Primary Responsibilities - To undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients medical records / prescribing accordingly. - To support the achievement of the practices prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework targets. - Working with the Practices to contribute to the review and development of repeat prescribing protocols / Standard Operating Procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing systems. - To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness. - To participate in clinical audits. - To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing budgets and to liaise with the medicines management team at the CCG. - To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing. - To support the Practices to provide medication reviews, patient information leaflets, medicine awareness; and to undertake community visits as appropriate. - To take a proactive approach to the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment of risk and making recommendations for improvement. - To respond to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the appropriate GP in accordance with practice protocols. - To advise on the sourcing and safe management of medicines as appropriate. - Be responsible for the organisation, planning and of own workload to meet set deadlines. Responsibility for administration Other duties and responsibilities to be undertaken may include any or all the items in the following list: - Taking messages and passing on information as appropriate. - Computer data entry/data allocation and collation, processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures. - Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare professionals and providers. - Helping to maintain a positive, patient focussed culture. - Helping to maintain a positive, supportive culture across the whole of the practice team. - Any other duties commensurate with this position. Duties will vary from time to time under the direction of the Partners / Practice Managers dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels. Patient services - To provide medication review services to patients 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. - Assist Partners with the appropriate monitoring and management of their prescribing budgets. - To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the medicine management team and all other relevant health professionals in the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing. - To help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the practice to optimise the quality of prescribing. Communication The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to: - Communicate effectively with other team members. - Communicate effectively with patients and carers. - Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly. 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 Health & Safety Manual, and 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 free from hazards - Actively reporting of 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