Employer's website

http://www.primarycaresheffield.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)