PCN Pharmacy Technician

Job summary

We are seeking an enthusiasticPCN Pharmacy Technician to join our well-established, multi-disciplinary teamat Railway Medical Group. In this PCN role, you will work within our team ofPharmacy Technicians, Clinical Pharmacists, and alongside the broader practicestaff.

Your contributions will beinstrumental in implementing our integrated prescribing support model andshaping the ways we provide care to our patients.

Interviews for this role will be held on Tuesday 17th December 2024

Main duties of the job

Our Pharmacy Technicians playa key role in supporting our Clinical Pharmacists. Primary responsibilitiesinclude reconciling hospital discharge summaries, assisting with repeatprescribing processes, and engaging in quality improvement projects.

The role also involvesco-ordinating with patients, nursing homes, carers, hospitals, and communitypharmacies to address medication queries, update medical records, and conductmedication reviews.

About us

Railway Medical Group is a key healthcare provider in Blyth, SoutheastNorthumberland, serving over 27,300 patients across a diverse community. Ourbroad patient base offers rich opportunities for learning and specialising invarious areas of medicine.

Our team is made up of a diverse range of clinical andnon-clinical professionals who work together to provide holistic patient care.We are proud to include Paramedics, Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, CPNs,ANPs, Care Navigators, Social Prescribers, Orthopaedic Practitioners, PracticeNurses, HCAs, and GPs, all supported by a dedicated administrative andmanagement team. Together, we are committed to placing patients at the centreof everything we do.

What We Offer:

A commitment to education and development as ateaching and learning practice A comprehensive Induction Program, offeringtime in each department to understand our team and workflow A competitive salary A strong focus on promoting and supportinghealth and wellbeing within the practice A positive workplace culture grounded in corevalues and supportive behaviours Access to the NHS Pension Scheme

Joining Railway Medical Group means becoming part of a team thatvalues growth, collaboration, and compassionate care.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities Lead Medicines Reconciliation: Overseemedicines reconciliation in line with practice protocols and update patientmedical records and prescriptions as needed. Patient Support and Education: Provideclear information to patients regarding medications and prescription changes,co-ordinating with other healthcare professionals for additional support whennecessary. Support Quality Targets: Contribute to meeting thepractice's Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) prescribing targets and LocalEnhanced Services, as applicable. Enhance Repeat Prescribing Systems: Collaboratewith practice pharmacists and admin managers to review and improve repeatprescribing protocols and standard operating procedures, aiming to increaseefficiency and effectiveness. Staff Training and Development: Delivertraining for administrative staff to strengthen coordination and promoteeffective medicines management. Advise on Prescribing Improvements: Offerguidance to GPs, staff, and patients on prescribing changes, focusing onenhancing prescribing safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Stakeholder Collaboration: Maintain communication withcommunity and hospital pharmacy teams and other pharmacy stakeholders. Conduct Audits and Resource Preparation: Undertakemedication and safety audits, and prepare evidence-based materials to supportthe adoption of cost-effective, rational prescribing. Medication Review Support: Assist Practice-Based ClinicalPharmacists in conducting medication reviews, preparing patient information,promoting medicine awareness, and, when appropriate, conducting communityvisits. Safe Prescription Handling: Proactively manage prescriptionhandling with a focus on risk assessment and recommendations for improvement. Respond to Medication Queries: Addressmedication-related questions from patients and staff professionally, referringto the appropriate GP following practice protocols. Medication Sourcing and Management: Provideadvice on sourcing and safely managing medications within the practice. Claims Assistance: Support the submission of claims for personally administereddrugs as needed. Process Improvement: Help plan and implement new procedures to optimize prescribingquality within the practice. Patient Outreach: Present at patient group meetings and similar events to provideguidance on the correct use of medications. Educational Materials and Awareness Initiatives: Createpatient information leaflets and posters, and lead medicine awareness projectsthroughout the year.

Administrative Responsibilities

Self-Management: Organise and plan your workload to meet deadlines effectively. Communication and Data Entry: Handlemessages, enter and allocate data, process information, and record it followingpractice protocols. Patient and Staff Interaction: Initiate andrespond to requests from patients, team members, and healthcare professionals,maintaining a professional approach. Governance Compliance: Work in alignment with governancesystems, especially in managing clinical data and internal processes. Practice Environment: Assist in keeping practice areastidy and organised, promoting a patient-focused and supportive culturethroughout the practice team.

Training and development

Takingresponsibility for own development with relevant evidence-based knowledge andcompetence in all aspects of the role to meet clinical governance guidelinesfor Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and a Personal Development Plan(PDP). Havecompleted or work towards completing the CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy EducationPathway Stayup to date through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary toensure that professional development requirements are met, demonstratingskills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work. Subject to a performance review,including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/orprofessional development.

Governance

Producecomplete and accurate records of patient consultation, in line with bestpractice, confidentiality, policies and procedures Delivercare according to NHS guidance, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care Takepart in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across thePractice and its activities. Utilisethe audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self andthe team, implementing improvements where required. Workwith other clinical teams on improving the quality of healthcare in response tolocal and national policies and initiatives as appropriate Evaluatepatients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care Supportand participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation Manage,review and identify learning from patient complaints, clinical incidents andnear-miss events Awarenessof statutory safeguarding, notification processes and local guidance forchildren/vulnerable patients, applying relevant policies and legislation toprotect them Ensurecompliance with policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, bytaking action or alerting senior management team if the practice appears tocontravene policy, or if there are concerns over any aspect of patient care.

Confidentiality

Maintain confidentiality ofinformation, acting within the terms of the Data Protection Act and Caldicottguidance on patient confidentiality at all times. Maintain an awareness of the Freedomof Information Act. Information relating to patients, carers,colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may onlybe divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies andprocedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal andsensitive data

Health & safety

Thepost-holder will manage their own and others health & safety and infectioncontrol as defined in the Practices Health & Safety Policy, the PracticeHealth & Safety Manual, and the Practices Infection Control Policy andpublished procedures. Comply withPractice health and safety policies by following agreed safe working procedures Actively reporting of health and safetyhazards and infection hazards immediately whenrecognised Keepingwork and general areas clean and tidy, and using appropriate infection controlprocedures to keep work areas hygienic and safe from contamination. Undertaking periodic infection controltraining (minimum annually) Awarenessand compliance with national standards of infection control, hygiene,regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practiceguidelines. Correctpersonal use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ensuring correct use ofPPE by others, advising on appropriate circumstances for use by clinicians,staff and patients. Reportingincidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System Using personal security systems within theworkplace according to Practice guidelines Making effective use of training to updateknowledge and skills

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support, promoteand maintain the Practices Equality & Diversity Policy. No person whether they are staff,patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of theirgender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc. The jobholder must comply with allpolicies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and thatservices are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients andtheir families.

Other delegated duties

Thisjob description is not intended to be exhaustive - it may be changed afterconsultation with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer theresponsibility for review and modification of duties.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalenet in pharmaceutical sciences Professional registration with GPhC Completed/willing to complete the CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway Evidence of continued professional development

Experience

Essential

Experience of working as a qualified, registered Pharmacy Technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy. Knowledge of Primary Care Networks , General Practice and Primary Care Prescribing. Computer literate and ability to use Microsoft Office and GP Clinical Systems.

Desirable

Working with EMIS

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