Pharmacy Technician

Job responsibilities

Job Description: PCN Pharmacy Technician

Accountable to: Wide Way Medical Centre Partnership

Responsible to: Practice Manager / Planned Care Clinical Lead

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: Circa £40,000 - £45,000 annually depending on experience

Job Location: Wide Way Medical Centre

We are looking for an enthusiastic, friendly pharmacy technician to join our established Medicines Management Team of two experienced independently prescribing clinical pharmacists and two pharmacy technicians at Wide Way Medical Centre, part of Morden Primary Care Network.

The Medicines Management Team is part of the wider Planned Care Team at Wide Way which includes GPs, nurses, a physician associate, nurse practitioner, paramedic and GP assistants supported closely by non-clinical care co-ordinators. The multidisciplinary team works together in a supportive, collaborative environment to deliver high quality, safe and effective care to circa. 16,000 patients in a relatively deprived area of Merton, with a high prevalence of cardiovascular and chronic disease.

The pharmacy technicians assist the clinical pharmacists with a range of medicines management activities including the adoption of medicine-related policies, protocols and procedures and medicines optimisation in accordance with SWL ICB initiatives and incentives; and aspects of medicines safety. This includes:

- Implementing policies, protocols and procedures pertaining to the prescription of medication by Wide Way Medical Centre staff

- Implementing repeat medication procedures, liaising closely with non-clinical staff

- Reconciling medicines for patients who are started on new medication and/or whose medication is changed by other healthcare providers, completing actions on discharge summaries and clinical correspondence within their scope of practice as required

- Conducting annual reviews of medication for specified cohorts of patients within their scope of practice

- Ensuring medication monitoring is completed, carrying out medication safety audits and responding to safety alerts

- Ensuring procedures for the issuing, delivery and claiming for Personally Administered Items (PAIs) are followed, liaising with clinical staff and the nursing team who administer them

- Liaising with local community pharmacists to build strong collaborative relationships with regular meetings to ensure efficient collaborative working

- Liaising with ICS Place and PCN pharmacists to deliver on national, regional and local priority initiatives

- Helping to answer internal and external medication-related queries within their scope of practice

- Delivering on medication-related Quality Improvement activities

We place great value on the expertise our Medicines Management Team brings and support the personal and professional development of all our staff, being a teaching practice with a spectrum of clinical trainees. Medicines Management meetings take place weekly and staff are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills with us.

The role is practice based but there is flexibility for hybrid working with a mix of on-site and remote work - this is largely dictated by physical room space constraints, but is negotiable. We prefer direct patient contact activity to be face-to-face because we believe this builds trust and rapport; whilst some indirect activities can be performed remotely it is important to meet colleagues and feel fully embedded as part of the whole practice team.

We are looking for full time hours across the working week Mon-Fri and the salary is £40,00 - £45,000 per annum depending on experience.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• - Excellent communication skills able to liaise with patients, GPs, pharmacists, nurses and community partners.
• - High attention to detail and accuracy in all medicines-related work.
• - Strong organisational skills, able to prioritise in a busy environment.
• - Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• - Problem-solving mindset with ability to seek and act on guidance.
• - Respect for confidentiality and understanding of IG requirements.
• - Commitment to personal development and reflective practice.

Experience

Essential

• - Experience working as a qualified pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy.
• - Demonstrable experience of:
• Medicines reconciliation
• Repeat prescription processing
• Liaising with community pharmacies
• Supporting medicines safety and QI work
• - Experience working autonomously within scope and escalating appropriately.

Desirable

• - Previous work within a GP practice or PCN setting.
• - Experience supporting ICB/ICS medicines optimisation initiatives.
• - Experience with medication-related audits, QI projects or clinical pathways.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• - Professional, compassionate and patient-centred approach.
• - Adaptable and comfortable with change in a fast-moving primary care environment.
• - Enthusiastic team player who contributes to a positive culture.
• - Motivation to improve services and optimise medicines for the benefit of patients

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualifications & Registration:
• - Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a Pharmacy Technician.
• - Evidence of completion of an approved Pharmacy Technician qualification (NVQ Level 3 Diploma / BTEC / equivalent).
• - Up-to-date CPD portfolio demonstrating continued learning and professional development.
• Knowledge & Competencies
• - Aligned to NHS Englands Primary Care Pharmacy Technician Competency Framework, candidates must demonstrate:
• Medicines Management & Optimisation
• - Strong working knowledge of medicines legislation and safe medicines management.
• - Competency in:
• oMedicines reconciliation (post-discharge and outpatient changes).
• oRepeat prescribing processes.
• oMedicines optimisation principles, including reducing harm and improving adherence.
• oConducting structured medication reviews within scope.
• - Understanding of national prescribing safety initiatives (e.g., PINCER, MHRA alerts).
• - Familiarity with Personally Administered Items (PAIs) workflows.
• Clinical Knowledge:
• - Understanding of chronic disease management, especially cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic conditions
• (consistent with the Wide Way population profile).
• - Awareness of monitoring requirements for high-risk medicines.
• Primary Care Systems & Processes:
• - Confident using GP clinical systems (EMIS/SystmOne), eRD, and electronic prescribing processes.
• - Ability to interpret discharge summaries, clinic letters and medication changes

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).