Pharmacy Technician - Surbiton and Chessington PCN LTD

Surbiton and Chessington PCN have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Pharmacy Technician to join our dynamic multidisciplinary team. The successful candidate will be provided with excellent clinical support and an opportunity to develop their primary care skills. We are looking for motivated, team-orientated individuals who share our enthusiasm for improving patient care. Previous primary care experience is preferred as well as excellent verbal communication skills, a proactive approach and a desire to learn.

The post-holder will be responsible for providing technical and administrative support to the clinicians at our three practices within Surbiton Health Centre (Central, Langley and Brunswick). The post-holder will play a role in facilitating the implementation of medication changes under the guidance of the PCN Clinical Pharmacist; undertaking audits around patient safety in the prescribing of medication and presenting the information to the Practices clinical team and others. Evening and weekend work may be required to support our out of hours clinics. Please note we are unable to support applications for those who require a visa to work.

• Support the GPs & PCN Clinical Pharmacists in the delivery of clinical pharmacy services
• Perform medicines improvement work to maximise safe, cost-effective best practice in prescribing under the supervision of the GP or Clinical Pharmacist
• Assist with medication safety monitoring systems (e.g. high-risk drugs)
• Liaise with clinicians and administrative staff to resolve medicine-related queries
• Monitor practice prescribing and adherence to practice, local and national prescribing policies
• Work with GPs, practice and PCN Clinical Pharmacists, management and admin team in accordance with agreed practice prescribing procedures or guidelines
• Process repeat medication requests, including the conversion of acute requests to repeat medications, changing quantities of medicines
• Facilitate issuing of prescriptions where required in line with agreed clinical protocols and within competency
• Update and maintain accurate patient medication records on EMIS, including advice given and action taken
• Liaise with secondary care and community pharmacy colleagues to ensure correct medications are continued following transfer of care
• Medication reconciliations post discharge
• Manage dosette medication
• Monitor adherence to the repeat prescribing policies of practices the postholder is working with
• Support the Practice clinical team by sharing appropriate medication guidance
• Assist with the development and review of medicines audits
• Provide a contact point for patients, clinicians, nursing team, admin staff, secondary care and community pharmacists with medication queries
• Liaise with clinicians and admin staff to resolve prescribing queries
• Liaise with nursing homes in the Practice area about medication queries
• Ensure monitoring is up to date and accurate
• Optimise medications and make cost effective switches in line with local ICB medicines management and other guidance
• Support patients with their medication queries, general practice queries and refer e.g. to PCN Pharmacist or GP when appropriate

Qualifications

• Essential: Current GPhC registration, BTEC/NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Pharmacy Services
• Desirable: Postgraduate qualifications of relevant nature (e.g. fdSc in Medicines Management /Pharmacy Services)

Qualities/Attributes

• Ability to use own judgement & resourcefulness
• Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities
• Ability to work effectively as part of an integrated multi-skilled team
• Able to work under pressure and in a changing environment
• Ability to self-motivate, organise and prioritise own workload
• Adaptable, innovative, forward looking
• Considered, steady approach

Experience

• Essential: Experience working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, hospital or community pharmacy
• Desirable: Experience of primary care and EMIS clinical system

Knowledge and Skills

• Essential: Knowledge of the principles of medicines optimisation, 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 and ethics and current legislation, understanding of current national policies, in particular those that impact on medicines management services, computer literate, including advanced word-processing, spreadsheet skills, email and other computer databases, high level of analytical and literacy skills, a solutions focussed approach - makes things happen, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, good time management
• Desirable: Able to develop & implement policy & procedure to sustain a quality service, an appreciation of the NHS agenda and government targets

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.