Practice Pharmacy Technician

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Pharmacy Technician to join our friendly and supportive General Practice team for 30 hours per week. The role is offered with the salary based on Agenda for Change Band 4 or Band 5, dependent on experience. This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team, supporting safe, effective and efficient medicines management for our patients.

You will play a key role in medicines reconciliation following hospital discharge, repeat prescribing processes, medication queries, high-risk drug monitoring, audits and medicines optimisation work. You will work closely with GPs, our Lead Clinical Pharmacist, clinical pharmacists, nurses, administration teams, community pharmacies, care homes and patients to help improve prescribing safety, reduce medicines-related risk and support high-quality patient care.

We are looking for someone who is organised, proactive, has excellent attention to detail and is confident working both independently and as part of a team. Experience in primary care is desirable. In return, we offer a varied and rewarding role within a supportive practice environment, where your contribution will make a real difference to patients and the wider team.

• Medicines Reconciliation: Support medicines reconciliation following hospital discharge, outpatient letters and other clinical correspondence. Identify medication changes, discrepancies and actions required. Update patient medication records accurately and in a timely manner. Escalate medication discrepancies, safety concerns or complex queries to the GP or pharmacist. Liaise with patients, carers, community pharmacies, care homes and hospital teams where required. Support safe transfer of care between secondary care and primary care.
• Repeat Prescribing and Prescription Management: Support the safe and efficient processing of repeat prescription requests. Review prescription requests in line with practice protocols. Identify overdue medication reviews, monitoring requirements and potential prescribing safety issues. Support repeat medication synchronisation where appropriate. Respond to medication queries from patients, pharmacies, care homes and practice staff. Promote safe, appropriate and cost-effective prescribing. Escalate complex or clinical queries to the pharmacist or GP.
• Medicines Optimisation: Support medicines optimisation work across the practice. Assist with preparation for medication reviews by pharmacists and GPs. Identify patients who may benefit from medication review, including those on multiple medicines or high-risk medicines. Support patients to understand their medicines and reduce medicines waste. Assist with formulary switches and prescribing improvement work in line with local guidance. Contribute to improving prescribing quality, safety and efficiency.
• Medication Safety and Monitoring: Support monitoring systems for high-risk medicines. Identify patients who are overdue monitoring and support recall processes. Assist with medicines safety searches, audits and action plans. Support the implementation of medicines safety alerts and local prescribing guidance. Record actions accurately in the clinical system. Escalate urgent medication safety concerns appropriately.
• Audits, Searches and Data Quality: Undertake searches and audits to support prescribing safety, medicines optimisation and quality improvement. Support accurate medicines-related clinical coding and data quality. Assist with action plans arising from audits and searches. Maintain accurate records of work completed. Support reporting requirements where required.
• Communication and Team Working: Communicate effectively with patients, carers and healthcare professionals. Work closely with GPs, pharmacists, nurses, reception, administration and management teams. Liaise with community pharmacies, hospital teams and other external organisations. Attend relevant meetings where required. Support improvements to practice prescribing processes. Contribute to a positive, professional and supportive team culture.
• Patient Support: Support patients with medication-related queries within their competence. Provide clear information about prescription processes and medication changes. Signpost patients appropriately to community pharmacy, Pharmacy First, NHS services or clinical colleagues. Promote patient safety, adherence and understanding of medicines. Maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times.
• Professional Responsibilities: Work within professional competence and seek advice when required. Maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council where applicable. Follow practice policies, procedures and protocols. Maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient records. Complete mandatory training and role-specific training. Participate in appraisal, supervision and continuing professional development. Contribute to service improvement and quality improvement activity.
• Confidentiality and Information Governance: The post holder will have access to confidential patient information and must ensure that all information is handled securely and in line with practice policies, NHS requirements, GDPR and information governance standards.
• Safeguarding: The post holder must be aware of safeguarding responsibilities and report any concerns relating to children, young people or vulnerable adults in accordance with practice safeguarding procedures.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: The post holder will treat patients, carers and colleagues with dignity, fairness and respect, supporting an inclusive and accessible service for all.
• Health and Safety: The post holder will follow practice health and safety policies, report risks or incidents appropriately and contribute to maintaining a safe working environment.
• Flexibility: This job description is not exhaustive and may be reviewed in line with service needs. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties appropriate to the role, banding and level of competence.

• Qualifications: Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council, or eligible to register depending on banding and experience. BTEC / NVQ Level 3 in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy Services, or equivalent recognised Pharmacy Technician qualification. Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to pharmacy practice. Good standard of general education, including English and Maths or equivalent. Primary care or GP practice pharmacy training. EMIS Web, Docman, EPS or other NHS clinical system training. Safeguarding and information governance training.
• Experience: Experience of working as a Pharmacy Technician or in a pharmacy support role. Experience of processing or supporting repeat prescription requests. Experience of dealing with medication-related queries. Experience of working with confidential patient information. Experience of communicating with patients, carers and healthcare professionals. Experience of working within protocols, procedures and agreed standards. Experience of prioritising workload and managing competing demands. Experience of identifying when issues need to be escalated to a pharmacist, GP or senior clinician. Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team. Experience of working in General Practice or primary care. Experience of medicines reconciliation following hospital discharge or clinic letters. Experience of using EMIS Web, Docman, EPS or other NHS clinical systems. Experience of supporting high-risk drug monitoring processes. Experience of undertaking prescribing audits, searches or medicines optimisation work. Experience of liaising with community pharmacies, care homes or hospital teams. Experience of supporting medication review processes. Experience of improving prescribing processes, data quality or patient safety systems.

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.