Job summary Gateshead Inner West PCN are seeking two experienced, self-motivated, hard-working, and patient focused pharmacy technicians to join our team. The post holder will work under the supervision of the clinical pharmacists to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients. They will provide technical and administrative support to the clinicians. The Pharmacy Technician will support the organisations clinical teams with queries regarding medication from patients. The Pharmacy Technician will complete audits regarding patient safety in the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical team. This role is offered on a full-time basis, for 37.5 hours per week, Monday - Friday. Main duties of the job The purpose of this full-time role is to provide technical support to the clinical pharmacists and other pharmacy services within general practice and the Primary Care Network (PCN) to ensure professional operational standards and excellence in pharmaceutical care and safety are maintained. To ensure delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for medicines related clinical correspondence, repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes. About us Based in the Inner West of Gateshead our Primary Care Network serves over 45,000 patients across our five member Practices of: Whickham Medical Cottage, Chainbridge Medical Partnership, Glenpark Medical Practice, Teams Medical Practice & Sunniside Surgery. We provide integrated services to our local population. Aiming to deliver more personalised, coordinated health and social care for people close to home. The successful candidate will work alongside our current pharmacy team across all five sites. Date posted 16 January 2025 Pay scheme Other Salary £15.33 an hour Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working Reference number M0070-25-0001 Job locations Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network Whickham Cottage Medical Centre Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE16 4PD Glenpark Medical Centre Ravensworth Road Gateshead Tyne And Wear NE11 9FJ Chainbridge Medical Partnership Shibdon Road Blaydon-on-tyne Tyne And Wear NE21 5AE Teams Medical Practice Watson Street Gateshead Tyne And Wear NE8 2PQ Sunniside Medical Centre Dewhurst Terrace Sunniside Newcastle Upon Tyne NE16 5LP Job description Job responsibilities 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 Support, as determined by the PCN, medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings and linking with local community pharmacists 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 Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g. use of antibiotics), supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services. Reconcile the medicines of patients whose care is transferred back to primary care in a timely and effective manner liaising with patients and other providers to ensure patients receive appropriate medication on discharge Proactively engage with patients whose care has been transferred to reduce potential readmission including identifying and rectifying unexplained variation Work with pharmacy service team to develop safe, effective and efficient systems for the repeat prescribing of medication at scale across the five GP sites. Work alongside our current pharmacy service team to develop and implement systems to ensure the effective and continuous supply of medication to high risk patients Work with pharmacy service team to develop and implement systems to ensure safe and effective management of high risk medication Work with pharmacy services to develop and implement changes to medicines in line with MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local or national guidance Provide feedback and seek advice from pharmacist for patients where the post holder has clinical concerns around competence to safely manage their medications Develop relationships with other Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team within the PCN, or wider afield within the locality to support the integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health Support the delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels. Job description Job responsibilities 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 Support, as determined by the PCN, medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings and linking with local community pharmacists 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 Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g. use of antibiotics), supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services. Reconcile the medicines of patients whose care is transferred back to primary care in a timely and effective manner liaising with patients and other providers to ensure patients receive appropriate medication on discharge Proactively engage with patients whose care has been transferred to reduce potential readmission including identifying and rectifying unexplained variation Work with pharmacy service team to develop safe, effective and efficient systems for the repeat prescribing of medication at scale across the five GP sites. Work alongside our current pharmacy service team to develop and implement systems to ensure the effective and continuous supply of medication to high risk patients Work with pharmacy service team to develop and implement systems to ensure safe and effective management of high risk medication Work with pharmacy services to develop and implement changes to medicines in line with MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local or national guidance Provide feedback and seek advice from pharmacist for patients where the post holder has clinical concerns around competence to safely manage their medications Develop relationships with other Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team within the PCN, or wider afield within the locality to support the integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health Support the delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels. Person Specification Personal Qualities & Skills Essential Is working under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective and efficient use of medicines Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face Knowledge of IT systems, including the ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports Good personal organisational skills Effective time management Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity Flexible and cooperative Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations Able to finish work tasks Problem solving and analytical skills Ability to maintain confidentiality Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety Qualifications Essential Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified by the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician Enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) Experience Essential Experience working in a primary care setting Understanding and knowledge of healthcare provision in GP practices, QOF and enhanced services An appreciation of the new NHS landscape including the relationships between individual practices, PCNs and the commissioners Good clinical system IT knowledge of EMIS Person Specification Personal Qualities & Skills Essential Is working under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective and efficient use of medicines Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face Knowledge of IT systems, including the ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports Good personal organisational skills Effective time management Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity Flexible and cooperative Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations Able to finish work tasks Problem solving and analytical skills Ability to maintain confidentiality Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety Qualifications Essential Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified by the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician Enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) Experience Essential Experience working in a primary care setting Understanding and knowledge of healthcare provision in GP practices, QOF and enhanced services An appreciation of the new NHS landscape including the relationships between individual practices, PCNs and the commissioners Good clinical system IT knowledge of EMIS 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 Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network Address Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network Whickham Cottage Medical Centre Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE16 4PD Employer's website https://www.gatesheadinnerwestpcn.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)