Job Description
DUTIES: Work with the Clinical Pharmacists and Clinicians in accordance with agreed practice prescribing standard operating procedures. Process repeat medication requests, including the conversion of acute requests to repeat medicines, changing quantities of medicines. Processing prescriptions in line with agreed clinical protocols and within your competency. Undertake patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.
Carry out medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration (e.g. checking inhaler technique), supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation. Where required, utilise consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively. Support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings linking with local community pharmacists.
Provide specialist expertise, where competent, to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities. Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with the PCN pharmacists for more complex patients. Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Assist in the delivery of medicines optimisation and management incentive schemes and patient safety audits.
Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP Practices, care homes and other primary care setting. This will be achieved through undertaking clinical audits (e.g. use of antibiotics), supporting quality improvement measures and contributing to the Quality and Outcome Framework and enhanced services. Undertake simple audits of prescribing in areas directed by the GPs or PCN pharmacist, feedback the results and implement changes in conjunction with the practice team.
Be involved in medication related projects within the practice, e.g. promoting use of over the counter medication, or other ICB initiatives. Assist with any medication related QOF work as appropriate. Help to plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the practice to optimise the quality of prescribing Support the Clinicians and Clinical Pharmacists in Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) i.e.
organise necessary monitoring tests prior to a SMR. To develop and maintain medicines related communication to all Practice staff. To assist with the development and review of medicine audits. Liaise with Clinicians and staff to resolve prescribing queries.
Provide telephone support to patients who have queries about their medication, under the direction of the PCN pharmacists or in relation to tasks received. When required, assist patients with medication compliance issues and counsel them about medication e.g. inhalers, eye drops etc. Medicines reconciliation post discharge from hospital or clinic appointments, making changes where appropriate within competencies.
Work closely with the PCN pharmacist when needed. Set up and manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high-risk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes) and liaise with relevant healthcare professionals and patients/carers. Support the clinicians and practice pharmacists with the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by ensuring any reauthorisations are made as appropriate.
Advise Clinicians of alternative medication options when prescribed medication is out of stock or unavailable. Work with and under the clinical supervision of the Clinical Pharmacist and Clinicians in accordance with agreed practice prescribing standard operating procedures TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE Work with the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes and reducing wastage. Work closely with practice prescription teams in sorting and streaming general prescription requests, so as to allow GPs and clinical pharmacist to review the more clinically complex requests. Work closely with the prescription admin staff to ensure medication is correct in a timely manner.
Ensure that all information is recorded accurately using computer systems. Provide leadership for medicines optimisation systems across the PCN supporting practices with a range of services to get the best value from medicines by encouraging and implementing Electronic Prescriptions, safe repeat prescribing systems and timely monitoring and management of high-risk medicines. Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) and help to promote the use of online ordering. Develop relationships with other pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration of the pharmacy team across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.
Maintain accuracy when recording information in patients records and ensure all relevant information is documented in a timely manner and in accordance with local protocols. Carry out housekeeping whilst in patients records e.g. dose optimisation and medication alignment. Work with the practice managers, PCN pharmacist and GPs to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved.
To assist the Pharmacist with data analysis of prescribing behaviour in line with NICE guidance and local clinical commissioning directives. Attend local meetings seeking to improve access to medicines or repeat prescribing processes. To adhere to strict confidentiality policies at all times. GENERAL The post holder will: Ensure the principles of openness, transparency and candour are observed and upheld in all working practices.
Have, or acquire through training provided by the organisation, the appropriate level of safeguarding and knowledge, skills and practice required for the post and be aware of and comply with the organisations safeguarding protection policies and procedures. Ensure that any infection prevention and control issues are reported to the line manager/Infection Prevention and Control Lead Ensure that all activities are monitored and evaluated. Attend internal meetings as required. Work in accordance with PCN policies, including the equal opportunities policy and practice.
Attend any training courses and supervision sessions as required. Work with due regard to the Health and Safety Policy, ensuring that all practices and procedures are undertaken in accordance with issued guidelines. Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required from time to time SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS To be prepared to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends if required.
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