Job Summary
Gateshead Inner West PCN are seeking an experienced, self-motivated, hard-working, and patient focused pharmacy technician to join our team. The post holder will work under the supervision of the clinical pharmacists to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients. They will provide technical and administrative support to the clinicians. The Pharmacy Technician will support the organisation's clinical teams with queries regarding medication from patients. The Pharmacy Technician will complete audits regarding patient safety in the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical team. This role is offered on a full-time basis, for 37.5 hours per week, Monday - Friday.
Main duties of the job
The purpose of this full-time role is to provide technical support to the clinical pharmacists and other pharmacy services within general practice and the Primary Care Network (PCN) to ensure professional operational standards and excellence in pharmaceutical care and safety are maintained. To ensure delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for medicines related clinical correspondence, repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes.
About Us
Based in the Inner West of Gateshead our Primary Care Network serves over 45,000 patients across our five member Practices of: Whickham Medical Cottage, Chainbridge Medical Partnership, Glenpark Medical Practice, Teams Medical Practice & Sunniside Surgery. We provide integrated services to our local population. Aiming to deliver more personalised, coordinated health and social care for people close to home. The successful candidate will work alongside our current pharmacy team across all five sites.
Details
Date posted: 05 September 2025
Pay scheme: Other
Salary: Depending on experience
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: M0070-25-0010
Job Description
Job 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 medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews, and medicines reconciliation
* Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacists
* Provide specialist expertise to address public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice and tackling local health inequalities
* Take a central role in shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients
* Support antimicrobial stewardship initiatives to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing
* Assist in delivering medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits
* Support implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings through clinical audits and quality improvement measures
* Reconcile medicines for patients whose care transfers back to primary care; liaise with patients and other providers to ensure appropriate medication on discharge
* Engage with patients whose care has transferred to reduce potential readmission by identifying and rectifying unexplained variation
* Develop safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing of medication across five GP sites
* Collaborate with the pharmacy service team to ensure continuous supply of medication for high-risk patients
* Implement changes to medicines in line with MHRA alerts, product withdrawals and other guidance
* Provide feedback and seek advice from pharmacists when there are concerns about competence to safely manage medications
* Develop relationships with other Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacists and the multi-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social care
* Support delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, QIPP and other quality or cost-effectiveness initiatives
* Undertake tasks consistent with the level and scope of the role, delivering work in a timely and effective manner
Person Specification
Essential
* Working under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective and efficient use of medicines
* Ability to communicate complex information effectively with people at all levels (telephone, email, face to face)
* Knowledge of IT systems, including word processing, emails and internet use to create simple plans and reports
* Good personal organisational skills and effective time management
* Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and ability to work under pressure
* Ability to follow policies and codes of conduct; maintain confidentiality
* Use of initiative, discretion and sensitivity; ability to work with diverse communities
* Flexible and cooperative with the ability to identify and manage risk
* Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations; able to complete tasks
* Problem solving and analytical skills
* Knowledge of and ability to work to policies on confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety
Qualifications
* Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
* Meets the GPhC criteria to register as a Pharmacy Technician
* Enrolled in or qualified from an approved training pathway (e.g., Primary Care Pharmacy Educational Pathway - PCPEP)
Experience
* Experience working in a primary care setting
* Understanding of healthcare provision in GP practices, QOF and enhanced services
* Appreciation of NHS landscape including relationships between practices, PCNs and commissioners
* Good clinical system IT knowledge of EMIS
Other
Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and will require a DBS submission. UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. See NHS Careers website for details.
Employer details
Gateshead Inner West Primary Care Network, Whickham Cottage Medical Centre, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE16 4PD
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