Pharmacy Technician Croydon, England
Job description
Croydon GP Super Network PCN
PCN Pharmacy Technician Job Description and Person Specification
Job title Pharmacy Technician
Line manager PCN Clinical Pharmacist – Rena Amin
Accountable to PCN Clinical Director – Rabia Dabo
Hours per week 37.5
Job summary
The post holder is a pharmacy technician and is an integral part of the general practice team, working within their professional boundaries in each practice within the Primary
Care Network (PCN).
This role will work under the supervision of the pharmacist to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients.
They will provide technical and administrative support to the clinical pharmacist and clinicians.
The pharmacy technician will support the PCN and practice clinical team with queries around medication from patients.
The pharmacy technician will complete audits around patient safety in the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical team.
Generic responsibilities
All staff at Croydon GP Super Network PCN have a duty to conform to the following:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I create an environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons – it improves operational effectiveness; it is morally the right thing to do and it is required by law.
Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.
Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.
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Croydon GP Super Network PCN
Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)
This PCN is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety.
The post holder is to manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients and monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.
All personnel have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and
Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire
Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.
Confidentiality
The PCN and associated practices are committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times.
It is essential that, if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained, all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.
Quality and Continuous Improvement (CI)
To preserve and improve the quality of PCN outputs, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work.
The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the PCN and practices to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice and to discuss, highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care.
Croydon GP Super Network PCN continually strives to improve work processes which deliver healthcare with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.
Staff should interpret national strategies and policies into local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of general practice.
All staff are to contribute to investigations and root cause analyses whilst participating in serious incident investigations and multidisciplinary case reviews.
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Croydon GP Super Network PCN
Induction
In addition to the induction process at Croydon GP Super Network PCN, where you will be provided with a full induction programme, when attending any practice within the network you will also be required to complete their practice induction programme.
Whilst across the PCN we aim to standardise this process, inevitably there will be nuances particular to each practice. In any such instance, the practice management team will support you with this.
Learning and development
The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by PCN Business Manager/HR Manager. It is an expectation for this post holder to assess their own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate
The post holder will undertake mentorship for team members and disseminate learning and information gained to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g. courses and conferences).
The post holder will provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning.
Collaborative working
All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working and understand their own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time. Staff are to prioritise their own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team.
Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments and the post holder is to work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working. To work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery
Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.
All staff should delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence.
Plans and outcomes by which to measure success should be agreed.
Service delivery
Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.
The post holder must adhere to the information contained within PCN and local practice policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are adhered to at all times.
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Croydon GP Super Network PCN
Security
The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. The post holder must ensure they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager.
Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks with anyone and are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured. Likewise, password controls are to be maintained and are not to be shared.
Professional conduct
All staff are required to dress appropriately for their role.
PCN staff members are to familiarise themselves and comply with local practice protocol.
Primary responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the PCN pharmacy technician. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels: a. To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team whilst in a supporting function to the clinical pharmacist and other clinicians and within agreed prescribing standard operating procedures b. To support the clinical pharmacist as the PCN point of contact for all medicines related matters c. To encourage cost-effective prescribing throughout the PCN d. To undertake medicines reconciliation as required e. To update and maintain accurate and timely patient medication records on each practice clinical system, including advice given and action taken f. To monitor practice adherence to the prescribing policy g. To support virtual and remote models of consultation and support including e- consultations, telehealth and telemedicine h. To liaise with practices and implement and embed a robust repeat prescribing system for use across all practices i. To support the clinical pharmacist in improving the quality and effectiveness of prescribing through clinical audit and education to improve performance against
NICE standards, and clinical and prescribing guidance j. To ensure appropriate supervision of safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs k. To apply infection-control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines l. To identify and be proactive in your training needs and development and as agreed with the Clinical Pharmacist. m. To support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the PCN
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Croydon GP Super Network PCN n. To participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events o. To actively signpost patients to the correct healthcare professional p. To undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes q. To contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance r. To attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed s. To contribute to public health campaigns (e.g. flu clinics) through advice or direct care t. To maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
Secondary responsibilities
In addition to the primary responsibilities, the pharmacy technician may be requested to: a. Support delivery of QOF, incentive schemes, IIF, DES and other quality or cost effectiveness initiatives b. Improve the data quality of medicines records and linking to conditions c. Deliver training, mentoring and guidance to other clinicians and staff on medicine issues d. Working in partnership with pharmacists and clinicians improve safety e. Provide leadership and support to prescription administrative/dispensary staff f. Develop a specialist area of interest g. Work with community pharmacists, hospital pharmacists and other stakeholders in the medicines supply chain to improve patient experience and manage incidents h. Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner i. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility
The person specification for this role is detailed overleaf.
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Croydon GP Super Network PCN
Person specification – Pharmacy Technician
Qualifications Essential Desirable
GSCE in Maths, English and science or equivalent. ✓
NVQ level 3 (or working towards) in pharmacy services or ✓ equivalent.
NVQ level 2 in pharmacy services or equivalent ✓
Experience Essential Desirable
Evidence of working autonomously or as part of a team ✓
Experience working in a primary care setting ✓
Understanding and knowledge of healthcare provision in GP ✓ practices, QOF and enhanced services
An appreciation of the new NHS landscape including the ✓ relationships between individual practices, PCNs and the commissioners
Good clinical system IT knowledge of EMIS Systmone/Vision ✓
Skills Essential Desirable
Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information ✓ effectively with people at all levels by telephone, email and face to face
Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word ✓ processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
Good personal organisational skills ✓
Effective time management ✓
Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and ✓ work well under pressure
Personal Qualities Essential Desirable
Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational ✓ policies/procedures and codes of conduct
Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity ✓
Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and ✓ communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity ✓
Flexible and cooperative ✓
Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working ✓ with individuals
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Croydon GP Super Network PCN
Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations ✓
Able to finish work tasks ✓
Problem solving and analytical skills ✓
Ability to maintain confidentiality ✓
Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, ✓ including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety
Other requirements Essential Desirable
Flexibility to work outside of core office hours ✓
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check ✓
Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality ✓ on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home
This document may be amended following consultation with the post holder to facilitate the development of the role, the practice and the individual.
All personnel should be prepared to accept additional, or surrender existing duties, to enable the efficient running of the practice.
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Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 37.5 per week
Salary: £32,639.83 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Croydon, Greater London: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Pharmacy: 1 year (required)
Willingness to travel:
- 25% (preferred)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 30/04/2023
Reference ID: PT001
