Pharmacy technician
Key Responsibilities To support the practice team to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and maximising patient outcomes. The Pharmacy Technician will resolve prescription related issues and encourage better pharmaceutical understanding with patients and staff throughout the primary healthcare team including GPs, prescription clerks, patient advisors, nurses, and external community organisations.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, your role will support improvement, quality and safety of all aspects relating to the prescribing of medicines within the practice. The post holder will be part of the wider Beacon Medical Group team and will work effectively alongside other teams and clinicians within the Group in a professional manner to nurture a spirit of collaborative team working.Develop positive working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders. Be encouraging and supportive to colleagues across the Group to help promote a positive working environment Job responsibilities To undertake medicines reconciliation in accordance with practice protocols and to update patients medical records / prescribing accordingly.
Carry out medication reviews whilst in patient records e.g. dose optimisation and medicines synchronisation Support the prescription clerks by helping with queries relating to prescription requests and look for ways to improve the efficiency and safety of the prescription issuing process, ensuring queries are resolved and scripts issues in line with the timeframe in the practice procedure.
Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues on medicines related issues. Implement and support use of monitored dosage systems and support the district nursing team with medicine optimisation for housebound patients Implement and support electronic prescribing and repeat dispensing in appropriate patients including working with the community pharmacy staff to identify appropriate patients.
Review out-patient letters which include changes to drug treatment and make changes to patients repeat medication list as appropriate (or query prescribing if not in accordance with Formulary). Liaising with patients and community pharmacy regarding changes.
Review out-patient discharge recommendations and issue prescriptions as requested To support the achievement of the practices prescribing Quality and Outcomes Framework targets. Work with the Lead Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacists and Clinicians in accordance with agreed practice prescribing Working with the Clinical Pharmacist and Prescribing Lead GP to contribute to the review and development of repeat prescribing protocols / Standard Operating Procedures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of repeat prescribing systems.
To help drive quality improvements in areas of own workload that will improve Population Health management and targets set by the Improvement Investment Fund. To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness.To participate in medication audits and ensure findings are recording and shared with the wider team. To assist in the appropriate monitoring and management of prescribing the budgets and to liaise with the medicines management team at the ICB.
To prepare evidence based resources and information to support the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing. Provide supervision for the wider team to ensure staff are carrying out their duties appropriately; in accordance with local policies and SOPs.
To support the team to ensure dispensing standards are met and achieved and relevant audits are completed to meet annual DSQS requirements. To support the Clinical Pharmacists to provide medication reviews, patient information leaflets, medicine awareness; and to undertake community visits as appropriate.
To take a proactive approach to the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment of risk and making recommendations for improvement. To respond to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the appropriate GP in accordance with practice protocols.
To advise on the sourcing and safe management of medicines as appropriate. To use highly developed knowledge and skills to provide high standards of patient centred care. To work with the Care Home Pharmacist and offer Pharmacy Technician support where appropriate.
This support could include reviewing and highlighting patients to the care home pharmacist in relation to structured medication reviews and support for polypharmacy, deprescribing, quality improvement, appropriate use of nutritional supplements and improving medicines related processes in care homes Undertaking patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients To provide medication review services to patients via clinics in practices, domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care.