Main Purpose: To support the management and development of the prescribing systems to ensure safe, effective and quality prescribing within the practice. To work closely with the lead GP partners for prescribing on individual prescribing projects or audits. To develop strong working relationships with local community pharmacies in order to assist patients and provide a high quality service. To act as lead contact for any complex prescribing queries from staff. Dealing with medication queries including acute medication requests, patient medication and prescription queries. This may involve removing unwanted items, checking review dates, ensuring necessary blood tests and monitoring has been carried out, prescription synchronization etc. Communicating with patients/carers and members of the healthcare team including doctors, nurses and receptionists. Liaising with local pharmacies and hospitals regarding prescription queries, and helping to ensure optimum therapy and to ensure a smooth transition from Secondary to Primary Care. Answer ad hoc medication drug queries from GPs, nurses and other healthcare professionals within the post holders expertise. Updating of medication received from secondary care on the patient medical record, where appropriate. To problem solve issues related to prescribing. To support the lead GP for prescribing with clinical administration, projects and audits to improve services and initiatives to enhance safety, quality and cost effectiveness of prescribing (e.g. Prescribing Quality Scheme as assigned by CCG Medicines Management Team, MHRA updates etc.) To work as an autonomously and be capable of prioritising work whilst maintaining accurate and timely records. Other Duties: To facilitate and participate in multidisciplinary meetings and educational sessions related to prescribing topics. To keep professionally up-to-date at all times and to meet the General Pharmaceutical Council standards for continuing professional development so as to maintain professional registration. To ensure that all information is recorded accurately using computer systems and paper if required. To ensure maintenance of accurate patient records and ensure all relevant information is documented in the patients medical record in a timely manner. Key working relationships: The post holder will be required to maintain constructive relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders and communicate with all grades of healthcare staff including all practice staff, secondary health care staff, community health care professionals and community pharmacists. Communicate highly-sensitive condition-related information to patients and relatives if needed. Health & safety: The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include; Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice 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, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and keeping them free from hazards Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually) 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 recognizes 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 that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights. Personal/Professional development The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include: Participation in an annual individual performance review Taking responsibility for own development, learning, and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others Quality The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk. Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision. Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. Communication: The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will: Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly Contribution to the implementation of services: The post-holder will: Apply practice policies, standards and guidance. Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect their own work. Participate in audit where appropriate. Confidentiality In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.