Pharmacy Technician - Bromleag Care Practice

Job responsibilities

Main Responsibilities:

Assist patients with medication queries

Review clinical correspondence and update patients' medical records with pertinent medication changes

Promote medicine management efficiencies (i.e. Electronic Repeat Dispensing)

Process MHRA medication alerts

Training Care Home staff in the safe handling and administration of medicines

Supporting practices with EPS processes and eRD

Undertaking medication history and reconciliation with patients

Supporting delivery of safe prescribing and medicines optimisation

Working collaboratively with stakeholders for ongoing training and development

To support the clinical pharmacist as the practice point of contact for all medicines related matters

To process repeat medication requests, including the conversion of acute requests to repeat medicines, changing quantities of medicines

To encourage cost-effective prescribing throughout the Practice

To undertake medicines reconciliation post discharge and on other transfers of care

To update and maintain accurate and timely patient medication records on the practice clinical system, including advice given and action taken

To liaise with secondary and primary care colleagues to ensure correct medicines are continued following the transfer of care

To monitor practice adherence to the prescribing policy

Undertake and participate in medication history taking and refer any discrepancies to the community pharmacist or Lead Pharmacist as necessary

Assessing usage of patient medication, updating clinical systems appropriately and returning patients own drugs to pharmacy as necessary.

Undertake domiciliary visits and medication reviews with the support of clinical pharmacist.

To support virtual and remote models of consultation and support including e-consultations, telehealth and telemedicine

Counsel patients and carers on the appropriate use of their medications. To advise patients and other healthcare professionals on the safe and effective use of medicines, adjusting the level of advice as appropriate to overcome barriers to understanding, referring to the pharmacist where appropriate.

Actively assist in the organisation of discharge medication including liaising with local community pharmacies for continuation of compliance aids where appropriate.

Liaising closely with the hospital pharmacists or discharging wards.

Liaising closely with other health and social care practitioners across care settings regarding any interface issues affecting patients including GPs, Community Pharmacies and District Nurses.

Promote patient independence and well-being using social prescribing referral

To assess patients ability to self-administer and monitor patients who are self-administering their medications.

Facilitate resolution of medicines supply problems when requested.

To liaise with practices and implement and embed a robust repeat prescribing system for use across all practices

To support the clinical pharmacist in improving the quality and effectiveness of prescribing through clinical audit and education to improve performance against NICE standards, and clinical and prescribing guidance

To support the clinical pharmacists in producing a prescribing newsletter or bulletin on a quarterly basis

To ensure appropriate supervision of safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs

To apply infection-control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines

To identify and be proactive in your training needs and development and as agreed with the Senior Clinical Pharmacist.

To support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the Practice

To participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events

To actively signpost patients to the correct healthcare professional

To contribute to public health campaigns (e.g. flu clinics) through advice or direct care

Support delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives

unctional Relationship with

Internal Clinical Pharmacists, GPs, Practice & PCN Support Manager, Operational Lead and other clinical and administrative staff

External District Nurses, patients and relatives, ICS colleagues, community pharmacists; hospital pharmacists, clinicians and discharge co-ordinators,; local authority/social care

Training Requirements:

NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent

Or BTEC in pharmaceutical science or equivalent

Recognised, current accreditation on medicines management skills

Holds recognised, current accreditation on medicines reconciliation and medicines related patient consultation skills

Current registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

PCN Support

The Pharmacy Technician will require a named clinical lead and point of contact within the practice.

Induction within the practice updating on practice identified needs and the area of support required.

Equality and Diversity

Recognising the rights of patients, carers, relatives and colleagues and respecting their needs, beliefs, privacy and dignity.

Not discriminating against patients, carers, relatives or colleagues on the grounds of any of the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 (or its amendments or later legislation).

Respecting the rights of patients to accept or refuse treatment or a care provider.

Personal/Professional Development

Participate in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

Participate in any training programme implemented by the Senior Clinical Pharmacist

Continuing Professional Development in line with Personal Development Plan

Confidentiality

Confidentiality in relation to patient data must be maintained at all times. In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with or allow us to gather sensitive information relating to their health or 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 information relating to patients and/or their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. The post holder may also have access to information relating to the Practice. 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 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 own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practices Health and Safety policy, including use of personal security systems within the workplace, according to Practice guidelines, identifying risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in such a way as to manage those risks, making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, using appropriate infection control procedures and maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards and reporting potential risks when identified.

DBS Disclosure

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. You must therefore disclose all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings. If you are offered the post we will need to obtain a satisfactory DBS disclosure for you

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 business needs at that time. These will be subject to periodic review and may be amended to meet the challenging needs of the business. The post-holder will be expected to participate in this process and the company would aim to reach agreement to changes.

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent
• Or BTEC in pharmaceutical science or equivalent
• Recognised, current accreditation on medicines management skills
• Holds recognised, current accreditation on medicines reconciliation and medicines related patient consultation skills
• Current registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams
• Proven clinical pharmacy knowledge and evidence of commitment to continuing education
• Understanding of primary and secondary care interface
• Understanding of current medicines management issues
• Knowledge of the changing NHS environment and structures

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary care

Specific Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent organisational skill Excellent time management
• Good numeracy and analytical skills
• Confident and assertive in liaising with other professionals
• Ability to use initiative
• Self-motivated
• Good presentation skills
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Good computer skills including working knowledge of Microsoft office
• Current driving licence and access to own transport

Desirable

• Knowledge of GP computer systems especially EMIS

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills particularly with prescribers, older people and carers
• Ability to deal with difficult issues/situations with diplomacy and sensitivity
• Ability to work on own initiative, able to plan, prioritise, make decisions and meet deadlines
• Ability to work well in a team

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).