About this role
Job summary
Location: McKenzie Group Practice - this may vary as appropriate to role and practice input.
Would you be interested in joining our friendly team of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals to deliver medicines optimisation services across a network of GP practices? McKenzie Group Practice on behalf of our network is looking for a dynamic technician to join our highly skilled and experienced team of primary care clinicians and medicines management support staff.
If you are interested in developing your skills in primary care then we would love to hear from you.
Hartlepool Health Network, Hartlepool:-
We deliver general practice to a population of almost 31, 360 in Hartlepool Innovative practices aspiring to deliver care for the future not the ways of the past utilising AI and software to support patient care Training practice Multidisciplinary teams that currently consists of: GP partners, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, a Clinical Pharmacist and a dedicated Medicines Support team and usual attached supporting staff SystmOne Consistently high QOF achievements Committed to developing all staff with a loyal extended primary health care teams Monthly clinical meeting updates
Main duties of the job
The role offers a varied work agenda providing medicines optimisation support around defined quality and safety issues across the 2 practices in our network, including the implementation and delivery of prescribing initiatives and reconciliation, with a potential to develop to undertake medication reviews across our population, fully supported by an experienced network of colleagues and robust operating procedures. In return for your commitment, enthusiasm and professionalism, we can offer a friendly and supportive environment and actively encourage continuing professional development. Informal visits to the Practice are welcome.
The post holder is a pharmacy technician, who acts with autonomy within their professional boundaries.
The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team with the potential to deliver supported medication reviews in a patient-facing role.
The post holder will provide expert pharmaceutical technical support to help support the implementation of the medicines optimisation work programme.
The post holder will undertake audits of medicines related issues across the primary care network - evaluate results and produce and present progress reports.
The role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver excellent service within general practice.
About us
At Hartlepool and Stockton Health GP Federation our guiding aim is to improve the health and wellbeing of local people. Relationships are key to everything we do and by working with our practice members and their Primary Care Networks, as well as other local partners, we strive to provide excellent services that help people to live their best lives.
As part of this support, we are hosting this job advert on behalf of McKenzie Group Practice for Hartlepool Health Network.
Job description Job responsibilities
1. Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility
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, as determined by the PCN, medication reviews and medicines reconciliation including new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings and linking with local community pharmacists and the locally commissioned MOCH team
Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities
Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients
Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing
Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits
Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits, e.g. use of antibiotics, supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services
Work with the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes, and reducing wastage
Support the practice medication team in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests
Provide leadership for medicines optimisation systems across PCNs, supporting practices with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems, and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines
Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service - EPS
Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, and mental health
2. Collaborative Working Relationships
Recognises the roles of other colleagues within the organisation and their role to patient care
Demonstrates use of appropriate communication to gain the co-operation of relevant stakeholders - including patients, senior colleagues, and other professionals
Is able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague/s when necessary
Actively work toward developing and maintaining effective working relationships within the PCN
Liaises with CCG Medicines Optimisation Team where appropriate on prescribing related matters to ensure consistency of medicines optimisation messages
Communicate results of audits and prescribing projects undertaken to agreed staff members in a clear, concise way
Communicate with GPs, nurses, practice staff, patients and carers
Need to be able to communicate in potentially antagonistic environments and situations
3. Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential data
Proven communication and interpersonal skills including dealing with patients and carers
Able to plan and work independently and manage competing priorities
On-going commitment to continuing professional development to maintain theoretical and practical knowledge
Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills - verbal and written
Able to plan own work with a high degree of motivation
Ability to work with others as a team player
Able to prepare and present reports
Able to use information technology e.g. word processing and spreadsheets
Able to adapt to unfamiliar practice computer systems
4. Freedom to Act
Demonstrate ability to motivate self to achieve goals
Works independently, work is managed rather than supervised.
Follows SOPs and relevant regulations
5. Management
Demonstrate understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service
Demonstrate understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
Demonstrate understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice
Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management
6. Education Training and Development
Understands and demonstrates the characteristics of a role model to members in the team and/or service
Demonstrates self-development through continuous development activity
Keeps up to date with relevant practice associated with the role
Engaged with the review and appraisal systems within the practice
7. Research and Evaluation
Demonstrates ability to critically evaluate and review literature
Demonstrates ability to identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support practice
Demonstrates ability to generate evidence suitable for presentations at practice and local level
Demonstrates ability to apply research evidence base into working place
Demonstrates understanding of principles of research governance
8. Health and Safety/Risk Management
The post-holder must comply at all times with the Practices Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System
The post-holder will comply with the Data Protection Act 1984 and the Access to Health Records Act 1990
9. Equality and Diversity
The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Co-workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
10. Respect for Patient Confidentiality
The post-holder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role
11. Special Working Conditions
The post-holder is required to travel independently between practices and practice sites, where applicable, and to attend meetings etc. hosted by other agencies
Person Specification
Experience Desirable
2 years relevant post qualification experience with completed PCPEP. Prior experience in primary care roles not essential. Working level knowledge regarding Microsoft Software Applications such as Excel/Word etc.
Registration Essential
Registered technician with General Pharmaceutical Council
Qualifications Essential
BTEC/NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Hartlepool & Stockton Health [H&SH]
Address McKenzie Group Practice
17 Kendal Road
Hartlepool
TS25 1QU
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.hartlepoolandstocktonhealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)