Job summary
Newton Place Surgery is looking to employ a skilled and compassionate Prescription Team Lead to join our team. The role would suit an experienced Pharmacy Technician who wishes to pursue a leadership role.
This is a full time position, but we may consider a job share for the right candidates.
This position requires you to be present in the office.
Please note: In the event of a large number of applicants, we may close this advert early.
Main duties of the job
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.
Provide leadership and support to the wider prescribing team, which includes undertaking appraisals, reviewing the competencies of the team and enusirng adequate rota to support a full working team.
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.
Ensure that all major MHRA drug alerts, where appropriate and within levels of competence, are acted upon and to provide advice on medication changes that occur as a result. Ensuing clear information if provided to all clinical teams for information.
Take a leading role in Medicines Management incentives.
About us
Newton Place Surgery has a friendly large multidisciplinary team including 17 GPs, ACPs, paramedics, clinical pharmacists, ANPs, practice nurses, Associate Practitioners, and HCAs. We are a forward-thinking practice, committed to delivering high-quality care to our 19,400 registered patients. The practice is part of Mid-Kent PCN.
Newton Place Surgery is a vibrant purpose-built surgery, set in the beautiful market village of Faversham. The practice has good transportation links, being less than 1 mile from Faversham train station and close to the M2 turn-off.
We offer a variety of additional on-site services such as ultrasound, audiology, physiotherapy, women's health, minor surgery, ECGs, and spirometry and we are also a covid vaccination site. We also have an offsite ophthalmology service. The practice is actively involved in research and is a training practice.
Newton Place Surgery has a friendly large multidisciplinary team including 17 GPs, ACPs, paramedics, clinical pharmacists, ANPs, practice nurses, Associate Practitioners, and HCAs. We are a forward-thinking practice, committed to delivering high-quality care to our 19,400 registered patients. The practice is part of Mid-Kent PCN.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job description
The following are the core responsibilities of the Prescription Team Lead. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:
1. Supporting the prescription team to resolve day to day medicines issues and help patients to get the best from their medicines.
2. Supporting the Practice dealing with complex queries around medication from patients, secondary care professionals, community pharmacists and other healthcare professionals
3. Implementing medication changes and reconciliation with the support of the wider clinical team when informed via hospital/ clinical letter.
4. Completing audits around patient safety in the prescribing medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical teams using in house audit protocols.
5. Ensure that all major MHRA drug alerts, where appropriate and within levels of competence, are acted upon and to provide advice on medication changes that occur as a result. Ensuing clear information if provided to all clinical teams for information.
6. Undertake patient notes review to ensure adherence to monitoring and shared care protocols, encouraging dose optimisation and medication synchronisation where needed.
7. Day to day handling of prescription queries within area of own competence and act as a source of support to the wider teams
8. Improve prescribing processes at the surgery which will require delivery of training and development to prescribing clerks to support improved co-ordination and effective administration within the surgery.
9. Assisting in advising clinicians of alternative meds when notified items are unavailable under SSP, long or short term out of stock in line with formulary guidance.
10. Assist in the surgery response to complaints in order to de-escalate and feedback on significant events that involve medication or prescribing team processes.
11. Liaise with Medicines Management Team, community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy teams in relation to medication queries.
12. Promote cost-effective, safe, evidence based prescribing in accordance with national and local guidance seeking support from local Medicines Management teams when needed. Informing prescribers and clinical teams of any important changes.
13. Create, review and disseminate protocols, both clinical and non-clinical when needed.
14. Take a leading role in Medicines Management incentives.
15. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in line with National and Local guidance.
16. Act as lead on contractual incentives set out by Kent and Medway ICB Medicines Management team; this incentive is designed to support the delivering NHS Long term Plan looking at Clinical Effectiveness, patient Safety and patient experience.
Leadership
17. Proactively participate in leadership to support the prescribing team and surgery
18. Carry out annual appraisals for the prescribing team and set realistic targets
19. Ensure training is up to date and accurate for prescribing team competencies and reviewed regularly.
20. Provide expert knowledge, guidance and experience to effectively manage the prescribing team
21. Day to day general administrative duties ensuring general oversight of the prescribing team
22. Ensuring adequate rota to support a full working team including holiday and sickness.
23. Carry out productivity reviews with prescribing clerks and formulate plans to develop if needed.
24. Be responsible for interview, selection and induction of new team members.
25. To motivate and empower the prescribing team to provide effective and efficient administration support for the surgery.
26. Promote and follow HR policies and liaise with senior management when required.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
27. Responsible, accurate and methodical approach to working
28. Fine attention to detail
29. Able to understand law and guidelines on medicines, protocols and guidance
30. Able to read and follow instructions, liaise with a multidisciplinary team and feed back to the prescribing team when needed
31. Play key role in peoples health with a vested interest in medication
32. Able to explain clearly to members of the public medicines, long term conditions, interactions and health and lifestyle guidance
33. Able to demonstrate excellent organisational skills, science and pharmaceutical calculations where needed.
34. Ability to be self-motivated and work co-operatively as part of a team. Managing own time with a minimum of supervision working to deadlines.
35. To demonstrate creativity and original thinking, whilst developing practical solutions to problems
Qualifications
Essential
36. Minimum 5 GCSE A- C or equivalent
37. A level or Equivalent level 3 qualifications
38. Prescription clerk or dispensary qualification
Desirable
39. Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
40. Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified by the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician
Experience
Essential
41. Experience of working on EMIS web Clinical System
42. Knowledge of current medicines management issues
43. Experience of working within a Primary or Secondary Care setting