Go back
Avenham Surgery

Pharmacy technician

The closing date is 14 September 2025

Apply for this job

Job summary

Avenham Surgery is looking for a Pharmacy Technician to join our friendly and enthusiastic multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder will work directly for the practice to support the team and ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.

Main duties of the job

We recognise the value and better need to utilise the role of pharmacy technicians within primary care to help patients stay safe and well out of hospital and are therefore looking to expand on our existing pharmacy team.

The purpose of this 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 play a pivotal role in helping patients to get the best from their medicines through effective medicines reconciliation after discharge and on other transfers of care, medication use reviews, identification of patients suitable for electronic repeat dispensing, promotion of online ordering, providing assurance of monitoring of high risk drugs, and handling of prescription queries within their areas of competence.

The post-holder will also assist the general practice team in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation, and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

About us

Avenham Surgery is an inner city practice with a patient population of approximately 7,500. We are close to the motorway with easy access to the coast and country side.

We have a very friendly practice team with a varied skill mix including GPs ENP, PN, NA and HCA. We also have access to our PCN SP and mental health workers. All of whom are supported by our administration team.

We are a training practice and take medical students, student PA and have an FY2 + GPST2's on rotation.

Details

Date posted

27 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A5618-25-0006

Job locations

Avenham Health Centre

Avenham Lane

Preston

PR1 3RG


Job description

Job responsibilities

The Pharmacy Technician will work alongside our prescribing clerks and under the supervision of our clinical pharmacist.

Be responsible for the organisation, planning and of own workload to meet set deadlines

Use and maintain information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings, and patient outcomes

Take a proactive approach towards 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 and within practice protocol, referring to the appropriate clinician when required

Liaise with other pharmacy stakeholders e.g. Medicines Optimisation/Community Pharmacy/Hospital Pharmacy/PCN Pharmacy teams

Support and eventually deliver training and development to practice based prescribing clerks and administrators to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration

Undertake medicines reconciliation reviews post-discharge and on other transfers of care, within the remit of practice protocols and growing individual competency

Run medication safety audits and highlight patients that require clinical review e.g. in response to MHRA / national patient safety alerts, the local incentive scheme, quality and outcomes framework (QOF) or local updates

Help review and contribute to the practice's repeat prescribing and high-risk drug monitoring protocols

Undertake medication use reviews and support the pharmacist by identifying patients who need further clinical medication review and assisting where able, e.g. through the provision of patient safety information leaflets, joining on community visits etc.

Participate in practice MDT meetings, patient participation groups, and other meetings to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Pharmacy Technician will work alongside our prescribing clerks and under the supervision of our clinical pharmacist.

Be responsible for the organisation, planning and of own workload to meet set deadlines

Use and maintain information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, medicines optimisation, prescribing data, cost savings, and patient outcomes

Take a proactive approach towards 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 and within practice protocol, referring to the appropriate clinician when required

Liaise with other pharmacy stakeholders e.g. Medicines Optimisation/Community Pharmacy/Hospital Pharmacy/PCN Pharmacy teams

Support and eventually deliver training and development to practice based prescribing clerks and administrators to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration

Undertake medicines reconciliation reviews post-discharge and on other transfers of care, within the remit of practice protocols and growing individual competency

Run medication safety audits and highlight patients that require clinical review e.g. in response to MHRA / national patient safety alerts, the local incentive scheme, quality and outcomes framework (QOF) or local updates

Help review and contribute to the practice's repeat prescribing and high-risk drug monitoring protocols

Undertake medication use reviews and support the pharmacist by identifying patients who need further clinical medication review and assisting where able, e.g. through the provision of patient safety information leaflets, joining on community visits etc.

Participate in practice MDT meetings, patient participation groups, and other meetings to promote issues relevant to prescribing and medicines optimisation

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Knowledge of EMIS clinical system
  • Experience of working in a general practice setting
  • Knowledge of the principles of medicines optimisation
  • An appreciation of the NHS agenda and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
  • 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

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a pharmacy technician
  • NVQ level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians.

Desirable

  • EMIS Experience
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Knowledge of EMIS clinical system
  • Experience of working in a general practice setting
  • Knowledge of the principles of medicines optimisation
  • An appreciation of the NHS agenda and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
  • 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

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a pharmacy technician
  • NVQ level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians.

Desirable

  • EMIS Experience

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).

Additional information

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

Avenham Surgery

Address

Avenham Health Centre

Avenham Lane

Preston

PR1 3RG


Employer's website

https://www.avenhamsurgery.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Avenham Surgery

Address

Avenham Health Centre

Avenham Lane

Preston

PR1 3RG


Employer's website

https://www.avenhamsurgery.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Andrea Bennett

Andrea.bennett1@nhs.net

01772503499

Details

Date posted

27 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A5618-25-0006

Job locations

Avenham Health Centre

Avenham Lane

Preston

PR1 3RG


Privacy notice

Avenham Surgery's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)