Pharmacy Technician

Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice is part of an exciting programme of transformation to develop a new model of care which addresses our ambition to deliver person-centred, coordinated care across the region. The Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice model is supported by the direction of national policy including the Five Year Forward View and GP Forward View where there is a need to better utilise the role of pharmacy within primary care to pro-actively help patients stay safe and well and out of hospital as well as helping to reduce the demands on general practice.

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 Practice, 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 PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

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.

As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies

Support the clinical teams in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR)

i.e. organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR

Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information and help in tackling local health inequalities.

Manage shared care protocols and liaise with the clinical team for more complex patients.

Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.

Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.

Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reducing medication wastage.

Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering

Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.

Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.

Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.

Support the PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services

Supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services;

Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements

This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated and well-organised individual to join the Primary Care Network team at Coastal PCN as a Pharmacy Technician.

You will working as part of the Pharmacy Technician team based at Perranporth Surgery and St Agnes Surgery.

Other Requirements

Essential: - Ability to travel between PCN sites as required.; - Flexible approach to service delivery.; - Commitment to continuous improvement and patient-centred care.

Qualifications

Essential: - Completion of or working towards the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway.

Desirable: - Experience supporting medicines optimisation and medication review activities within primary care.

Experience

Essential: - Experience working as a registered Pharmacy Technician in a primary care, community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy or integrated care setting.

Desirable: - Experience supporting medicines optimisation and medication review activities within primary care.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential: - Good understanding of medicines optimisation principles appropriate to the role.