Overview
Job summary
Truro PCN has an exciting opportunity for a Pharmacy Technician to join the team. We are a friendly, forward-looking PCN who values the work-life balance we are able to provide allowing us to enjoy the beautiful coast and countryside of Cornwall.
We are seeking an enthusiastic Pharmacy Technician to join our team of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians.
Main duties of the job
The role will include delivering effective medicines management and medicines optimisation, improving patient care and being part of a multidisciplinary team whilst working within the strategic objectives of the PCN.
Primary care experience would be an advantage however is not essential. You should hold a BTEC / NVQ level 3 qualification in pharmaceutical sciences and be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Excellent attention to detail, communication and interpersonal skills are essential together with being able to work as part of the practice team and as well as autonomously.
About us
Truro PCN consists of two GP Practices, both operating from Truro Health Park and together we have a dedicated team of GPs and staff caring for around 36,000 patients. We are learning practices, hosting GP trainees and Medical Students from the Peninsula School of Primary Care and the University of Exeter Medical School.
Truro PCN has a shared ambition to innovate general practice and build a sustainable model for general practice for the future. We believe in the national strategies for adding to and improving the skill-mix of our excellent primary care team and have been investing in various new roles to improve patient care.
Details
Date posted: 10 September 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £29,970 to £36,483 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: A1654-25-0012
Job locations: Truro Health Park, Infirmary Hill, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2JA
Job description
Job responsibilities
Post Overview
The Pharmacy Technician will be part of the Primary Care Network (PCN) managing the care of people registered with both The Three Spires Medical Practice and Lander Medical Practice. Our aim is to provide exemplary patient care; finding innovative solutions in general practice to deliver the best care we can to our patients.
The successful Pharmacy Technician will play an important role in complementing our clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the PCN multi-disciplinary team and will support the PCN Clinical Pharmacists in the delivery of clinical pharmacy services. Pharmacy technicians are different to clinical pharmacists as they are not able to prescribe or make clinical decisions, instead working under supervision 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. This will involve assisting the PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.
It is a requirement of the role to be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical
Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.
Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.
As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies
Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structure Medication Reviews (SMR) i.e. organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR
Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.
Technical and administrative
Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.
Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reducing medication wastage.
Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering
Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.
Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.
Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.
Support the PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services
Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements
Collaborative Working Relationships
Liaise with clinicians and administrative staff to resolve medicine related queries.
Work collaboratively with the PCN team.
Develop relationships and work closely with community, hospital and MMT pharmacy colleagues and the wider health system.
Liaise with other stakeholders for the collective benefit of patients.
Participate in Practice meetings, patient participation groups and other meetings to improve engagement with the role of the Pharmacy Technician.
Person Specification
Skills and abilities
* Understanding of prescribing and medicines management issues.
* Able to demonstrate a clear understanding of working with confidential information and an understanding of service user confidentiality.
* Good clinical pharmaceutical knowledge including terminology.
* Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
* Working in a busy and demanding environment whilst delivering in a timely manner.
* Excellent communication, inter-personal skills and negotiation skills.
* Good concentration skills, with an eye for detail.
* Ability to prioritise and manage own workload.
* Good time management skills with the ability to work to deadlines.
* Ability to work quickly and accurately.
Desirable
* Relevant theoretical and practical knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence-based medicine.
* Awareness of systems to support the management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support the context of pathways of care.
* Awareness of GP budgets and funding systems.
* An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies to improve prescribing
* Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
* Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
* Strong analytical and judgement skills.
* Ability to analyse and interpret information and present results in a clear and concise manner.
Qualifications
* Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician.
* BTEC / NVQ 3 Pharmacy Services or equivalent.
* Minimum of GCSE Grade C (or equivalent) in Maths and English.
* Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
Disposition, attitude and motivation
* Desire to achieve and maintain high standards.
* Able to cope with sensitive nature of work, with a patient and calm approach.
* Self motivating able to work with minimal direction.
* Innovative and proactive.
* Show complete reliability in all matters and is honest and trustworthy.
* Possess a real desire to provide quality service to patients.
* Creative and tenacious in finding solutions to difficult problems.
* Ability to engage and sustain relationships with all professionals, other organisations and service-users.
Experience
* Post registration experience as a Pharmacy Technician.
* Knowledge of medical databases or software.
Desirable
* Experience of working as a qualified, registered Pharmacy Technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy.
* Knowledge of SystmOne software.
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).
Employer details
Employer name: The Three Spires Medical Practice
Address: Truro Health Park, Infirmary Hill, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2JA
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