Symphony Healthcare Services Limited

Prescription Clerk - Ilminster, Taunton and South Petherton, Somerset

The closing date is 06 July 2025

Job summary

Symphony has a vacancy for a Prescription Clerk to join our Medicines Management Team.

The role will be based at our Medicines Management Hub at Creech Medical Centre and may require working at our other Hubs at The Meadows Surgery Ilminster, or South Petherton Medical Centre.

We have 9.5 hours available and require this to be split over Monday mornings and Wednesday mornings.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in patient care and contribute to the smooth operation of our practices.

Key Responsibilities:

Serve as the first point of contact for patients requesting repeat prescriptions over the telephone, email, on online requests.

Process prescription requests accurately and efficiently.

Collaborate with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, local pharmacies, and healthcare professionals.

Communicate with patients, carers, and medical teams, ensuring confidentiality and a caring approach at all times.

What We Are Looking For:

Previous experience in a pharmacy, or GP surgery administrative role is beneficial.

Strong communication skills and a compassionate, patient-focused attitude.

Ability to prioritise tasks, work independently, and collaborate effectively with the team.

A commitment to confidentiality and accuracy in handling patient information.

Main duties of the job

As a SHS Prescription Clerk, you will:

Be the first point of contact for patients requesting repeat prescriptions.
Process prescription requests accurately and efficiently.
Collaborate with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, local pharmacies, and healthcare professionals.
Communicate with patients, carers, and medical teams, ensuring confidentiality and a caring approach at all times.
Have previous experience in a pharmacy, GP surgery, or administrative role is beneficial.
Possess strong communication skills and a compassionate, patient-focused attitude.
The ability to prioritise tasks, work independently, and collaborate effectively with the team.
A commitment to confidentiality and accuracy in handling patient information.

Additional Information:

Full training and ongoing support will be provided by the Medicines Management and practice teams.
This role offers career development opportunities within the team
You may be asked to work additional shifts to cover annual leave or sickness, or to assist at other local SHS practices.

About us

Symphony Healthcare Services (SHS) was established in 2016 as part of the award-winning Symphony Programme Vanguard, developing new models of care. We now support 20 practices across Somerset and East Devon, providing care for 120,000 patients.

SHS has developed a model where each practice is encouraged to operate autonomously, but as a subsidiary of NHS Somerset Foundation Trust (SFT), and with the backing and economies of scale from a central support team (particularly for HR, finance, corporate and strategic management matters).

Providing NHS services is at the heart of what we do. Our vision is to ensure that primary care is sustainable for patients and practices in Somerset, and we aim to be a national exemplar for primary care provision. We work closely with our practice teams to support, develop and transform patient care and working practices with innovation and technology at the heart of what we do.

SHS welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and underrepresented groups. When undertaking recruitment and selection for our services, SHS we are committed to equality of opportunity for all.

SHS offers a NHS or NEST Pension, a fantastic range of employee benefits and salary sacrifice schemes (see attached poster), along with flexible working from day of employment and an agile approach to home / office-based working.

We look forward to hearing from you and receiving your application.

Date posted

26 June 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£12.21 to £12.50 an hour £12.50 after probation period completed

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

E0215-25-0016

Job locations

Creech Medical Centre

Hyde Lane

Creech St. Michael

Taunton

Somerset

TA3 5FA

The Meadows Surgery

Canal Way

Ilminster

Somerset

TA19 9FE

South Petherton Medical Centre

Bernard Way

South Petherton

Somerset

TA13 5EG

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the role:

Process all repeat medication requests sent in by patients, community pharmacies and nursing homes in a timely manner, within SHS protocols
Liaise with patients and pharmacies regarding prescription queries and requests
Work with the practice medicines management teams, clinicians and other practice staff to resolve all medicines related queries
Liaise with hospital staff with reference to discharge and clinic letters
Check patient records for chronic disease and drug monitoring, and arrange for testing and review as appropriate
Enter relevant patient information accurately onto EMIS
Use the Prescription Tracker to establish the status of electronic prescriptions
Undertake any other duties appropriate to the post as requested

Please read the attached job description and person specification (JD) for a full list of duties, tasks and expectations before applying.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the role:

Process all repeat medication requests sent in by patients, community pharmacies and nursing homes in a timely manner, within SHS protocols
Liaise with patients and pharmacies regarding prescription queries and requests
Work with the practice medicines management teams, clinicians and other practice staff to resolve all medicines related queries
Liaise with hospital staff with reference to discharge and clinic letters
Check patient records for chronic disease and drug monitoring, and arrange for testing and review as appropriate
Enter relevant patient information accurately onto EMIS
Use the Prescription Tracker to establish the status of electronic prescriptions
Undertake any other duties appropriate to the post as requested

Please read the attached job description and person specification (JD) for a full list of duties, tasks and expectations before applying.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

Good level of IT skills/typing skills
Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively, both verbally and written to patients and staff at a range of levels.
Excellent organisation skills demonstrate the ability to organise systems and paperwork in an office environment.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to transfer accurate information.
Work well under pressure and meet deadlines
Ability to adapt and respond to change.
The ability to use own initiative within clear boundaries, seeking advice when necessary.
Demonstrate enthusiasm and a strong sense of team spirt.
Able to promote good working relationships

Desirable

Computer literate in EMIS clinical system
Computer literate in Microsoft Word and Outlook

Special Requirements

Essential

Flexibility and willingness to support all multidisciplinary teams
Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, empathy and compassion to the needs of the service users and carers
Ability to motivate others
Flexible attitude to working patterns

Qualifications

Essential

Five GCSE or equivalent (A*-C grade) must include Maths and English

Desirable

Experience within a pharmacy setting

Experience

Essential

Experience within the NHS or similar health care setting
Experience in a customer focused environment
Experience of using a clinical medical IT system or similar

Desirable

Evidence of working within a multidisciplinary team
Knowledge of primary care in the NHS

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

Good level of IT skills/typing skills
Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively, both verbally and written to patients and staff at a range of levels.
Excellent organisation skills demonstrate the ability to organise systems and paperwork in an office environment.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to transfer accurate information.
Work well under pressure and meet deadlines
Ability to adapt and respond to change.
The ability to use own initiative within clear boundaries, seeking advice when necessary.
Demonstrate enthusiasm and a strong sense of team spirt.
Able to promote good working relationships

Desirable

Computer literate in EMIS clinical system
Computer literate in Microsoft Word and Outlook

Special Requirements

Essential

Flexibility and willingness to support all multidisciplinary teams
Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, empathy and compassion to the needs of the service users and carers
Ability to motivate others
Flexible attitude to working patterns

Qualifications

Essential

Five GCSE or equivalent (A*-C grade) must include Maths and English

Desirable

Experience within a pharmacy setting

Experience

Essential

Experience within the NHS or similar health care setting
Experience in a customer focused environment
Experience of using a clinical medical IT system or similar

Desirable

Evidence of working within a multidisciplinary team
Knowledge of primary care in the NHS

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.