ClinicalPharmacy in General Practice is part of an exciting programme of transformation, to develop a new model of care which addresses our ambition to deliverperson-centred, coordinated care across Harpenden, Hertfordshire. Pharmacy Technicians can play a vital role in supporting General Practice teams byensuring safe and efficient medication management. They work alongside Clinical Pharmacists, GPs, Nurses, and other Healthcare Professionals, to optimisepatient care and improve prescribing practices. The role is evolving, andindividual technicians will play a key part in safe prescription management, medicines optimisation and helping to ensure patients receive the rightmedication at the right time and at the right dose. The role is expanding to developopportunities to take on patient-facing activities and contribute to servicedevelopment. They will help by managing repeat prescriptions, conductingmedicine reconciliations, and providing support to prescribers to improveworkflow efficiency in across the Primary Care Network (PCN). Ultimately, this will help reduce GP and Clinical Pharmacist workload, allowing them more time for patient consultationsand complex cases.
The rolecan be full or part time and is a perfect opportunity for those seeking aflexible and rewarding career working across the PCN, with the potential forsome hybrid working.
Experiencein General Practice would be an advantage but is not essential.
Main duties of the job
Thepurpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost-effectivebest practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The postholder will help patients to get the best from their medicines by switchingmedications to agreed and approved protocols, medicine reconciliation, improvingrepeat prescribing processes, and reduce wasted medicines. This will involveassisting the PCN in achieving local and National requirements, NICE implementation,and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.
Pharmacy Technicians core role responsibilities within Harpenden Health PCN, will covertechnical and administrative categories and clinical aspects.
About us
HarpendenHealth Primary Care Network (PCN) is a group of 3 high achieving trainingpractices. We aim to provide a patient friendly quality service to our 45,000patients. We enjoy multidisciplinary teamworking and the opportunities thatcollaborative working in a PCN provides.
Weare a dynamic, forward thinking PCN team who are passionate about developingand delivering excellent quality local services to meet the needs of ourpatients. Our PCN staff currently includes Clinical Pharmacists, PhysicianAssociates, Social Prescribers, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, CareCoordinators, Nurse Associates and a Health & Wellbeing Coach. Weare now lookingto expand our Pharmacy team to include Pharmacy Technicians.
Job responsibilities
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Technical andAdministrative
Supportthe implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GPpractices, care homes and other primary caresettings.
Supportingquality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services;
Supportthe PCN in reviewing of practice prescribing policies for CQC and other mandatory requirements.
Supportthe PCNs multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisationprocesses are being followed.
Supportthe PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced service targets and the delivery ofprescribing budgets.
Implementefficient prescription ordering and return processes and reducing medicationwastage.
Providetraining and support on the legal, safe, and secure handling of prescriptions.
Promotionof Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering.
Developrelationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of themulti-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social careincluding primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, and mental health.
Supportpractice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, to allow GPs and clinicalpharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.
Clinical
Supportmedicines reconciliation for patients, specifically for patient transfersbetween care settings, and to include linking with local community pharmaciesand/or care homes.
Synchronisationof medicines for patients.
Medicationand prescribing queries from both patients and practice staff and otherclinical roles within the PCN (GPs, Nurses, ARRS roles etc).
Supportpractices with high-risk drug monitoring and internal procedures for safeprescribing habits.
Supportthe Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR).
e.g.organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.
Manageshared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
Undertakepatient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shareddecision-making conversations with patients,via medication review with patients or care homes.
Carryout medicines optimisation tasks including supporting effective medicineadministration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviewsand medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills towork in partnership with patients and care homes to ensure they use their medicineseffectively.
Supportinitiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibioticprescribing locally.
Tohelp with the preparation of evidence-based resources and information tosupport medicines management, effective cost-effective prescribing andadherence to local and national policy and guidelines.
Supervision
Thepostholder will have access to appropriate clinical supervision and a namedindividual in the PCN to provide general advice and support on a day-to-daybasis.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Technical andAdministrative
Supportthe implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GPpractices, care homes and other primary caresettings.
Supportingquality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services;
Supportthe PCN in reviewing of practice prescribing policies for CQC and other mandatory requirements.
Supportthe PCNs multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisationprocesses are being followed.
Supportthe PCN to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced service targets and the delivery ofprescribing budgets.
Implementefficient prescription ordering and return processes and reducing medicationwastage.
Providetraining and support on the legal, safe, and secure handling of prescriptions.
Promotionof Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering.
Developrelationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of themulti-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social careincluding primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, and mental health.
Supportpractice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, to allow GPs and clinicalpharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.
Clinical
Supportmedicines reconciliation for patients, specifically for patient transfersbetween care settings, and to include linking with local community pharmaciesand/or care homes.
Synchronisationof medicines for patients.
Medicationand prescribing queries from both patients and practice staff and otherclinical roles within the PCN (GPs, Nurses, ARRS roles etc).
Supportpractices with high-risk drug monitoring and internal procedures for safeprescribing habits.
Supportthe Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR).
e.g.organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.
Manageshared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
Undertakepatient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shareddecision-making conversations with patients,via medication review with patients or care homes.
Carryout medicines optimisation tasks including supporting effective medicineadministration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviewsand medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills towork in partnership with patients and care homes to ensure they use their medicineseffectively.
Supportinitiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibioticprescribing locally.
Tohelp with the preparation of evidence-based resources and information tosupport medicines management, effective cost-effective prescribing andadherence to local and national policy and guidelines.
Supervision
Thepostholder will have access to appropriate clinical supervision and a namedindividual in the PCN to provide general advice and support on a day-to-daybasis.
Personal/Professional Development
Thepost-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by thepractice as part of this employment, with such training to include:
If not already achieved, undertake the PrimaryCare Pharmacy Education (PCPEP) for Pharmacy Technician.
Participation in an annual individualperformance review, including takingresponsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
Taking responsibility for own development,learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others whoare undertaking similar work.
General
The postholder will have, or acquire through training, theappropriate level of safeguarding and knowledge, skills and practice required for the post and be aware of and comply with the organisationssafeguarding protection policies and procedures.
Ensure that any infection prevention and controlissues are reported to the line manager/Infection Prevention and Control.
Ensure all aspects of patient and organisationalconfidentiality and GDPR requirements are met.
Equality and Diversity
Thepost-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers, and colleagues, to include:
Acting in a way that recognises the importanceof peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practiceprocedures and policies, and current legislation.
Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs andbeliefs of patients, carers, and colleagues.
Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to andof the individual, is non- judgmental and respects their circumstances,feelings priorities and rights.
Quality
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality withinthe practice, and will:
Alert other team members to issues of qualityand risk.
Assess own performance and take accountabilityfor own actions, either directly orunder supervision.
Contribute to the effectiveness of the team byreflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improveand enhance the teams performance.
Work effectively with individuals in otheragencies to meet patients needs.
Effectively manage own time, workload, and resources.
Person Specification
Experience
* Computer literate with an ability to use all Microsoft packages.
* Understand the aims of current healthcare policy within the PCN.
* Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data.
* Has attention to detail, able to work.
* Accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills with team members, patients, carers, and other healthcare professionals. Whilst recognising peoples needs for alternative methods of communication.
* An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues.
* Computer literate with an ability to use GP clinical systems (e.g. EMIS, Docman, Eclipse).
* Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines.
* Influencing and negotiating skills.
Qualifications
* Professional registration as a Level 3 Pharmacy technician with GPhC.
* Evidence of continued professional development (CPD).
* Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community, or hospital pharmacy.
* Enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from, an approved training pathway. For example, the Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway (PCPEP) or Medicines Optimisation in Care Homes (MOCH).
* Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities, and challenges.
Attributes
* Works effectively independently and as a member of a team.
* Able to undertake the demands of the post using own judgement and resourcefulness, staying motivated and enthusiastic.
* Independently mobile to be able to work across several sites as well as have the ability for hybrid working.
* Adaptable, flexible and can cope with uncertainty and change.
* Demonstrate ability to work under pressure.
* Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills.
* Self-motivated, proactive, and organised.
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.
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