PCN Pharmacy Technician in Worcester

We are recruiting a PCN Pharmacy Technician to support medicines optimisation and prescribing safety across GP practices within our Primary Care Network. This is an opportunity to work as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, contributing to high-quality patient care in primary care settings. The role offers varied day-to-day work, close collaboration with GPs, clinical pharmacists and wider PCN colleagues, and the chance to develop skills across a range of medicines-related activities. We welcome applications from motivated pharmacy technicians who enjoy working collaboratively and supporting safe, effective use of medicines. The role is advertised full time, however we are open to considering part time applications for suitable candidates.

Main duties of the job

• Supporting medicines optimisation and prescribing processes across PCN practices
• Medication reconciliation following hospital discharge and other care transitions
• Managing repeat prescriptions and supporting prescribing safety systems
• Responding to medicines-related queries from clinical teams
• Supporting audits, reviews and service improvement work
• Working collaboratively with pharmacists, GPs and the wider PCN team

About us

We are a federation of GP surgeries and PCNs in Worcestershire, serving over 600,000 NHS patients through a variety of local services. Our community of GPs are our stakeholders, meaning we are powered by the community we have created - and our goal is to find ways to make it easier for them to spend less time and money on administrative workload, and more time with their patients. Our GP surgeries remain independent, while keeping the benefits of being part of a larger organisation - and we exist to protect the interests of our members through advocacy, business support & revenue generation. We are ambitious about growth in our network and so our diversified services help our PCNs to reinvest in vital local healthcare initiatives, providing a sustainable future for their communities in the long term.

Equal Opportunities

At Vertis Health we want to build a diverse workplace, and so we encourage women, people of colour, LGBTQIA individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign born residents, older members of society, and others from minority groups and diverse backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, colour, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. All Vertis employees and contractors are responsible for maintaining a work culture free from discrimination and harassment by treating others with kindness and respect.

Job Purpose

To support the Primary Care Network in maximising clinical outcomes for patients from medicines with an emphasis on safety, governance, professional collaboration and patient engagement. The role holder will also help to deliver the MOCH Contract as part of the Care Home Team.

Key Responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians play an important role, complementing clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team. Pharmacy technicians are different to clinical pharmacists as they are not able to prescribe or make clinical decisions, instead working under the supervision of GPs and Clinical Pharmacists to ensure effective and efficient use of medicines. 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.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Undertaking patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients and carers
• Carrying out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation.
• Providing specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
• Taking a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients.
• Supporting initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

Technical and Administrative Responsibilities

• Working with the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes and reducing wastage.
• Providing training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
• Developing relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.
• Supervising practice reception teams in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.
• Supporting the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.

General

• To maintain the integrity of medicines delivery for the PCN
• Maintain a positive demeanour that supports a happy working environment, and remain flexible and professional at all times;
• Treat other staff as one expects to be treated oneself;
• Be a good ambassador for the PCN in any external dealings;
• Undertake continuing professional Development (CPD) in line with the relevant institute requirements;
• Undertaken any other duties as directed by the Clinical Director and PCN Board.

Person Specification

Skills and Abilities

• Good understanding of medicines safety, governance and error prevention
• Understanding of prescribing and repeat medication processes in primary care
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and manage workload across multiple tasks or practices
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Confident use of IT systems and electronic records
• Understanding of confidentiality, information governance and safeguarding
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team

Experience

• Experience working as a qualified, registered Pharmacy Technician
• Experience maintaining accurate medicines-related or clinical records
• Experience working collaboratively with healthcare professionals
• Experience working in primary care (GP practice or PCN)
• Experience supporting medicines optimisation activities
• Experience liaising with community pharmacy, secondary care or other interfaces

Qualifications

• Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• BTEC/NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Pharmacy Services (or equivalent)
• Evidence of ongoing CPD relevant to pharmacy technician practice
• Completion of CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (or willingness to complete)
• Additional training in medicines optimisation or long-term condition management

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.