Pharmacy Technician - Upper Eden
Location: NHS Kirkby Stephen, England, United Kingdom
Salary: £15.33 – £17.50 per hour (depending on experience)
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-time, flexible working
Reference Number: B0554-25-0127
Posted: 02 January 2026
Job Summary
We're thrilled to offer an exciting opportunity for a passionate, skilled, and self‑driven Pharmacy Technician to join our team at Upper Eden Medical Practice as part of the Primary Care Network (PCN).
Hours: up to 20 hours per week (negotiable). Closing date: 16 January 2026. Interview date: TBC. For an informal discussion with our Clinical Pharmacist, please contact 01768 371369.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
* 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 medication 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.
* Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for Care Home patients and issue FP10s for monthly requests, liaising closely with Care Home Managers.
* Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) – organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.
* Provide expertise to address 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.
* Support the Practice and Dispensary Team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes, including support with legislative protocols.
* Promote and manage the Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering.
* Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, allowing GPs and clinical pharmacists to review more clinically complex requests.
* Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within the Practice.
* Support the Practice to deliver on QIPP agenda, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services.
* Support KPIs and contribute to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services.
* Support the Practice in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements.
* Liaise with prescribers within the Practice.
* Respond to MHRA alerts and act on outcomes.
* Take responsibility for the Emergency trolley and emergency drugs cupboard.
* Collaborate and work with community pharmacies to improve patient services.
* Improve services, quality and safety through clinical audit and monthly safety searches.
* Deal with acute prescription requests.
* Attend local medicine optimisation meetings and share with clinical team; support the Clinical Pharmacist with actions.
* Assist with controlled drugs destruction.
* Assist with annual DSQS submission.
Essential Qualifications
* Registration with GPhC.
* Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified by the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician.
* BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences.
* Evidence of continued professional development (CPD).
* Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy.
Desirable Qualifications
* Enrolled in, undertaking or qualified from an approved training pathway (e.g. PCPEP or MOCH).
* Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges.
Essential Attributes
* Works effectively independently and as a member of a team.
* Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder‑focused response.
* Self‑motivated and proactive.
* Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work.
* Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required.
* Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.
* Demonstrate ability to work in a busy environment; deal with both urgent and important tasks and prioritise effectively whilst supporting others.
* Excellent time‑keeping and prioritisation skills.
* Working under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective and efficient use of medicines.
Desirable Attributes
* Independently mobile to be able to work and travel to meet with stakeholders.
Essential Skills and Competencies
* Attention to detail; able to work accurately, identify errors quickly and manage allocated resources effectively.
* Planned and organised approach with ability to prioritise workload to meet strict deadlines.
* Analytical thinking – anticipating obstacles, thinking ahead and using analytical techniques to reach logical solutions.
* Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust style and content to suit the audience.
* Strong understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues.
* Computer literacy with use of Microsoft Office packages.
Desirable Skills and Competencies
* Ability to use the required GP clinical system (Emis).
* Understand the aims of current healthcare policy within the PCN.
* Ability to analyse and interpret prescribing data.
Other Information
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information see the NHS Careers website.
Employer Details
* Employer name: Cumbria Health.
* Address: Upper Eden Medical Practice, Silver Street, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4RB.
* Employer's website: https://cumbriahealth.co.uk/.
Seniority Level
Mid‑Senior level.
Employment Type
Full‑time.
Job Function
Health Care Provider, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.
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