Pharmacy Technician

JOB PURPOSE: To support the PCN practices towards the delivery of the medicines Optimisation QIPP agenda and other prescribing objectives. To provide medicines optimisation advice and support to GPs, other practice staff, ICB colleagues. To deliver training to GP practice staff to support the implementation of medicines optimisation work streams. Develop medicines optimisation services across the network working alongside experienced primary care clinical pharmacists and technicians and to become a part of the primary care skill mix. To undertake medicines optimisation reviews, audits, medication changes and other medicines optimisation related activities in selected Barnsley PCN practices and care homes in line with practice, care home and PCN policies. To assist with the monitoring and analysis of prescribing data at PCN and practice level and offer support to practices which are outlying on key prescribing indicators. PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF 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. Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronise medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies. Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) including organising 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. Support National and local safety agenda and deliver on behalf of the practice. TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATION Support the PCN to deliver on the Barnsley medicines optimisation scheme, QIPP, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed. Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reduce medication wastage. Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the operation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). Promote the safe and appropriate implementation 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, care homes, secondary care and mental health. Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. Support practice reception teams in handling general prescription requests, in order to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests. Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements. INFORMATION SUPPORT AND RECORD KEEPING To keep an accurate record of all activity undertaken within practices. To ensure all patient interventions are recorded on the practice computer in accordance with the working procedures developed with the practice. To be responsible for keeping accurate retrievable records of all formal queries, data collection exercises, and audits. TRAINING AND EDUCATION To supervise and train practice receptionists undertaking the generation of repeat prescriptions and to explain and inform them of any prescribing changes being carried out. To providing training to practice clinical/administration staff on any medicines management issues as agreed by the practice. Be willing to undertake any training required for the role e.g. the CPPE Primary care pharmacy education pathway. PLANNING AND ORGANISATION FREEDOM TO ACT To be responsible for the organisation, planning and managing own time, within a broad agenda set by the identified the practice. To demonstrate professional accountability and responsibility. To recognise professional and personal limitations. To observe Health and Safety regulations. To observe the principles of clinical governance. COLLABORATIVE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS Participate in the PCN MDT. Foster and maintains strong links with all services across the PCN. Explore the potential for collaborative working and takes opportunities to initiate and sustain such relationships. Attend Barnsley place Medicine Optimisation Team meetings and peer groups. Attend CCG Medicine Optimisation Team training and development sessions. Liaise with colleagues including the Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team on prescribing matters to ensure consistency of patient care and benefit. Participate in the Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team medicines related projects and workstreams. Liaise and integrate with colleagues in the Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team to benefit from peer support. Work with primary care to ensure practices are compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved. To support public health campaigns and to provide specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public. KEY RELATIONSHIPS Liaise with other stakeholders as needed for the collective benefit of patients, key relationships include (but are not limited to): Patients and their representatives. GPs, nurses and other practice staff. Social prescribers, first contact physiotherapists, physician associates and paramedics. Community pharmacists and support staff. Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team including pharmacists and technicians. Locality/GP prescribing lead. Locality Managers. Community nurses and other allied health professionals. Hospital staff with responsibilities for prescribing and medicines optimisation. ACCOUNTABILITY Accountable to the Accountable Clinical Director of Barnsley PCN and to the Clinical Directors of the Neighbourhood Networks. PROFESSIONAL Maintain registration of General Pharmaceutical Council. Maintain professional indemnity insurance. Be part of a professional clinical network, working alongside Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team. Undertake continual personal and professional development to keep up to date with relevant clinical practice. Access regular clinical supervision. Review yearly progress and develop clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others. Demonstrate an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keep up to date with relevant clinical practice. Participate in the delivery of formal education programmes. Job description Job responsibilities JOB PURPOSE: To support the PCN practices towards the delivery of the medicines Optimisation QIPP agenda and other prescribing objectives. To provide medicines optimisation advice and support to GPs, other practice staff, ICB colleagues. To deliver training to GP practice staff to support the implementation of medicines optimisation work streams. Develop medicines optimisation services across the network working alongside experienced primary care clinical pharmacists and technicians and to become a part of the primary care skill mix. To undertake medicines optimisation reviews, audits, medication changes and other medicines optimisation related activities in selected Barnsley PCN practices and care homes in line with practice, care home and PCN policies. To assist with the monitoring and analysis of prescribing data at PCN and practice level and offer support to practices which are outlying on key prescribing indicators. PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF 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. Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronise medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies. Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) including organising 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. Support National and local safety agenda and deliver on behalf of the practice. TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATION Support the PCN to deliver on the Barnsley medicines optimisation scheme, QIPP, QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed. Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reduce medication wastage. Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the operation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). Promote the safe and appropriate implementation 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, care homes, secondary care and mental health. Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. Support practice reception teams in handling general prescription requests, in order to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests. Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements. INFORMATION SUPPORT AND RECORD KEEPING To keep an accurate record of all activity undertaken within practices. To ensure all patient interventions are recorded on the practice computer in accordance with the working procedures developed with the practice. To be responsible for keeping accurate retrievable records of all formal queries, data collection exercises, and audits. TRAINING AND EDUCATION To supervise and train practice receptionists undertaking the generation of repeat prescriptions and to explain and inform them of any prescribing changes being carried out. To providing training to practice clinical/administration staff on any medicines management issues as agreed by the practice. Be willing to undertake any training required for the role e.g. the CPPE Primary care pharmacy education pathway. PLANNING AND ORGANISATION FREEDOM TO ACT To be responsible for the organisation, planning and managing own time, within a broad agenda set by the identified the practice. To demonstrate professional accountability and responsibility. To recognise professional and personal limitations. To observe Health and Safety regulations. To observe the principles of clinical governance. COLLABORATIVE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS Participate in the PCN MDT. Foster and maintains strong links with all services across the PCN. Explore the potential for collaborative working and takes opportunities to initiate and sustain such relationships. Attend Barnsley place Medicine Optimisation Team meetings and peer groups. Attend CCG Medicine Optimisation Team training and development sessions. Liaise with colleagues including the Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team on prescribing matters to ensure consistency of patient care and benefit. Participate in the Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team medicines related projects and workstreams. Liaise and integrate with colleagues in the Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team to benefit from peer support. Work with primary care to ensure practices are compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved. To support public health campaigns and to provide specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public. KEY RELATIONSHIPS Liaise with other stakeholders as needed for the collective benefit of patients, key relationships include (but are not limited to): Patients and their representatives. GPs, nurses and other practice staff. Social prescribers, first contact physiotherapists, physician associates and paramedics. Community pharmacists and support staff. Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team including pharmacists and technicians. Locality/GP prescribing lead. Locality Managers. Community nurses and other allied health professionals. Hospital staff with responsibilities for prescribing and medicines optimisation. ACCOUNTABILITY Accountable to the Accountable Clinical Director of Barnsley PCN and to the Clinical Directors of the Neighbourhood Networks. PROFESSIONAL Maintain registration of General Pharmaceutical Council. Maintain professional indemnity insurance. Be part of a professional clinical network, working alongside Barnsley place Medicines Optimisation Team. Undertake continual personal and professional development to keep up to date with relevant clinical practice. Access regular clinical supervision. Review yearly progress and develop clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others. Demonstrate an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keep up to date with relevant clinical practice. Participate in the delivery of formal education programmes.