Job summary
Join Our Growing Pharmacy Team

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Clinical Pharmacy Technician to join our established pharmacy team of 3 Clinical Pharmacists and 2 Pharmacy Technicians working across Putnoe Medical Centre and Linden Road Surgery.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking Primary Care team delivering high-quality care in line with the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan, Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), and the development of Neighbourhood Health Services. Working within a large multidisciplinary team, you will help improve patient outcomes, support medicines optimisation initiatives, reduce health inequalities, and contribute to the delivery of safe, effective and sustainable prescribing.

As a key member of our pharmacy team, you will work closely with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, Community Pharmacies, Secondary Care colleagues and wider Primary Care Network services to ensure patients receive the maximum benefit from their medicines.

Main duties of the job

• Support the Clinical Pharmacists and wider multidisciplinary team in delivering safe, effective and person-centred medicines optimisation services.
• Undertake medication switches in accordance with approved local and national prescribing guidance, reviewing records, implementing changes, and communicating appropriately with patients.
• Support medicines reconciliation and optimisation following hospital discharge and other care transitions.
• Carry out patient record housekeeping activities including dose optimisation, medicines synchronisation and coding improvements.
• Identify and reduce prescribing risks through clinical system searches, audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Assist in implementing NICE guidance, NHS priorities, local formularies and Integrated Care Board ICB medicines optimisation initiatives.
• Promote shared decision-making and support patients to understand and gain maximum benefit from their medicines.
• Improve repeat prescribing systems and associated administrative processes.
• Promote and support Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD), NHS App functionality, online ordering systems and other digital healthcare initiatives.
• Support the implementation of technological solutions that improve patient access, safety and efficiency.
• Contribute to reducing avoidable medicines waste and improving prescribing sustainability.

About us
Putnoe Medical Centre and Linden Road Surgery are well-established GP practices serving the Bedford community and are proud members of the East Bedford Primary Care Network.

Together, we care for a diverse patient population of approximately 26,000 patients and are committed to delivering accessible, high-quality, patient-centred healthcare. We work closely with local health and care partners to provide integrated services that improve outcomes and support healthier lives.

Putnoe Medical Centre is a large teaching and training practice with a strong reputation for innovation, multidisciplinary working and service development. The practice also hosts a highly regarded Nurse-Led Walk-In Centre providing urgent care seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Our vision is to deliver outstanding neighbourhood healthcare through collaboration, prevention, digital innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring our patients receive the right care, at the right time, from the right professional.

Job responsibilities

• Support the Clinical Pharmacists and wider multidisciplinary team in delivering safe, effective and person-centred medicines optimisation services.
• Undertake medication switches in accordance with approved local and national prescribing guidance, reviewing records, implementing changes, and communicating appropriately with patients.
• Support medicines reconciliation and optimisation following hospital discharge and other care transitions.
• Carry out patient record housekeeping activities including dose optimisation, medicines synchronisation and coding improvements.
• Identify and reduce prescribing risks through clinical system searches, audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Assist in implementing NICE guidance, NHS priorities, local formularies and Integrated Care Board ICB medicines optimisation initiatives.
• Promote shared decision-making and support patients to understand and gain maximum benefit from their medicines.
• Improve repeat prescribing systems and associated administrative processes.
• Promote and support Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD), NHS App functionality, online ordering systems and other digital healthcare initiatives.
• Support the implementation of technological solutions that improve patient access, safety and efficiency.
• Contribute to reducing avoidable medicines waste and improving prescribing sustainability.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Works effectively independently and as a member of a team
• Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder focused response
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work
• Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required
• Independently mobile to be able to work across several sites and travel to meet with stakeholders
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Demonstrate ability to work in a busy environment; ability to deal with both urgent and important tasks and to prioritise effectively whilst also supporting others
• Excellent time keeping and prioritisation skills

Qualifications
Essential

• Professional registration with GPhC
• BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
• Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
• Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
• Postgraduate qualifications of a relevant nature. e.g. FdSc in Medicines Management/Pharmacy Services; BTEC Therapeutics (desirable)
• Demonstrate ability to influence and persuade partners and stakeholders of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges
• Relevant advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of general practice and evidence based medicine
• An appreciation of the NHS agenda and government targets
• Awareness of systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support in the context of pathways of care and the business of the organisation(s)
• Awareness of GP budget-management and funding systems to enable GP clinical pharmacist services to assist delivery of Federation and NHS priorities and requirements for financial balance and quality
• Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
• Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation

Desirable

• Computer literate with an ability to use the required GP clinical systems (desirable) and Microsoft office packages (essential)
• Understand the aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this for the Clinical Pharmacy in General Practice pilot sites
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
• Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily
• Able to effectively manage allocated resources
• Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines
• Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Influencing and negotiating skills
• An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues

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.