Job summary
The interview date for this position is Tuesday 28th October 2025.
The care home pharmacy technician will support the Enhanced
Health in Care Homes team by working with care homes and GP practices to
deliver a programme of medicines optimisation involving reviews of care home
residents medication with the Multi-Disciplinary Team, facilitating safe
transfer of residents into and out of care homes in respect of medications and
promoting safe administration practice with care home staff. The pharmacy
technician will assist GP practices to provide safe and appropriate quantities
of medication to care home residents with appropriate dose information,
complementing clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of
the PCN multi-disciplinary team. The post holder will be responsible for encouraging
the development of better understanding of the principles of medicines
optimisation in relation to care home residents throughout practice teams and
care home staff including promoting good practice in line with therapeutic
developments.
In this position, you will be employed by Primary Healthcare
Darlington on behalf of Darlington PCN in a role funded through the Additional
Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) and the General Practice Network Contract
Directed Enhanced Service (2025/25) (the DES). As part of your role, you will
work closely with the PCN andthe General Practices across Darlington
Main duties of the job
Carry out medicines reconciliation for new care home residents and those discharged from hospital, ensuring accurate records, safe supply, and clear communication with care staff, pharmacies, and GP practices.
Support structured medication reviews and attend MDT meetings, providing medicines advice within competency and escalating to pharmacists when needed.
Implement and communicate medication changes from MDTs and clinical correspondence.
Work with community pharmacies and care homes to resolve supply issues, amend quantities, and correct dose instructions.
Monitor and respond to medication queries and supply requests, issuing prescriptions and advice within competency.
Support the education and training of care home staff and GP reception teams, including ad-hoc medicines queries.
Assess patients ability to take medicines (e.g. inhaler technique) and provide advice to optimise use.
Contribute to the investigation of medication-related incidents, liaising with safeguarding and MDT colleagues (CPN, dietician, SLT).
Support the implementation of national medicines safety alerts and promote safe prescribing practices.
Plan and manage workload independently, prioritising effectively with a high level of motivation.
About us
At Primary Healthcare Darlington (PHD), were more than just a GP Federation were a supportive community of healthcare professionals working together to make a real difference. Established in 2014, we proudly support 11 GP practices and a growing population across Darlington, County Durham.
We work hand-in-hand with Darlington Primary Care Network, Darlington Borough Council, NHS Foundation Trusts, and the North East & North Cumbria ICB, giving our staff the opportunity to contribute to projects and services that directly improve health outcomes for our town.
Based just steps away from Darlington town centre and the memorial Hospital, we provide a mix of NHS, Public Health and Private Medical Services from our dedicated premises.
We believe that the wellbeing of our staff is central to the care we provide. As part of our award-winning team, youll benefit from:
- Free counselling services for all staff
- Protected time to focus on your professional development
- Access to high-quality training and career progression opportunities
- A friendly, supportive workplace with everyday perks from free tea and coffee to chilled, filtered water
- A culture that values collaboration, compassion, and innovation
Job description
Job responsibilities
Undertake medicines reconciliation for new residents to the care
home, checking medicines dispensed and administered against Medicines
Administration Record charts and GP practice records and aligning medicines to
the monthly cycle.
Undertake medicines reconciliation for residents discharged from
hospital to ensure new medicines are recorded accurately on the GP clinical
system, care staff are educated on new medicines, care home has adequate
supplies and pharmacy is alerted of changes.
Structured medication review preparation and attendance at MDTs to
provide expert medicines advice within own competency level and referring to
pharmacist when needed.
Ensuring any changes or updates from the MDTs are completed and
communicated as discussed at the meetings.
Work with Community Pharmacies supplying care homes to sort out
supply issues.
Work with care homes to amend quantities depending on patient
needs and to address any medicine shortfalls
Correct any dose directions that need amending that are out of
date titrating instructions, unclear or ambiguous.
Add medicines that are not supplied by the Practice as other
medication to pick up any interactions.
Monitor team emails for medication queries and supply requests
from care homes, issuing appropriate prescriptions or giving medication advice
within own competencies.
Assist with education & training for GP reception staff as
well as assisting with any ad-hoc care home resident medicine queries and
tasks.
Liaise with GP staff to assist with clinical correspondence
updating any changes to medication for care home residents
Contribute to education of care home staff
Where appropriate, assess patients ability to take medicines as
prescribed i.e. checking inhaler technique. Able to give advice and support to
optimise medications.
To support investigation of medication related incidents within
care homes and liaising with safeguarding teams.
To work with the wider MDT including CPN, dietician, SLT to ensure
safe prescribing of medications including changing formulations of medicines.
To support the implementation of NPSA alerts in relation to
medicines
Able to plan and work independently and manage competing
priorities
Able to plan own work with a high degree of motivation
Key working relationships:
-
Care Home Staff
- Residents and relatives of care
home residents
- GPs and GP staff
- Community Pharmacies
- Community Specialist Practitioners
- Community Nursing Staff
- Secondary care Pharmacy teams
- Secondary care discharge teams
Job description
Job responsibilities
Undertake medicines reconciliation for new residents to the care
home, checking medicines dispensed and administered against Medicines
Administration Record charts and GP practice records and aligning medicines to
the monthly cycle.
Undertake medicines reconciliation for residents discharged from
hospital to ensure new medicines are recorded accurately on the GP clinical
system, care staff are educated on new medicines, care home has adequate
supplies and pharmacy is alerted of changes.
Structured medication review preparation and attendance at MDTs to
provide expert medicines advice within own competency level and referring to
pharmacist when needed.
Ensuring any changes or updates from the MDTs are completed and
communicated as discussed at the meetings.
Work with Community Pharmacies supplying care homes to sort out
supply issues.
Work with care homes to amend quantities depending on patient
needs and to address any medicine shortfalls
Correct any dose directions that need amending that are out of
date titrating instructions, unclear or ambiguous.
Add medicines that are not supplied by the Practice as other
medication to pick up any interactions.
Monitor team emails for medication queries and supply requests
from care homes, issuing appropriate prescriptions or giving medication advice
within own competencies.
Assist with education & training for GP reception staff as
well as assisting with any ad-hoc care home resident medicine queries and
tasks.
Liaise with GP staff to assist with clinical correspondence
updating any changes to medication for care home residents
Contribute to education of care home staff
Where appropriate, assess patients ability to take medicines as
prescribed i.e. checking inhaler technique. Able to give advice and support to
optimise medications.
To support investigation of medication related incidents within
care homes and liaising with safeguarding teams.
To work with the wider MDT including CPN, dietician, SLT to ensure
safe prescribing of medications including changing formulations of medicines.
To support the implementation of NPSA alerts in relation to
medicines
Able to plan and work independently and manage competing
priorities
Able to plan own work with a high degree of motivation
Key working relationships:
-
Care Home Staff
- Residents and relatives of care
home residents
- GPs and GP staff
- Community Pharmacies
- Community Specialist Practitioners
- Community Nursing Staff
- Secondary care Pharmacy teams
- Secondary care discharge teams
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of communicating confidently with staff and colleagues of all levels
- Communication and relationship building
- Experience in health and social care
- Experience of developing relationships with a wide variety of people
- Working and delivering outcomes with determined timeframes
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with complex needs
- Experience of working in primary care
Sills/Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of basic health and social care terminology
- Proven ability to recognise and manage risk
- Good knowledge of medications, monitoring requirements, doses, side effects & shared care drugs
- Good interpersonal skills
- Rigorous in following legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies and codes of conduct
- Ability to work well across teams
- Good time management and an ability to prioritise and work to strict deadlines
- Ability to work on own initiative without direct supervision, understanding where clinical input is needed
- IT skills and experience in the use of Microsoft Office programmes
- Have access to own car and full driving licence
Desirable
- Good working knowledge of Systmone
Qualifications
Essential
- Good standard of general education
- Pharmacy Technician NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
- Registered with the GPhC as a Pharmacy Technician
Desirable
- Completion of CPPE pharmacy technician pathway
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of communicating confidently with staff and colleagues of all levels
- Communication and relationship building
- Experience in health and social care
- Experience of developing relationships with a wide variety of people
- Working and delivering outcomes with determined timeframes
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with complex needs
- Experience of working in primary care
Sills/Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of basic health and social care terminology
- Proven ability to recognise and manage risk
- Good knowledge of medications, monitoring requirements, doses, side effects & shared care drugs
- Good interpersonal skills
- Rigorous in following legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies and codes of conduct
- Ability to work well across teams
- Good time management and an ability to prioritise and work to strict deadlines
- Ability to work on own initiative without direct supervision, understanding where clinical input is needed
- IT skills and experience in the use of Microsoft Office programmes
- Have access to own car and full driving licence
Desirable
- Good working knowledge of Systmone
Qualifications
Essential
- Good standard of general education
- Pharmacy Technician NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
- Registered with the GPhC as a Pharmacy Technician
Desirable
- Completion of CPPE pharmacy technician pathway
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).
