Job summary
Join Eastham Group Practice and play a key role in delivering safe, effective and high-quality patient care. Working as part of our multidisciplinary team, you will support medicines optimisation, medicines reconciliation, prescription management, medication reviews and patient safety initiatives. You will work closely with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment and support.

At Eastham Group Practice, we are committed to providing excellent care to our patients while creating a supportive and rewarding environment for our staff. We value teamwork, innovation and continuous development, offering opportunities to expand your skills and further your career within primary care. You will be joining a friendly, forward-thinking practice where your contribution is recognised, your ideas are welcomed, and your work has a direct impact on improving patient outcomes.

If you are a motivated and patient-focused Pharmacy Technician looking to make a difference within a modern and supportive General Practice team, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

• Support the safe and effective management of medicines within the practice.
• Undertake medicines reconciliation following hospital discharge and other care settings.
• Process and resolve prescription queries from patients, pharmacies and clinicians.
• Assist with medication reviews and identify patients requiring follow-up.
• Support medicines optimisation and prescribing improvement initiatives.
• Identify and help resolve medication-related issues to improve patient safety.
• Maintain accurate patient records and update clinical systems appropriately.
• Liaise with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, community pharmacies and other healthcare professionals.
• Support the delivery of national and local prescribing targets and quality improvement programmes.
• Provide patients with information and support relating to their medications within agreed protocols.

About us
Eastham Group Practice is a large, well-established and forward-thinking GP practice committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centred healthcare to our local community. We provide a wide range of primary care services and work closely with a multidisciplinary team including GPs, nurses, clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, healthcare assistants, care navigators and administrative staff to meet the diverse needs of our patients.

We are proud of our supportive and collaborative working environment, where staff are valued, respected and encouraged to develop their skills and careers. As a training and learning-focused practice, we embrace innovation, continuous improvement and modern ways of working to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients.

At Eastham Group Practice, our aim is to provide accessible, compassionate and high-quality care while fostering a positive workplace culture built on teamwork, professionalism and mutual support. Joining our team means becoming part of a practice dedicated to making a real difference to the health and wellbeing of the community we serve.

Job responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the Pharmacy Technician in delivering safe, effective and high-quality medicines management services within the practice:

• Undertake medicines reconciliation following hospital discharge, care transfers and other transitions of care, ensuring prescribing records are accurate, complete and up to date.
• Prepare information and support clinicians undertaking Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs), identifying patients who may benefit from medicines optimisation interventions.
• Support medicines optimisation activities to improve patient outcomes, reduce medicines waste and promote safe, evidence-based prescribing.
• Monitor and manage high-risk medicines in accordance with practice protocols and national guidance, ensuring appropriate blood tests, reviews and monitoring requirements are completed.
• Provide medicines-related support to care home residents and care home staff, including medication reviews, medicines reconciliation and optimisation activities.
• Undertake prescribing, medicines safety and clinical audits, analysing findings and supporting implementation of recommendations to improve patient safety and prescribing quality.
• Participate in medicines safety initiatives and quality improvement projects, identifying opportunities to reduce risk and improve medicines-related outcomes.
• Promote adherence to local and national formularies and prescribing guidance, supporting cost-effective prescribing and best use of NHS resources.
• Identify patients who may be experiencing problematic poly-pharmacy and support clinicians in reviewing medicines to minimise unnecessary treatment burden and improve outcomes.
• Assist clinicians with deprescribing initiatives, ensuring medication changes are implemented safely and appropriately with suitable patient follow-up.
• Investigate prescribing discrepancies, medication queries and medicines-related incidents, taking appropriate action and escalating concerns when required.
• Monitor patient compliance and adherence to medication regimens, providing support and signposting where barriers to effective medicines use are identified.
• Escalate medicines-related risks, near misses, safeguarding concerns and patient safety issues through the appropriate governance and reporting processes.
• Support the implementation of national prescribing policies, medicines optimisation programmes and enhanced service requirements.
• Work collaboratively with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, nurses, care coordinators, reception teams, community pharmacies, care homes and secondary care providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Support repeat prescribing systems, electronic prescribing processes and effective medicines management procedures to ensure safe and efficient service delivery.
• Provide medicines-related advice and respond to prescription queries from patients and members of the multidisciplinary team within the limits of competence and role.
• Act as a mentor and role model for trainee care coordinators and other team members as appropriate.
• Lead or support small-scale quality improvement, audit and service development projects relating to medicines optimisation and patient safety.
• Maintain and develop specialist knowledge in areas of clinical interest, medicines optimisation and prescribing quality to support evolving service requirements.
• Contribute to clinical governance activities, incident reviews, significant event analyses and learning from errors to improve patient care.
• Participate in mandatory training, appraisal processes and continuing professional development activities, always maintaining professional registration requirements.
• Support public health initiatives, vaccination programmes and population health management work where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and ensure all activities are documented in accordance with practice policies, professional standards and information governance requirements.

Qualifications
Essential

• Level 3 Pharmacy Technician Qualification (BTEC/NVQ3 in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent).
• Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
• Good understanding of medicines management and dispensing processes.
• Knowledge of confidentiality, information governance and data protection requirements.
• Competent IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office applications and healthcare systems.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality patient care and continuous service improvement.

Desirable

• Primary Care or General Practice experience.
• Medicines Reconciliation accreditation or relevant training.
• Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACPT) qualification.
• Experience of EMIS Web or SystmOne.
• Experience supporting medicines optimisation initiatives.
• Understanding of NHS prescribing guidance and primary care services.

Experience
Essential

• Is working under appropriate clinical supervision to ensure safe, effective and efficient use of medicines

Desirable

• Experience of 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 relationship between individual organisations, PCNs and the commissioners

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).

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.