Primary Care Pharmacy Technician

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, committed, and motivated pharmacy technician to join our well established integrated primary care pharmacy team.
As a team we are committed to the development of primary care pharmacy. We have been established for over 20 years developing our services to meet the needs of our practices and patients in Dudley.
The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide medicines optimisation support activities including delivery of the Primary Care Network (PCN) DES, strategic PCN initiatives and our wider primary care pharmacy operational work plan. The post holder will contribute to safer patient care through provision of clinical audits, medication review and structured monitoring of high risk drug prescribing. The post holder will also act as an advisory resource to practices in relation to medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste, improving medicines adherence and repeat prescribing processes.
Prior experience of working in General Practice or a similar role would be ideal but not essential.
An initial induction programme will be offered as well as ongoing training and supervision working alongside clinical pharmacists and other pharmacy technicians within the team. We have a strong emphasis on team working, supporting each other to professionally develop and meet our key objective of improving the health and wellbeing of our local population., The duties and responsibilities are intended to be indicative but not exhaustive of the responsibilities of the post holder. Working alongside colleagues we will develop flexible work programmes to meet the needs of our practices and population, as such the requirements of the job may develop and change over time.
The Primary Care Network Pharmacy Technician role provides an exciting opportunity to develop and use your skills in a patient-facing and non-patient facing environment. As a Pharmacy Technician, you will play an important role complementing our clinical pharmacists and other members of the PCN team.
The purpose of the role is to promote and support improvements to maximise safer, cost effective medicines use and evidence guided prescribing, help to develop processes and systems for safer repeat prescribing, reduce medicines waste and improve the quality of patient care.
You will undertake patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, carry out medicines optimisation tasks, clinical audit and medicines reconciliation to support our clinical pharmacists and the wider primary care team. The role will assist in delivery of our integrated work plan and incentive schemes.
If you are a self-motivated and enthusiastic registered pharmacy technician looking for a new challenge in primary care this could be an exciting opportunity for you.

Working for our organisation
We are looking for exceptional individuals with the drive and enthusiasm to change how healthcare is delivered and make a real difference to the people we serve. Our vision is excellent healthcare and improved health for all.
With over 20 years of experience we are a well-established innovative team that is committed to the development of clinical pharmacy services in primary care working in collaboration with our local partners.
We provide support and development opportunities for our team and pride ourselves in allowing colleagues to flourish in their careers supporting their personal development whilst ensuring we make a positive contribution to improving the health of our population.
Our Organisation is committed to embracing diversity and we recognise the need to ensure our workforce is representative of the communities we serve to enable us to achieve our purpose and commitments.
We are embedding values based and inclusive recruitment practices to ensure that all applicants, from any backgrounds, have an equal chance of success in achieving a role with us.
Anyone that works with us will share in our commitments and promote and uphold them throughout their daily activities.
Although we support flexible working opportunities our primary care pharmacy technician roles are predominately practice based to ensure we are working closely with our practice colleagues and the wider multidisciplinary team., The post holder is a Pharmacy Technician with current GPhC registration.
Prior experience of working within a general practice environment would be ideal however we will consider registered candidates with experience from all fields of pharmacy.
The post holder will work within their professional boundaries as part of a multi-disciplinary team in both a patient-facing and non-patient role.
The post holder will be required to complete the CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway if not already completed.
The post holder would be expected to work within their scope of professional practice and encouraged to develop their scope to meet the needs of our population.
The post holder will support the Primary Care Network to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes. The role will also include training and development of prescription administrators to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration within general practice, especially with relation to repeat prescribing systems and processes.
They will contribute to audit and quality improvement including promoting and support of antimicrobial stewardship. They will reduce risk and improve medicines related care through provision of direct patient facing and remote medication review.
Key priorities for this role are to:
+ To undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients' medical records / prescribing accordingly.
+ To support the achievement of the practice's 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 medication audits.
+ To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing budgets
+ To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing.
+ To support delivery of cost effective prescribing initiatives
+ To support the Practices to provide medication reviews, patient information leaflets and medicine awareness
+ 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 practice pharmacists / 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.
+ To undertake any other duties of a similar nature consistent with the responsibilities of this post in order to provide a quality service
+ Support training and development of future pharmacy workforce
+ Plan own workload to ensure high priority patient specific and other activities are dealt with in a timely fashion.
+ Work with colleagues in the Pharmaceutical Public Health Team (PPHT) to carry out clinical audits and implement required changes to patient care in line with the PCN Direct Enhance Service, Investment and Impact Fund Indicators and medicines safety and quality work streams.
+ Optimise benefit of prescribed medication through high levels of compliance and concordance achieved by support for the patient and carers.
+ Provide professional input to practice medicines related activities including review and support for repeat prescribing systems and medicines related policies and procedures.
+ Liaise with local community pharmacy colleagues to ensure accurate and effective medication management and support collaborative working.
+ Produce monthly activity reports on work completed.
Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility
+ Establish and promote safer prescribing practice within scope of practice
+ Contribute to medicines safety work through the analysis and prioritisation of high risk drugs monitoring, medication safety indicators and other practice based clinical reviews to promote safe and effective prescribing. Support the process of implementing changes to prescribing and guidance for practitioners.
+ Contribute to practice based / NHS Trust incident reporting systems with an emphasis on medicines safety and the dissemination of learning
+ Provide patient facing / telephone clinics for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines in the practice.
+ Undertake medication reviews with patients taking high risk drugs (within scope of professional practice) and review for ongoing need and appropriate monitoring, making recommendations to practice pharmacists /GP as appropriate.
+ Undertake medication reviews for patients with poor adherence to prescribed medication.
+ Provide a telephone help line for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines.
+ Answers medicine related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff, other healthcare teams (e.g. community pharmacy) and patients with queries about medicines, suggesting and recommending solutions within scope of practice, escalating to senior colleagues where necessary.
+ Support safe and timely medicines reconciliation
Medicines Optimisation in practice
+ Support Implementation of a practice repeat prescribing policy.
+ Contribute to clinical audits and improvement projects (prescribing incentive schemes)
+ Utilise clinical system search results and prescribing data to contribute to identification of areas for intervention. Promote safer evidence-based practice and interventions to improve patient outcomes.
+ Support antimicrobial stewardship initiatives
+ To reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care, step down care from care homes, including identifying and following up unexplained changes preparing recommendations for management and rectification of anomalous changes to discuss with senior pharmacist prior to implementation and with advice from GP if necessary.
+ Liaise with patients on medication changes post discharge to promote a more seamless transfer of care.
+ Liaise with community pharmacists to communicate changes to medication and ensure safe ongoing care.
Collaborative Working Relationships
+ Recognise the roles of other colleagues within the organisation and their role to patient care.
+ Demonstrate ability to work as part of a team.
+ Can recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary.
+ Actively work towards developing and maintaining effective working relationships both within and outside the practice and locality.
+ Foster and maintain strong links with all services across locality.
+ Liaises with colleagues on prescribing related matters to ensure consistency of patient care and to benefit from peer support., This job description is intended to provide an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities only. There may be other duties required of the post-holder commensurate with the position. This description will be open to regular review and may be amended to take into account service development.
Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered, dependant upon Job Role and Salary needed to meet the criteria for sponsorship, alongside all other applications. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Work in the UK.
It is vital that you provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Overseas applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Not everyone needs a 'Skilled Worker' visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, check if you're eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead. It's cheaper to apply for and you do not need to pay the annual immigration health surcharge.
RECRUITMENT EQUALITY STATEMENT
We are committed to equal opportunities and want to ensure our workforce is representative of the population we serve. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and diverse groups. It is essential we understand our demographics, in order that we can monitor our performance as an equal opportunity employer, as well as continuing to embed a culture of inclusivity across the organisation, which supports the active participation and contribution of our diverse staff groups in the Trusts decision making processes . On application the shortlisting manager will not see this criterion and therefore it cannot be part of their decision making. Please ensure you complete your equal opportunities questions for us and help us to make sure everyone is welcome.
The Trust is committed to employing and supporting people with disabilities. It is the Trust's policy to interview all candidates with a disability who meet the minimum 'essential' criteria as identified on the person specification. To ensure we know you have a disability, please inform us under the appropriate section on the application form. We welcome applications from the LGBTQ+ community and openly encourage people with different sexual orientation, gender identity and expression to apply to join our team. We promise to respect and encourage the use of all pronouns and will not purposefully mis-gender anyone.
We are governed by the public sector equality duties and by our values of Care, Respect and Responsibility to ensure we eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other behaviour that is unlawful, undermines our core values and/or falls short of our Behaviour Framework. We want all of our staff to 'call out' any behaviour from colleagues, patients or visitors that constitutes the above and appropriate action be taken.
We will, at every opportunity, advance equality and inclusivity for all staff, at all levels within the organisation, by removing or minimising disadvantage, encouraging participation and taking all relevant steps to meet the needs of anyone who shares a protected characteristic. We will also foster good relations between persons who share a protected characteristic by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding at every opportunity.
We have staff Networks in place to help support staff experience of diverse staff groups and inform us on the actions, interventions and support what we need to put in place to improve the working lives and daily experiences of all colleagues and all teams. Anyone can join the networks and we take pride in having Allies as part of every network within the organisation.
By submitting an application for a position with this organisation, you are declaring that the information given is true and complete, any deliberate omission, falsification or misrepresentation will be grounds for rejecting the application or subsequent dismissal, and where applicable, for positions that requires registration with a professional body, you authorise us to make the required employer checks on your professional registration status.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Please note, preference will be given to at risk employees.
Applicants MUST ensure that they provide details of their referees and their referee email addresses on their application form otherwise their application may not be considered.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in your application to its preferred applicant management system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Record system.

+ The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members.
Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
Recognise people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
+ Post registration experience in any area pharmacy (community, hospital or primary care)
+ Accountable for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision within scope of competence.
+ Uses skills in a range of routine situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options able to analyse and interpret complex information related to audit and prescribing data.
+ Recognises priorities when problem-solving and identifies deviations from normal pattern and is able to refer to practice pharmacy colleagues or GPs when appropriate.
+ Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct.
+ Involves patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE guidelines.