About this role
Job summary
Tamar Valley Health is looking for an experienced and motivated Pharmacy Technician to join our Dispensary and Pharmacy teams. This is a varied role combining registered Pharmacy Technician responsibilities, patient-facing pharmacy support and senior dispenser duties. The successful candidate will support the safe and effective management of medicines, dispensary and pharmacy workflows, medicines reconciliation, patient records, medication queries and the training and mentoring of dispensary colleagues. The role will involve working across our Callington and Gunnislake sites and within both our dispensing-doctor and pharmacy services.
Main duties of the job
Main responsibilities The role will include supporting safe and efficient dispensary and pharmacy workflows. Dispensing, processing and accuracy checking prescriptions and medication requests. Dealing with acute and non-repeat medication requests and obtaining appropriate prescriber authorisation. Undertaking medicines reconciliation following hospital discharge and other transfers of care. Processing secondary-care documentation and updating patient medication records.
Coordinating medication changes, regimes and patient requests. Supporting pharmacist administration, patient tasks, medicines-related pathology workflows and monitoring processes. Responding to routine medication queries from patients, colleagues and external services within professional competence. Liaising with hospitals, community pharmacies, care homes and other healthcare providers. Supporting stock management, recalls, audits, incident learning and service improvement.
Providing day-to-day technical guidance, training and mentoring to dispensers, trainees and other team members. Supporting consistent compliance with Standard Operating Procedures, protocols and professional standards. Undertaking final accuracy checking in accordance with the postholders qualification, local competency assessment and applicable Standard Operating Procedures.
About us
About Tamar Valley Health
Tamar Valley Health (TVH) is a large, forward-thinking NHS GP practice serving approximately 17,000 patients across two sites in Callington and Gunnislake, Cornwall.
We are a multidisciplinary primary care organisation committed to providing high-quality, accessible and patient-centred healthcare to our local communities. Our team of approximately 120 staff includes GPs, nurses, advanced clinical practitioners, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, healthcare assistants, dispensary staff, administrative professionals and management colleagues.
Operating across two locations, we provide a comprehensive range of general medical services, supported by our dispensing services and a diverse clinical workforce. We place a strong emphasis on collaborative working, professional development and making the best use of the skills and expertise within our teams.
At the heart of Tamar Valley Health is a dedicated and experienced team working together to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care, while continuing to adapt to the changing needs of our patients, workforce and local community.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See full job duties on the job description attachment
Primary duties and Areas of Responsibility
Pharmacy Technician and patient-facing duties
Provide patient-facing medicines support within the postholders competence, including responding to routine medicines queries, explaining agreed medication changes and supporting patients to use their medicines safely and effectively.
Obtain accurate medication histories and undertake medicines reconciliation following discharge, outpatient attendance, care transfer or receipt of other secondary care information, in accordance with approved processes.
Identify discrepancies, omissions, duplications, interactions, monitoring requirements or other medicines-related risks and refer clinical decisions to the pharmacist, GP or other authorised clinician.
Update patient medication records accurately following authorised clinical decisions, recording the source of information, action taken and any required follow-up.
Support patients, carers, community pharmacies, care providers and clinical colleagues with medication-related queries, resolving those within competence and escalating others promptly.
Support the safe coordination of medication changes, supply arrangements and follow-up between primary care, secondary care, community pharmacy and other services.
Contribute to medicines optimisation, medication safety initiatives, recalls, audits and searches, including identifying patients requiring review or monitoring and supporting agreed follow-up processes.
Provide technical medicines advice within competence, making clear when a query requires clinical assessment by a pharmacist or prescriber.
Accuracy Checking Responsibilities
Undertake the final accuracy checking of dispensed prescriptions and medication in accordance with the postholders recognised Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification or accreditation.
Ensure final accuracy checks are completed in accordance with legislation, professional standards, local Standard Operating Procedures and agreed governance arrangements.
Confirm that dispensed items correspond accurately with the authorised prescription, including the medicine, strength, formulation, quantity, label and any additional required documentation.
Identify and resolve technical dispensing errors before medication is supplied to the patient.
Refer any clinical, prescribing or legal concern to the appropriate pharmacist or authorised prescriber.
Maintain the concentration, competence and professional accountability required when undertaking final accuracy checks.
Record and report dispensing errors, near misses and recurring risks, contributing to investigation, learning and service improvement.
Maintain the continuing professional development, competency assessments and any reaccreditation required to undertake accuracy checking.
Support the development of safe dispensing and checking practices within the wider team through training, feedback and mentoring.
Accuracy check only prescriptions that have received the required clinical authorisation and have been dispensed by another appropriately trained member of staff, in accordance with the relevant Standard Operating Procedure.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Recent experience working within a dispensary, pharmacy or comparable medicines-management environment. Experience of dispensing and accuracy checking medicines safely and accurately.
- An understanding of medicines reconciliation and the safe updating of patient medication records.
- The ability to work within professional competence and refer clinical or prescribing decisions appropriately.
- Experience of supporting, training or mentoring colleagues or learners.
Desirable
- Previous experience within general practice or a dispensing-doctor service.
- Experience working within both dispensing-practice and pharmacy environments.
- Experience of coordinating dispensary or pharmacy workflows.
- Experience using SystmOne and/or ProScript.
- Experience of monitored dosage system or blister-pack assembly.
- Experience supporting audits, SOP reviews, incident learning or service improvement.
Qualifications
Essential
- Current registration as a Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council. A recognised Pharmacy Technician qualification. A recognised Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification or accreditation.
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
Tamar Valley Health
Address
Haye Road
Callington
Cornwall
PL17 7AW
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.tamarvalleyhealth.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)