Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technician

The post-holder is a Pharmacy Technician and is an integral part of the general practice team, working within their professional boundaries. This role will work under the supervision of the Senior Partner and Clinical Pharmacist to ensure the safe, accurate and timely supply of prescribed medication to patients. The Pharmacy Technician will provide technical and administrative support to the clinicians. The Pharmacy Technician will support the practice clinical teams with queries regarding medication from patients. The Pharmacy Technician will complete audits regarding patient safety in the prescribing of medication and present the information for sharing with the clinical team. The Pharmacy Technician supports public health and screening programmes including immunisations and vaccination programmes whilst participating in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

Main duties of the job

• Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients.
• Promote antimicrobial stewardship and reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
• Assist with medicines optimisation schemes, safety audits, and prescribing incentive programmes.
• Implement national prescribing policies through audits, quality improvement, QOF, and enhanced services.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams to improve medicines management, ordering, returns, and reduce waste.
• Help reception teams triage prescription requests, referring complex cases to GPs or Clinical Pharmacists.
• Promote electronic prescribing, safe repeat prescribing, and monitoring of high-risk medicines.
• Train staff in the safe and legal handling of medicines, including the Electronic Prescription Service.
• Build relationships across primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, mental health, and social care.
• Follow safeguarding policies for adults and children.
• Handle prescription queries and contribute to the practice team.
• Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills.
• Participate in audits, research, and quality improvement, updating practice protocols and guidelines.
• Support enhanced services, patient complaints, and learning from incidents and near misses.
• Complete mandatory training and induction.
• Contribute to clinical governance and attend annual appraisals to review objectives.
• Support public health campaigns, including flu vaccination clinics.

About us

Yeading Medical Centre is an NHS general practice in Northolt, providing a wide range of healthcare services to the local community. The team consists of GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, clinical pharmacists, physician associates, mental health practitioners, social prescribers, and reception and administrative staff who work collaboratively to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.

The practice promotes a professional, supportive and patient-focused working environment. Its work ethic centres on teamwork, effective communication, confidentiality, safeguarding, continuous improvement and ensuring patients receive safe and appropriate care. Regular team training and patient feedback help the practice improve its services and maintain high standards.

Working at Yeading Medical Centre offers the opportunity to gain valuable experience in primary care, develop clinical and administrative skills, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team. Staff can contribute to medicines optimisation, chronic disease management, preventative healthcare, clinical audits and public health initiatives. This provides opportunities for professional development, learning and making a positive difference to patients' health and wellbeing.

Job responsibilities

To support the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality patient care by assisting with medicines optimisation, prescription management, medication safety and clinical governance. The Pharmacy Technician will work collaboratively with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, practice staff and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve patient outcomes and ensure the safe, efficient and cost-effective use of medicines.

Key Responsibilities

1. Medicines Optimisation and Patient Safety

• Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients.
• Promote antimicrobial stewardship and reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
• Assist with medicines optimisation schemes, prescribing incentives and patient safety audits.
• Support safe repeat prescribing and the monitoring and management of high-risk medicines.
• Promote electronic prescribing and efficient prescription processes to minimise medication errors and waste.

2. Prescription Management

• Handle prescription queries and requests directly within the scope of competence.
• Support reception teams in sorting and prioritising prescription requests, referring complex clinical matters to GPs or Clinical Pharmacists.
• Improve medicines ordering, returns and stock management processes.
• Support the implementation and effective use of the Electronic Prescription Service.

3. Clinical Audits and Quality Improvement

• Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance across general practice, care homes and other primary care settings.
• Undertake clinical audits, including audits of antibiotic prescribing, and contribute to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and enhanced services.
• Participate in research, quality improvement initiatives and the development and review of practice protocols, guidelines and procedures.
• Support the implementation of changes arising from audit findings and service reviews.

4. Teamwork and Communication

• Work collaboratively with GPs, Clinical Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• Build effective working relationships across primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care, mental health and social care.
• Provide training and guidance to practice staff on the safe, secure and legal handling of medicines.
• Contribute actively to the general practice team and support the delivery of enhanced services.

5. Governance, Safeguarding and Continuous Improvement

• Comply with relevant legislation, professional standards and practice policies.
• Follow safeguarding procedures relating to adults and children.
• Support the management of patient complaints when required.
• Contribute to learning from incidents, medication errors and near misses to improve patient safety.
• Demonstrate initiative, sound judgement and effective problem-solving skills.
• Maintain confidentiality, accurate records and professional conduct at all times.

General Responsibilities

• Undertake mandatory training and participate in professional development.
• Support clinical governance, service improvement and the delivery of high-quality patient care.
• Work within the limits of competence, seeking advice or referring clinical concerns appropriately.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the role and service requirements.

Expected Outcomes

The Pharmacy Technician will contribute to safer prescribing, improved medicines optimisation, reduced medication waste, effective teamwork, compliance with national guidance and improved patient outcomes across Yeading Medical Centre and its associated care settings.