Pharmacy Technician

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The BPC Pharmacy Technician will play an important role complementing clinical pharmacists, and other members of the Federation wide multi-disciplinary team, working under supervision to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines.

This role will support the GP practice and patients get the best from their medicines, use existing protocols to maximise cost-effective preparations, improve repeat prescribing processes, including use of electronic repeat dispensing and online ordering, minimise clinical risk and reduce medicines wastage. As well, the post-holder will develop and encourage a positive culture of medicines optimisation principles to assist the PCN in achieving local and national medicines-related objectives.

MEDICINES OPTIMISATION

Conduct medicines optimisation tasks, including searches to support medication reviews, medicines reconciliation from clinic letters and post hospital discharge medicines reconciliation.

Support pharmacists by identifying and referring eligible patients for Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs), including completing any required SMR pre-work.

Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronise medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking in with local community pharmacies.

When needed, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively (e.g., checking inhaler technique).

Process repeat medication requests, in line with agreed clinical protocols and within your competency referring to General Practitioners (GPs) and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.

Promote Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering as appropriate to patient and practice needs.

Support efficient ordering to reduce medicines waste.

Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.

Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information and help in tackling local health inequalities.

Take a central role in clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients.

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

Undertake clinical assessments (e.g. blood pressure, blood glucose, respiratory & heart rate monitoring)

Actively participate in huddles and team meetings

Take part in multidisciplinary case reviews

Update and maintain accurate patient medication records on the practice.

clinical computer system, including advice given and action taken

Convert acute medicine requests into repeat medicines, where appropriate

Assist in the re-issuing of eRD prescriptions, including checking for monitoring requirements and reviews

COMMUNICATION

Provide advice within professional remit to GPs and practice staff relating to changes to prescribing guidance to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality, and cost effectiveness.

Assist patients and GP staff with responses to medication queries.

Counsel patients on how to use newly started medications, and provide advice regarding any medication changes, to optimise safety and improve compliance.

AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Undertake clinical audits of prescribing in areas directed by the PCN team, and feedback results to clinical pharmacist team, and other clinicians in the practices.

Support implementation of local and national guidelines and formulary recommendations.

Support and encourage reduction in prescribing of medicines available over the counter, and of low value, and low priority treatments.

Support the PCN to deliver on Quality Innovation Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) agendas, Quality Outcome Frameworks (QOF) and Locally Commissioned enhanced Services (LCS).

Work with general practice teams to ensure that practices are compliant with CQC standards and assist with medicine-related compliance.

Undertake audits to identify patients that may be appropriate to switch medications to more cost effective/ greener alternative brands.

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE

Respond to Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) alerts, set up searches to identify affected patients on the practice clinical systems and action them according to practice protocol.

Monitor practice prescribing against the local formulary and report back results to the clinical pharmacist team and action as required.

Support in the reporting of medicines related incidents, and when required, contribute to investigations and root cause analysis.

MEDICINES SAFETY

Identify patients that are overdue required monitoring and refer to the appropriate clinicians.

Reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care homes, including identifying and appropriately rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post discharge.

Ensure shared care protocols are in place where relevant and ensure the continuation of safe practice within primary care setting is maintained.

Work with the pharmacy service team to develop and implement systems to ensure the effective and continuous supply of medication to high-risk patients.

Understand how patient alerts (e.g. visually impaired, hard of hearing) are generated and patient allergy information is accurate and correctly documented, and that the information is shared with the wider multidisciplinary team

Qualifications

Essential

• Requirement(E)essential / (D)desirable
• Qualifications and Professional Registration
• BTEC/NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences E
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy TechnicianE
• Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)E
• Willing to undertake and complete an approved Primary Care Pharmacy Education PathwayE
• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical SocietyD
• Membership of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK)D
• Recognised qualification in the use of computer software e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel Access, ECDL D
• Personal Qualities
• Works well within a team E
• Capable of working with tact and diplomacy E
• Approachable, adaptable, supportive, self-motivated E
• Experience and job-related knowledge
• Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community, or hospital pharmacyE
• Experience of prioritising work and meeting deadlines E
• Able to communicate effectively and professionally both face to face and on the telephone with people at all levelsE
• Demonstrated high standard of written and verbal communication skillsE
• Evidence of the application of innovative practice and the application of evidence-based interventionsE
• Clear, concise record keeping/ report writing skillsE
• Ability to undertake audit activitiesE
• Ability to analyse and interpret prescribing dataD
• Knowledge and understanding of the NHS and the challenges facing Primary Care.E
• High attention to detail, able to work accurately and identify errorsE
• Able to deal with patients in a professional and compassionate mannerE
• Demonstrates understanding of Information Governance, Patient Confidentiality and Data Protection requirementsE
• Able to anticipate barriers and issues and take action to mitigate risksD
• Previous experience of working in a primary care settingD
• Skills
• High level of competence in Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as a minimum)E
• Experience of the use of clinical systems e.g. EMIS/SystmOneD
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)E
• Highly organised and able to work on own initiative, in line with agreed parameters / proceduresE
• Ability to undertake research/quality improvement methodologyD
• Time management and prioritisation skillsE
• Analytical and problem-solving skillsE
• Able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessaryE
• Other Requirements
• Proven record of good timekeeping and attendanceE
• Self-motivated and directedE
• Able to show understanding of issues relating to
• equal opportunities

Desirable

• SEE ABOVE

Experience

Essential

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

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).