Job summary
We are recruiting for an experienced Primary Car Pharmacy Technician to work with our Pharmacy team.

You will work as an integral member of the PCN pharmacy and wider multi disciplinary teams, under appropriate supervision.

You will use your knowledge to improve the safe and effective use of medicines across GP practices, care homes and other community settings.

We have 3 surgeries within our PCN based at Linton, Loose and Headcorn, you will be required to attend all 3 sites.

Main duties of the job
The role is predominantly patient-facing and operational. It includes medicines reconciliation, repeat-prescribing support, high-risk medicine monitoring, patient safety searches, audit and quality improvement, medicines waste reduction, and practical support to help patients use their medicines effectively.

Hold structured, person-centred conversations with patients, carers and families to support effective and safe medicines use, shared decision-making and adherence.

Identify medicines-related problems, side effects, adherence concerns, safeguarding issues or deterioration, and escalate promptly using agreed clinical pathways.

Plan and manage an agreed caseload and work programme across PCN sites, meeting deadlines for audits, recalls, written returns and follow-up actions.

Use GP clinical systems, prescribing systems and office software effectively, maintaining high standards of data quality, confidentiality and information governance.

Provide accurate technical advice on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, referring legal or clinical uncertainty to the professional lead.

Support patients to understand changes to medicines following discharge, outpatient appointments or other transitions of care.

About us
We are a great team of people who help each other when needed.

The Practice is energetic and happy and we thrive on celebrating out people's achievements.

We have an onsite gym, a discounted cafe and regular social events happening.

Job responsibilities
The Experienced Primary Care Pharmacy Technician will work as an integral member of the PCN pharmacy and wider multidisciplinary teams, under appropriate clinical supervision. The post holder will use their established technical knowledge, consultation skills and primary care experience to improve the safe, effective and cost-conscious use of medicines across GP practices, care homes and other community settings.

The role is predominantly patient-facing and operational. It includes medicines reconciliation, repeat-prescribing support, high-risk medicine monitoring, patient safety searches, audit and quality improvement, medicines waste reduction, and practical support to help patients use their medicines effectively. The post holder will manage an agreed caseload and work programme with a high degree of day-to-day autonomy, while recognising professional limits and escalating clinical decisions appropriately.

Scope and professional boundaries

• Work within GPhC standards, organisational policies, agreed standard operating procedures and the limits of individual competence.
• Work under appropriate clinical supervision to support the safe, effective and efficient use of medicines.
• Undertake only those patient-facing and medicines-optimisation activities for which competence has been demonstrated and documented.
• Refer prescribing decisions, diagnosis, clinical assessment, complex medication review and other matters outside scope to a clinical pharmacist, GP or other appropriate clinician.
• Provide day-to-day peer support and may coordinate delegated workstreams, but the role carries no formal line-management responsibility unless this is separately agreed and documented.
• Maintain accurate, timely and contemporaneous records in the relevant clinical system, including actions taken, advice provided and referrals or escalations made.

Key roles and responsibilities
1. Patient-facing and clinical support

• Hold structured, person-centred conversations with patients, carers and families to support effective and safe medicines use, shared decision-making and adherence.
• Provide practical medicines support within competence, including inhaler technique, medicines administration, compliance aids, ordering arrangements and signposting to relevant services.
• Identify medicines-related problems, side effects, adherence concerns, safeguarding issues or deterioration, and escalate promptly using agreed clinical pathways.
• Support patients to understand changes to medicines following discharge, outpatient appointments or other transitions of care.
• Provide relevant public health and lifestyle advice within competence, with particular attention to access needs and health inequalities.

Medicines reconciliation and transfers of care

• Undertake medicines reconciliation from discharge summaries, clinic letters and other reliable sources in line with local protocols, resolving discrepancies or referring them to an appropriate clinician.
• Support reconciliation and medicines synchronisation for new care home residents and patients moving between care settings.
• Liaise with community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, care homes, specialist services and patients to obtain information and ensure continuity of supply.
• Prioritise urgent or high-risk discrepancies and maintain a clear audit trail of interventions and outcomes.

Medicines optimisation and prescribing systems

• Support safe, efficient repeat-prescribing workflows, including triage of routine requests, alignment of medicines and referral of clinically complex queries.
• Undertake agreed searches and monitoring processes for high-risk medicines, shared-care medicines and patients requiring follow-up, escalating overdue or abnormal results appropriately.
• Support the implementation and consistent use of the Electronic Prescription Service and other digital medicines systems.
• Help practices improve ordering, return and disposal processes and reduce avoidable medicines waste.
• Support implementation of local and national prescribing guidance, formulary decisions and medicines-optimisation initiatives.
• Take delegated ownership of defined medicines-optimisation workstreams and contribute to improving systems across practices, reporting progress, risks and recommendations to the Lead Pharmacy Technician.
• Contribute to appropriate switching programmes, recalls and medication safety work only within agreed protocols and with suitable clinical oversight.

Safety, audit and quality improvement

• Undertake patient safety searches, clinical audits and data collection, for example relating to antimicrobial stewardship, high-risk medicines, monitoring, polypharmacy or prescribing indicators.
• Support delivery of medicines-optimisation incentive schemes, Quality and Outcomes Framework activity, enhanced services and local PCN priorities.
• Identify and report medication incidents, near misses, risks and system weaknesses; contribute to investigation, learning and improvement actions.
• Use prescribing and service data to identify variation, monitor outcomes and recommend practical improvements to the Lead Pharmacy Technician and clinical team.
• Contribute to the development, review and implementation of standard operating procedures and safe systems of work.

Collaborative working

• Work closely with clinical pharmacists, GPs, nurses, pharmacy technicians, practice teams and other PCN professionals to co-ordinate care and manage workload safely.
• Develop effective links across primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, mental health, social care, care homes and voluntary services.
• Participate in relevant practice, PCN and multidisciplinary meetings and communicate clearly about actions, risks and outcomes.
• Support integration of the pharmacy team across organisations and contribute to a consistent, equitable service for patients across PCN practices.

Education and professional development

• Provide day-to-day advice, coaching and training to practice staff within own area of competence; support induction or peer development of less experienced colleagues when requested.
• Maintain GPhC registration, continuing professional development and a portfolio of competence relevant to primary care practice.
• Participate in clinical supervision, appraisal, objective setting and an agreed personal development plan.
• Complete mandatory and statutory training and undertake further development required for enhanced or locally commissioned services.
• Keep up to date with medicines legislation, professional guidance, evidence, local formularies and relevant NHS policy.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as a Pharmacy Technician

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary care

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.