Job summary Wisbech Primary Care Network (PCN) is recruiting a Pharmacy Technician to support patient care in the development of the Primary Care Network. The nature of the role requires the post holder to be based at Trinity Surgery. On occasions, there may be the requirement to work at other practices within the PCN, namely Clarkson Surgery, North Brink Practice and Parson Drove Surgery. In addition to these practices, this may include remote and homeworking, at the discretion of the PCN. Main duties of the job The purpose of the 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 The PCN has a population of approximately 50,000 patients and comprises of 4 Practices North Brink Practice, Trinity Surgery, Clarkson Surgery and Parson Drove Surgery. The post holder will work alongside clinicians and other staff at Trinity Surgery and across the Wisbech Network as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Date posted 29 October 2024 Pay scheme Other Salary £30,500 to £31,850 a year Depending on experience Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number W0012-24-0006 Job locations Trinity Surgery 29 St. Augustines Road Wisbech Cambridgeshire PE13 3UZ 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 four GP sites. Work with 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 Manage requests to prescribe medication from specialists in line with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB formulary and locally agreed guidelines Update patient medication records in line with incoming clinical correspondence Refer patients to their community pharmacist for support with using their medicines To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness To respond to medication queries form patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the appropriate clinician in accordance with protocols and personal and professional boundaries Provide support to patients to maximise the benefit from their medication Provide telephone support for patients with medication queries Provide professional telephone and written advice and support to patients and their carers To maintain full and complete records of all patient contacts using appropriate clinical templates and coding Work with the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes, and reducing wastage Supervise practice teams in supporting and streaming general prescription request, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests Provide leadership for medicines optimisation systems across PCNs, supporting practices with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health To work across agilely across the four practices and across the PCN geographical area, as determined by PCN management Please submit your application as soon as possible as this vacancy may close if sufficient applications are received earlier than the closing date. 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 four GP sites. Work with 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 Manage requests to prescribe medication from specialists in line with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB formulary and locally agreed guidelines Update patient medication records in line with incoming clinical correspondence Refer patients to their community pharmacist for support with using their medicines To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness To respond to medication queries form patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the appropriate clinician in accordance with protocols and personal and professional boundaries Provide support to patients to maximise the benefit from their medication Provide telephone support for patients with medication queries Provide professional telephone and written advice and support to patients and their carers To maintain full and complete records of all patient contacts using appropriate clinical templates and coding Work with the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes, and reducing wastage Supervise practice teams in supporting and streaming general prescription request, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests Provide leadership for medicines optimisation systems across PCNs, supporting practices with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health To work across agilely across the four practices and across the PCN geographical area, as determined by PCN management Please submit your application as soon as possible as this vacancy may close if sufficient applications are received earlier than the closing date. Person Specification Qualifications Essential BTEC/NVQ level 3 qualification in pharmaceutical services Current registration as Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council Portfolio of evidence of continuous professional development and post-qualifying experience Desirable Medicines Reconciliation Certificate or equivalent Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Experience Essential Minimum 2 years post registration experience Understanding of professional ethics and application in practice Desirable An understanding of General Practice, including the different roles within Practice teams and the delivery of services. Previous experience working within a patient facing role Other requirements Essential A full clean UK driving licence, with no restrictions, and including business insurance cover Ability to travel and work across multiple sites with use of own vehicle Willingness and ability to work remotely and from home DBS clearance conducted by Wisbech PCN upon job offer Skills and Knowledge Essential Excellent verbal, digital and written communication skills Ability to develop effective working relationships at all levels Excellent leadership skills Ability to work independently and within a team and demonstrate the ability to work together with patients and other healthcare professionals to achieve best possible outcomes. Ability to work under pressure Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative with the ability to prioritise workload and exercise good time management skills Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision Accountable for own professional actions Ability to make important decisions in pressured situations An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality Desirable Computer skills including spreadsheets, presentations, or ECDL Experience with SystmOne clinical system Person Specification Qualifications Essential BTEC/NVQ level 3 qualification in pharmaceutical services Current registration as Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council Portfolio of evidence of continuous professional development and post-qualifying experience Desirable Medicines Reconciliation Certificate or equivalent Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Experience Essential Minimum 2 years post registration experience Understanding of professional ethics and application in practice Desirable An understanding of General Practice, including the different roles within Practice teams and the delivery of services. Previous experience working within a patient facing role Other requirements Essential A full clean UK driving licence, with no restrictions, and including business insurance cover Ability to travel and work across multiple sites with use of own vehicle Willingness and ability to work remotely and from home DBS clearance conducted by Wisbech PCN upon job offer Skills and Knowledge Essential Excellent verbal, digital and written communication skills Ability to develop effective working relationships at all levels Excellent leadership skills Ability to work independently and within a team and demonstrate the ability to work together with patients and other healthcare professionals to achieve best possible outcomes. Ability to work under pressure Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative with the ability to prioritise workload and exercise good time management skills Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision Accountable for own professional actions Ability to make important decisions in pressured situations An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality Desirable Computer skills including spreadsheets, presentations, or ECDL Experience with SystmOne clinical system 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 Wisbech Primary Care Network Ltd Address Trinity Surgery 29 St. Augustines Road Wisbech Cambridgeshire PE13 3UZ Employer's website https://wisbechpcn.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)