Job summary
This
is an exciting opportunity for a patient-centred GPhC registered pharmacy
technician to join our existing PCN pharmacy team. We are keen to hear from
pharmacy technicians of all backgrounds and level of experience, whether you
have worked in primary care previously or not.
You will get the chance to gain experience as a PCN pharmacy technician and GP practice pharmacy technician, spending 50% of your time with each team, and therefore working on both whole PCN projects and as an integral part of a GP practice.
Full
time/part time/flexible working will be considered.
Our
friendly and supportive PCN pharmacy team comprises of six clinical
pharmacists and two pharmacy technicians, who all have a wealth of primary care
experience to support your development. Several of our GP practices also have
pharmacy teams.
Our PCN
consists of 9 GP practices working collaboratively for our local population,
including a large cohort of deprived patients experiencing significant health
inequalities.
In order to be successful in this role you will need to have
excellent communication skills and good IT abilities, as well as a sound
knowledge of medicines management and optimisation gained in either community, primary
care or secondary care settings.
Main duties of the job
The
successful candidate will be carrying out a variety of roles for the PCN and
will work as an integral part of the PCN pharmacy team to deliver the PCN DES
and the priorities of our PCN for our population. The post holder will drive
medicines reconciliation and optimisation through undertaking tasks such as,
but not limited to:
Work
with the PCN pharmacy team to identify:
- Clinical areas of priority
- Patients within these areas
- Appropriate ways to optimise these patients medications
- Create and complete audits around patient safety in
the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with
relevant clinical teams
Supporting
practices via training and improving existing processes to:
- Improve the safe transfer of care from secondary
and tertiary settings
- Promote and manage repeat dispensing (including
eRD) and online ordering with the aim of reducing medicines harm and wastage
through safe and cost-effective prescribing.
The post holder is required to travel
independently between practice sites and to attend meetings etc. hosted by
other agencies.
The
post-holder will be given opportunities to shadow other healthcare
professionals and supported to develop and advance the role within the PCN
pharmacy team, working both autonomously and in collaboration with the
multidisciplinary team. The successful candidate will be expected to enrol onto
the 18 month CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway to further support
education and development.
About us
Our
PCN Values are that by working together as 9
surgeries and by developing a multidisciplinary outreach team, we will seek to:
1.
Improve population health with particular reference
to the principle of Proportionate Universalism and the need to improve the
health of the poorest, fastest.
2.
Break down barriers to primary care for patients
and community services. In doing so we will become more accessible, but will
also be more rooted in our local communities and more able to avail ourselves
of the support offered to our patients. This is a crucial step towards
de-medicalising distress caused by poverty, isolation, and social
fragmentation.
3.
Reduce pressure on primary care. The development of
the ECB Outreach Team will help us to deliver on QOF and LCS, will give us
easier and earlier access to physiotherapy, mental health, and occupational
health support, and by delivering on points 1 and 2 will reduce demand on local
practices.
The
PCN must always be mindful of the wellbeing of our colleagues and friends in
our surgeries, and be a positive force.
This could be for example through provision of training, support, opportunities
for progression/development, and better understanding of the difficulties of
providing health care in The Deep End
Job description
Job responsibilities
The list of duties in the job description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. There will be other duties and requirements associated with the job and the right to update the job description from time to time to reflect changes in or to the job.
Provide medicines optimisation to PCN patient population:
- Work across the PCN as required to ensure a consistent approach with regards to medicines optimisation and safe, effective, high quality patient care.
- To support, train and supervise the administrative staff involved in the preparation of repeat prescriptions in order to ensure high quality streamlined, safe and timely repeat prescribing.
- To support, train and supervise the administration staff with medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice.
- To contribute to the review and development of repeat prescribing protocols /Standard Operating Procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing systems.
Support Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs):
- Support pharmacists by identifying and referring eligible patients for SMRs, based on the appropriate population cohorts as stipulated in the Network Contract DES (including patients with multimorbidity and/or prescribed inappropriate polypharmacy).
Medicine information to practice staff and patients:
- Assist pharmacists with provision of medication information for practice teams and patients within scope of competence.
- Discuss medication issues with patients, centred on shared decision making.
Primary and secondary care interface:
- Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, and mental health, in order to ensure safe transfers of care and to proactively manage patients at high risk of medicine related harm to ensure continuity of care.
Signposting:
- Ensure that patients are referred to a healthcare professional for the right care where appropriate.
Repeat prescribing:
- Work across the PCN as required to ensure a consistent approach with regards to repeat prescribing (e.g. eRD).
Clinical Areas of Priority for the PCN:
- Support clinical pharmacists / practices in identifying and supporting patients in defined clinical target areas with their medication (e.g. patients with problematic polypharmacy) and refer for SMRs.
Medicines safety:
- Respond to MHRA alerts, set up searches to identify affected patients on the practice clinical systems and participate in actioning the alerts.
- Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes, patient safety audits and medicines optimisation projects, disseminating the outcomes and results locally and nationally.
- To support, train & supervise the safe and effective repeat prescribing of high-risk medicines ensuring that regular monitoring as per local/shared care guidance is taking place.
- Take a central role in ensuring the clinical aspects of shared care protocols are in place, and where relevant liaise with clinical pharmacists/practices / specialists to ensure continuation of safe practice within primary care setting.
- Implement systems (via processes, system settings and training) to ensure that dependence forming medicines and medicines prescribed to high-risk groups of patients are prescribed appropriately and reviewed regularly, with appropiate referral to clinical pharmacist / practice.
Implementation of local and national guidelines and formulary recommendations:
- Work with local MMT, primary and secondary care colleagues to implement local and national guidelines where appropriate.
- Support the implementation of local and national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices by undertaking clinical audits, supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the QOF and enhanced services.
- For example, support and encourage reduction in prescribing of medicines available over the counter, low value and low priority treatments for self-care.
Education and Training:
- Provide education and training to primary healthcare team and healthcare students regarding medicines management within scope of practice.
- Provide leadership for medicines optimisation systems across PCNs, supporting practices with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines.
- Contribute to practice team meetings, clinical meetings and case reviews.
- To take a proactive approach to the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment of risk and making recommendations for improvement.
- The post-holder will be given opportunities to shadow other healthcare professionals and supported to develop and advance the role within the PCN pharmacy team, working both autonomously and in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
- The successful candidate will be expected to enrol onto the 18 month CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway to further support education and development.
Care Quality Commission (CQC):
- Work with the PCN team to ensure the protocols and professional practice are compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved.
- Ensure compliance with medicines legislation.
Public health:
- Support public health campaigns, Antimicrobial Stewardship and vaccination services.
- Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The list of duties in the job description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. There will be other duties and requirements associated with the job and the right to update the job description from time to time to reflect changes in or to the job.
Provide medicines optimisation to PCN patient population:
- Work across the PCN as required to ensure a consistent approach with regards to medicines optimisation and safe, effective, high quality patient care.
- To support, train and supervise the administrative staff involved in the preparation of repeat prescriptions in order to ensure high quality streamlined, safe and timely repeat prescribing.
- To support, train and supervise the administration staff with medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice.
- To contribute to the review and development of repeat prescribing protocols /Standard Operating Procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing systems.
Support Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs):
- Support pharmacists by identifying and referring eligible patients for SMRs, based on the appropriate population cohorts as stipulated in the Network Contract DES (including patients with multimorbidity and/or prescribed inappropriate polypharmacy).
Medicine information to practice staff and patients:
- Assist pharmacists with provision of medication information for practice teams and patients within scope of competence.
- Discuss medication issues with patients, centred on shared decision making.
Primary and secondary care interface:
- Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, and mental health, in order to ensure safe transfers of care and to proactively manage patients at high risk of medicine related harm to ensure continuity of care.
Signposting:
- Ensure that patients are referred to a healthcare professional for the right care where appropriate.
Repeat prescribing:
- Work across the PCN as required to ensure a consistent approach with regards to repeat prescribing (e.g. eRD).
Clinical Areas of Priority for the PCN:
- Support clinical pharmacists / practices in identifying and supporting patients in defined clinical target areas with their medication (e.g. patients with problematic polypharmacy) and refer for SMRs.
Medicines safety:
- Respond to MHRA alerts, set up searches to identify affected patients on the practice clinical systems and participate in actioning the alerts.
- Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes, patient safety audits and medicines optimisation projects, disseminating the outcomes and results locally and nationally.
- To support, train & supervise the safe and effective repeat prescribing of high-risk medicines ensuring that regular monitoring as per local/shared care guidance is taking place.
- Take a central role in ensuring the clinical aspects of shared care protocols are in place, and where relevant liaise with clinical pharmacists/practices / specialists to ensure continuation of safe practice within primary care setting.
- Implement systems (via processes, system settings and training) to ensure that dependence forming medicines and medicines prescribed to high-risk groups of patients are prescribed appropriately and reviewed regularly, with appropiate referral to clinical pharmacist / practice.
Implementation of local and national guidelines and formulary recommendations:
- Work with local MMT, primary and secondary care colleagues to implement local and national guidelines where appropriate.
- Support the implementation of local and national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices by undertaking clinical audits, supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the QOF and enhanced services.
- For example, support and encourage reduction in prescribing of medicines available over the counter, low value and low priority treatments for self-care.
Education and Training:
- Provide education and training to primary healthcare team and healthcare students regarding medicines management within scope of practice.
- Provide leadership for medicines optimisation systems across PCNs, supporting practices with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines.
- Contribute to practice team meetings, clinical meetings and case reviews.
- To take a proactive approach to the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment of risk and making recommendations for improvement.
- The post-holder will be given opportunities to shadow other healthcare professionals and supported to develop and advance the role within the PCN pharmacy team, working both autonomously and in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
- The successful candidate will be expected to enrol onto the 18 month CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway to further support education and development.
Care Quality Commission (CQC):
- Work with the PCN team to ensure the protocols and professional practice are compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved.
- Ensure compliance with medicines legislation.
Public health:
- Support public health campaigns, Antimicrobial Stewardship and vaccination services.
- Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- NVQ3
- Registered with GPhC
- Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
- Attention to detail
- Good organisational skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Effective time management
- Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to pharmacists when appropriate
- Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- Produce timely and informative reports
- Work effectively independently and as a team member
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
- Self-motivated & Innovative
- Adaptable
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical patient systems
- Experience handing confidential/sensitive information
- Handling conflict
- Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
- Management of recall systems
- Knowledge of Information Governance and Data Quality
- At least one years experience in medicines reconciliation
- Completed ACT course
- Working towards National Competency Framework for Primary Care Pharmacy Technician
- Enrolled in, undertaking, or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH)
- Membership with APTUK
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- Full driving licence
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- NVQ3
- Registered with GPhC
- Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
- Attention to detail
- Good organisational skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Effective time management
- Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to pharmacists when appropriate
- Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- Produce timely and informative reports
- Work effectively independently and as a team member
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
- Self-motivated & Innovative
- Adaptable
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical patient systems
- Experience handing confidential/sensitive information
- Handling conflict
- Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
- Management of recall systems
- Knowledge of Information Governance and Data Quality
- At least one years experience in medicines reconciliation
- Completed ACT course
- Working towards National Competency Framework for Primary Care Pharmacy Technician
- Enrolled in, undertaking, or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH)
- Membership with APTUK
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- Full driving licence
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
East and Central Brighton Primary Care Network
Address
ECB PCN, Blenheim House
120 Church Street
BRIGHTON
East Sussex
BN1 1UD