Pharmacy Technician

Job summary
Part time Pharmacy Technician
Hours 30 hours
Location Parkside Surgery, Green Road, Reading - No hybrid working available

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Pharmacy Technician to join our established Pharmacy Team in Wokingham North Primary Care Network Ltd.

We are looking for a motivated and forward-thinking Technician. You will be a first point of contact for patients with medication queries and support the Pharmacists in their medication review work. The postholder will process and action external clinical correspondence. The role also focuses on participating in the repeat-prescribing process and relieving clinical workload pressures.

We are looking for candidates who are enthusiastic and adaptable to change, with excellent clinical skills and a good level of competence in use of I.T. Candidates should exhibit good organisational skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of healthcare professionals, patients, families, and carers.

You will be based at Parkside Surgery, Green Road, Reading and work alongside our committed and supportive team of Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians. The candidate will either have completed their CPPE pathway or undertake the pathway as part of their mandatory training with us. Clinical supervision will be provided. The postholder will be part of a local Pharmacy Network and on rare occasions you may be asked to work from our Woodley and Wargrave sites.

Main duties of the job

• Provide telephone support to patients with medication-related queries, promoting the safe and effective use of medicines through shared decision-making.
• Respond to medication queries in a professional and timely manner, referring to the appropriate clinician in line with practice protocols and professional boundaries.
• Maintain accurate, comprehensive records of all patient interactions using approved clinical templates and coding systems.
• Process external clinical correspondence through the internal electronic system, ensuring timely and accurate action is taken.
• Support the clinical pharmacist team with medication reviews, prescribing audits, and quality improvement work to promote the safe and effective use of medicines.
• Develop the skills and competency to undertake medication reviews for patients under appropriate supervision.
• Create and run clinical searches to identify patients requiring routine medication monitoring and support follow-up where necessary.
• Assist with medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for patients in care homes.
• Liaise with local community pharmacies to monitor medication stock and communicate suitable alternative medicines to GPs if shortages occur.
• Participate in/ action the repeat prescription request process
• Support the practice reception team by triaging and streamlining routine prescription requests.

About us
Wokingham North PCN comprises 3 GP surgeries with a total population of 38,000 patients and we aspire to be a progressive and innovative team, working collaboratively to share best practice and to delivery excellent clinical pharmacy services to our patients.

Job responsibilities
Operational Performance

• Work collaboratively to help develop and promote a positive working culture, including involvement in developing, improving and promoting the pharmacy service
• Ensure adherence to efficient administrative processes within the pharmacy service

Personal Contribution

• Maintain productive relationships encouraging the giving and receiving of regular feedback to create and maintain a culture of constantly seeking to refine and improve the service and learn together
• Engagement with patients, internal and external stakeholders
• Engage with users of the service to understand peoples experience of the service and to measure levels of satisfaction
• Responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality

• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
• Support training and development of administrative staff to support pharmacy service in line with protocols and procedures
• Work within risk management and health and safety policies and procedures within GP practices and other providers
• Adhere to a robust process for recording learning events, complaints, accidents and significant events
• To provide support to assist with the development and management of any changes or new processes and systems that need implementing.
• To carry out any other appropriate duties as determined by the organisation.

Confidentiality and Data Protection
You may gain knowledge of a highly confidential nature relating to the private affairs, diagnosis and treatment of patients, information affecting members of the public, matters concerning staff and details of items. Under no circumstances should such information be divulged or passed to any unauthorized person. This includes holding conversations with colleagues concerning patients or staff in situations where the conversation may be overheard. All patient identifiable information must be handled in a way that is compliant with the law and respects patients right to privacy and confidentiality at all times. Breaches of confidence will result in disciplinary action which may involve dismissal.

Equal Opportunities
Our policies and practices are designed to ensure equality of opportunity in employment and service delivery. All staff are expected to comply with these policies and practices including but not limited to supporting the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues; acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation; respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues and behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights

Use of new technology
We will make use of computer technology. Staff should expect to use automated information systems in their work in order to improve quality and co-ordination of services, and to enable faster and more accurate communication within and outside of the organisation.

Health and Safety
All staff have a responsibility to perform their duties in such a way that accidents to themselves and to others are avoided, and to cooperate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby minimising risk. Employees will, therefore, refer any matters of concern through their respective teams. Similarly, it is each persons responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any breaches of security to the attention of their managers. All staff are required to abide by all health and safety matters and keep up to date on Health and Safety Regulations and legislation.

Training and Development
All employees have a responsibility to undertake statutory and mandatory training. In accordance with the Training and Development Policy staff are expected to actively participate in the appraisal system and using this process to develop a Personal Development Plan (PDP).

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Professional registration with GPhC
• BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
• Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
• Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy

Desirable

• CPPE Qualification for Pharmacy Technicians

Experience
Essential

• Knowledge and Understanding
• Relevant theoretical and practical knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine
• Understanding of NHS long term plan and priorities relevant to primary care
• Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
• Awareness of funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of PCN and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality
• Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
• Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law, ethics and current legislation
• Able to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity
• Skills and Competencies
• Computer literate with an ability to use the required GP clinical systems
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
• Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily
• Able to effectively manage allocated resources
• Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines
• Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with team members, patients, carers, and other healthcare professionals, whilst recognising peoples needs for alternative methods of communication
• Influencing and negotiating skills
• An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues
• Attributes
• Works effectively independently and as a member of a team
• Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder focused response
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work
• Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required
• Independently mobile to be able to work across several sites and travel to meet with stakeholders
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Demonstrate ability to work in a busy environment; ability to deal with both urgent and important tasks and to prioritise effectively whilst also supporting others
• Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary care
• Experience of working in a GP practice

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.