Job summary Pharmacy Technicians play an important role in Primary Care, complementing clinical and community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team. The purpose of this role if to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost-effective best practice in prescribing to improve patient care. The role involves reviewing and recording the medication the patients should be taking, ensuring sufficient supplies, administering medicines, and counselling patients to support their understanding on how to use their medicines safely. Optimising and rationalising medication, switching medications to agreed and approved protocols, improving repeat prescribing processes, including promotion of repeat dispensing, online ordering, minimising clinical risk and aiming to reduce waste in medicines. Main duties of the job Work with the Clinical Pharmacist, Community Pharmacists and Clinicians in accordance with agreed practice prescribing standard operating procedures. Process repeat medication requests, including the conversion of acute requests to repeat medicines, changing quantities of medicines. Issuing prescriptions in line with agreed clinical protocols and within your competency Regular liaison with community and acute hospital pharmacists. Provide advice and guidance to patients regarding medication optimisation and lifestyle e.g. inhaler techniques. To provide medication review services to patients via clinics in the practice, domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes, and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care. To support the achievement of the practices prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework targets. Dealing with medication queries including acute medication requests, patient medication and prescription queries. To update and maintain accurate patient medication records on the practice clinical computer system, including advice given and action taken. Liaise with secondary and primary care colleagues to ensure correct medicines are continued following the transfer of care. To assist the Senior Clinical Pharmacist with data analysis of prescribing behaviour in line with NICE guidance and local clinical commissioning directives. About us North Cumbria Primary Care Ltd (NCPC) is an innovative not for profit social enterprise, established to create a network of great surgeries which sustains and supports the development of general practice across the local area. We enable our member general practices to continue to operate as local family practices with the benefit of a large and robust infrastructure to provide support. Primary Care in Workington is currently going through a major transformational redesign of our clinical model todevelop and sustain primary care services, support new ways of working to increase efficiency and improve patient experienceof the services we deliver. Work here is sometimes challenging and hard but is always rewarding. For those with lots of experience join us and help shape our future service model. For those who are earlier in their career journey come and develop your skills in our proactive primary care team. Date posted 15 October 2024 Pay scheme Other Salary Depending on experience Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number A4837-24-0028 Job locations James Street Workington Cumbria CA14 2DL Job description Job responsibilities The post holder will support the primary care team with queries around medication from patients; including face to face and telephone support to patients, primary and community staff. You will work under supervision to ensure safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients as well as providing technical and administrative support to the Clinical Pharmacists and Practice Clinicians Primary care clinical pharmacy is developing, and we are looking for a motivated individual who is flexible to respond to the developing nature of the role and the needs and priorities of individuals requiring support working under the direction of the clinical pharmacists. We expect that you will be able to work independently and manage your own workload. You will need excellent communication skills to be able to liaise with patients, primary care staff, community pharmacists and other partners. Hours of work should reflect general practice hours 37.5 hours per week within 8.30am to 6.30pm. Job-share and flexible hours will be considered Job description Job responsibilities The post holder will support the primary care team with queries around medication from patients; including face to face and telephone support to patients, primary and community staff. You will work under supervision to ensure safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients as well as providing technical and administrative support to the Clinical Pharmacists and Practice Clinicians Primary care clinical pharmacy is developing, and we are looking for a motivated individual who is flexible to respond to the developing nature of the role and the needs and priorities of individuals requiring support working under the direction of the clinical pharmacists. We expect that you will be able to work independently and manage your own workload. You will need excellent communication skills to be able to liaise with patients, primary care staff, community pharmacists and other partners. Hours of work should reflect general practice hours 37.5 hours per week within 8.30am to 6.30pm. Job-share and flexible hours will be considered Person Specification Personal Qualities Essential Polite and confident Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team Flexible and cooperative Displays self-confidence and self-awareness, especially in dealing with staff and patients High levels of integrity and loyalty Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate complex information in situations where there may be barriers to understanding both to patients, their families /carers and other professionals Ability to work under pressure Qualifications Essential GPhC Registered Pharmacy Technician BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmacy services Accredited Checking Technician Enrolled in or willing to be, undertaking or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH) Experience Essential 2 year experience in a hospital, community or primary care pharmacy Desirable Primary care experience Skills Essential Excellent communication skills (written and oral) Clear, polite telephone manner Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office packages and case management systems Knowledge of the principles of medication optimisation Good pharmacy knowledge including terminology An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improvement of prescribing Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation Understanding of current national policies, in particular those that impact on medicines management services Effective time management (Planning & Organising) High levels of analytical literacy skills Organised with good time management Ability to follow policy and procedure Desirable EMIS user skills Experience of medicines reconciliation Understanding of community pharmacy systems Ability to develop and implement policy and procedure to sustain a quality service Understanding of QOF Other Requirements Essential Flexibility to work outside of core office hours Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check Evidence of continuing professional development Person Specification Personal Qualities Essential Polite and confident Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team Flexible and cooperative Displays self-confidence and self-awareness, especially in dealing with staff and patients High levels of integrity and loyalty Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate complex information in situations where there may be barriers to understanding both to patients, their families /carers and other professionals Ability to work under pressure Qualifications Essential GPhC Registered Pharmacy Technician BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmacy services Accredited Checking Technician Enrolled in or willing to be, undertaking or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH) Experience Essential 2 year experience in a hospital, community or primary care pharmacy Desirable Primary care experience Skills Essential Excellent communication skills (written and oral) Clear, polite telephone manner Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office packages and case management systems Knowledge of the principles of medication optimisation Good pharmacy knowledge including terminology An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improvement of prescribing Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation Understanding of current national policies, in particular those that impact on medicines management services Effective time management (Planning & Organising) High levels of analytical literacy skills Organised with good time management Ability to follow policy and procedure Desirable EMIS user skills Experience of medicines reconciliation Understanding of community pharmacy systems Ability to develop and implement policy and procedure to sustain a quality service Understanding of QOF Other Requirements Essential Flexibility to work outside of core office hours Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check Evidence of continuing professional development 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. Employer details Employer name James Street Group Practice Address James Street Workington Cumbria CA14 2DL Employer's website https://www.jamesstreet-workington.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)