An exciting opportunity to join our growing team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership. The role will be based cross-site at Newick and Heathfield.
The post holder is an integral part of the general practice team, will work under the supervision of the Lead Clinical Pharmacist and the GP partners at Wealden Ridge Medical Partnership to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients and within their professional boundaries in the practice.
* Join an experienced and well-established pharmacy team
* Excellent working environment
* 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays pro-rata
* Full support and training will be provided including enrolment in the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway
* Fixed term contract with scope to extend depending on ARRS funding
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. 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 practices, 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. This will involve assisting the practice in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.
About us
We are an 8 Partner GMS training practice, working across four sites, with a list size of 21,900 patients and are committed to delivering a high-quality service.
We have a well-established experienced pharmacy team, which comprises of 3 clinical pharmacists and 3 pharmacy technicians, and are committed to providing support and training, if required, to complete the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP).
The practice is also a teaching practice for both GP trainees and medical students from Brighton University, lead practice for the Greater Wealden Primary Care Network, we have an excellent QoF/Enhanced Service/Patient Satisfaction Achievement, and use EMIS Web / Docman 10.
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
The Pharmacy Technician is to assume the following key responsibilities in delivering health services:
* Support the role of the Clinical Pharmacist and GPs on the delivery of the new Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice model
* Undertake patient-facing and patient-supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use through shared decision-making conversations with patients
* Conduct medicine optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g., checking inhaler technique), support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. When required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively
* Carry out medicines switches in GP practices in line with practice and ICB agreed specific protocols reviewing patients records; amending records and informing patients
* Liaise with other pharmacy stakeholders e.g. ICB Medicines Optimisation team, community pharmacy, and hospital pharmacy teams
* Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronise medicines for patient transfers between care settings and linking with local community pharmacists
* Provide specialist expertise, when 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
* Maintain a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaise 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
* Attend a formal appraisal with your manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed
* To undertake, participate and share the outcomes of clinical audits to facilitate improvement and changes in practice
* Ensure that all major MHRA drug alerts, where appropriate and within level of competence, are acted upon within practices over an appropriate time frame and to advise on any medication changes that occur as a result
* To undertake learning and development to ensure the required knowledge and skills for practice based work
* Contribute to public health campaigns (e.g., COVID-19 or flu clinics) through advice or direct care
* Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
Secondary responsibilities
In addition to the primary responsibilities, the pharmacy technician may be requested to:
* Partake in audit as directed by the audit lead
* Provide education on medicines for the clinical team
* Review the latest guidance ensuring the practice conforms to NICE, CQC etc.
* Act as the practice point of contact for all medicines related matters, establishing positive working relationships
Person Specification
Qualifications
* GCSE in Maths, English and Science or equivalent
* NVQ level 3 in pharmacy services or equivalent and be registered with the GPhC
Experience
* Evidence of working autonomously or as part of a team
Skills
* 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
Personal Qualities
* 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
* 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
Other requirements
* Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
* Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home
* 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/Docman
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.
Depending on experience: From £28,000 depending on experience.
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