Job summary
3 Valleys Health Primary Care Network would like to expand our Pharmacy team and have a vacancy in the Midsomer Norton/Radstock area.

Successful candidates will be enrolled on the PCPEP Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (if not already qualified) and be mentored by a Clinical Pharmacist.

Main duties of the job
Main Duties/Skills
Qualified to BTEC or NVQ level 3 qualification in pharmaceutical sciences, with at least two years post-qualification experience.

An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing and the ability to review and improve prescribing practice with particular emphasis on safety and cost savings.

Excellent communication, interpersonal and leadership skills to work with Pharmacists, GPs and administrative staff.

Self-motivated and able to work on your own initiative with the ability to prioritise workload and have good time management skills.

To improve care for our patients by developing and implementing safe, effective and efficient systems for repeat prescribing, medicines optimisation, reducing medicines waste and other prescribing practices under the supervision of our Clinical Pharmacist Team.

About us
3 Valleys Health Primary Care Network - Traditional Values, Modern Thinking

We are a group of 8 general practices covering circa 68k patients living in rural and semi-rural North-East Somerset and within easy commuting distance of Bath, Bristol and Wells.

Currently we have a well-established and experienced team of 10 Clinical Pharmacists and 7 Pharmacy Technicians working within the PCN. Each colleague is embedded in one or two practices only and at the same time they are part of a bigger PCN supportive peer group which meets regularly. There are opportunities to develop areas of special interest and participate in PCN projects within the role

Job responsibilities
Pharmacy Technicians play an important role alongside Clinical Pharmacists, Community Pharmacists and other members of the PCN/Practice and MDT.

Purpose of the role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost-effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. You will help patients get the best from their medications by switching medications to agreed and approved protocols, improving repeat prescribing in general practice and minimising the risk and aiming to reduce wasted medicines.

You will also encourage the development of better understanding of the principles of medicines. This will involve assisting the PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation and utilisation of medicines optimisation initiatives.

Person Specification
Other
Essential

• Able to work under pressure
• Has attention to detail
• Hard working, flexible and reliable as part of the team
• Ability to work as part of an integrated multi-skilled team
• Excellent Time management and Communication skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills coupled with the understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues
• Ability to adapt to specific clinical systems with the surgery
• Ability to use and understand Microsoft Office Package

Experience
Essential

• An appreciation of the NHS agenda and Government targets
• Awareness of the systems to support management of patients in a primary care setting, delivering pharmaceutical input and support
• Good clinical pharmacy knowledge and terminology
• Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation

Desirable

• Awareness of GP management systems
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
• Understands the aims of the current healthcare policy within the PCN

Qualifications
Essential

• Professional registration with GPhC
• BTEC/NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development

Desirable

• Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
• Ability to demonstrate how to influence and persuade partners of the respective merits of different options, innovations, new opportunities and challenges

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.