Middleton & Hunslet PCN Pharmacy Technician

Job responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians play an important role, complementing clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team. Pharmacy technicians are different to clinical pharmacists as they are not able to prescribe or make clinical decisions, instead working under supervision to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines.

Pharmacy technicians core role responsibilities will cover clinical, and technical and administrative categories.

The purpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost-effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will help patients to get the best from their medicines by switching medications to agreed and approved protocols, improving repeat prescribing processes in General Practice, including promotion of repeat dispensing and online ordering, minimising clinical risk and aiming to reduce wasted medicines.

In addition, the post holder will be responsible for encouraging the development of better understanding of the principles of medicines optimisation throughout the practice teams and promoting good practice in line with therapeutic developments. This will involve assisting the PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

You will be working towards the delivery of the outcomes outlined in the Primary Care Network Contract Enhanced Service Specification

Main Tasks:

Clinical

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

Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g., checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.

As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies

Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) e.g., organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR

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

Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.

Technical & Administrative

Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.

Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reducing medication wastage.

Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering

Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.

Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.

Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.

Support the PCN to deliver on the Quality Improvement Plans, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services

Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements

Health and Safety - The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in our Health & Safety Policy, to include:

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to PCN guidelines.

Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.

Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.

Using appropriate infection control procedures, including maintaining a tidy and safe way work area free from hazards. Effective hand hygiene.

Provide advice on the correct and safe management of the specimen's process, including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct containers, storage and transport arrangements.

Correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in both routine and extraordinary circumstances.

Safe use of sharps, storage and disposal.

Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality and Diversity - The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Training, Personal/ Professional Development Training requirements will be monitored in accordance with PCN requirements. Relevant personal development will be encouraged and supported by the PCN. You will be expected to take responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.

Undertake mandatory and statutory training as required and attend courses/ study days as deemed appropriate/ necessary.

Continually review clinical practice, responding to National policies and initiatives where appropriate.

Provide leadership and education for members of the multi-disciplinary team, providing guidance and support when necessary.

Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.

Communication:

Excellent communication skills (written and oral), when dealing with patients and other team members. The ability to make clear decisions with confidence and communicate these effectively.

Demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients and carers are fully informed and consent to treatment.

Recognise people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Use developed communication, negotiation and conflict management skills recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background etc.

Managing Risk:

Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients. This includes the escalation of clinical concerns or appropriate referrals where the management of a clinical situation requires it, or it falls outside of clinical competence.

Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards, and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.

Apply infection control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines and in accordance with the practice policy.

This job description is not exhaustive and is subject to review considering changing service needs. Change will be made in consultation with the role holder and will be reviewed at annual appraisal.

Other requirements

Essential

• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
• Full UK driving licence with access to own vehicle.

Experience

Essential

• Works effectively independently and as a member of a team
• Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder focused response
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work
• Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required
• Independently mobile to be able to work across several sites and travel to meet with stakeholders
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Demonstrate ability to work in a busy environment; ability to deal with both urgent and important tasks and to prioritise effectively whilst also supporting others
• Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills

Desirable

• Experience in primary care or General Practice

Personal qualities, attributes and abilities

Essential

• Motivated, committed, and enthusiastic and able to motivate, engage others through a positive outlook
• Self-aware, can recognise own limitations
• Flexible and able to be adaptive whilst responding well to stressful situations

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional registration with GPhC
• BTEC NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
• Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
• Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
• Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges

Skills, Ability and Knowledge

Essential

• Relevant advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine
• An appreciation of the NHS agenda and Government targets
• Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
• Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality
• Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
• Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
• Understand the aims of current healthcare policy within the PCN
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
• Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily
• Able to effectively manage allocated resources
• Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines
• Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with team members, patients, carers, and other healthcare professionals. Whilst recognising peoples needs for alternative methods of communication
• Influencing and negotiating skills
• An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues

Desirable

• Use of SystmOne (Clinical database)
• Knowledge of public health issues in local area

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).