Job description

Job responsibilities

Part-time role for 27-32 hours per week.

Working within your clinical and professional boundaries, you will work alongside the Durham Coast PCN Clinical Pharmacists to support the clinical teams in all aspects of prescribing and medicines safety.

The purpose of this role is to promote and support improvements to maximise safe and best practice in prescribing and improve the quality of patient care. The Pharmacy Technician will be a point of contact for patients enquiries regarding their prescriptions. The post holder will help patients to get the best from their medicines through effective medicines reconciliation after discharge and on other transfers of care, identification of patients potentially suitable for repeat dispensing, providing assistance in the monitoring of high-risk and high-cost drugs, and handling of prescription queries within the areas of competence.

This will also involve work to deliver key medicines optimisation outcomes against the ICB-set Prescribing Outcomes Scheme. Contribute to quality improvement and clinical audit, as well as supporting aspects of the Quality and Outcomes Framework, medicines safety and antibiotic stewardship. You will also be required to contribute towards practice financial stability through medicines optimisation and related targets in QOF.

The role will include training and development of practice based administrative staff that process repeat prescriptions to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration within general practice, especially with relation to repeat prescribing systems and processes.

Main Duties and Areas of Responsibility: Pharmacy Technician

Support practice clinical pharmacists and practice clinical teams to provide a safe and effective repeat prescribing service.

Comply with legal and professional requirements and with safe systems of work for re-authorising repeat prescriptions.

Co-ordinate medication review appointments and any changes of medication as advised by the clinical team.

Liaise with pharmacies on the supply of prescribed drugs, alert clinicians of any supply issues and forward recommendations of alternatives.

Medicines reconciliation post discharge and on other transfers of care.

Bring queries to clinical team to include under or over usage.

Day to day handling of prescription queries within area of own competence.

Delivery of training and development to practice administrative staff who process repeat prescription requests to support improved co-ordination and effective pharmacy administration.

Use and maintain information reporting systems and databases relevant to the position including incident reporting, prescribing data and patient outcomes.

Participate in practice meetings, and other meetings to improve engagement of the role and to promote issues relevant to prescribing.

Liaise with multidisciplinary team, prescribing support team, community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy teams.

Handle function specific information, which may be sensitive, complex or confidential and appropriately recording, transferring and/or coordinating such information in accordance with the GDPR; Caldecott Guidelines and the Confidentiality Code of Conduct.

Be responsible for the organisation and planning of own workload to meet set deadlines.

Utilise GP practice clinical systems to conduct prescribing audits.

Support the clinical pharmacists and practices with the work required under County Durham ICBs Medicines Management Local Incentive Scheme.

Support the clinical pharmacists in shared care monitoring and processes.

In collaboration with practice Clinical Pharmacists and GP Prescribing Leads ensure that all major MHRA drug alerts, where appropriate and within levels of competence, are acted upon within practices over an appropriate time frame and to advise on any medication changes that occur as a result.

Undertake training and development, to ensure the required knowledge and skills for practice-based work.

Escalate problems or issues to line manager that requires additional support or input.

Carry out other duties which are appropriate to the skills and competencies of the post holder and grade of the post as the priorities of the service change.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with GP practices, staff and other healthcare professionals.

The post holder will develop a culture that promotes equality and values diversity. The post holder must be aware of and committed to the Equality and Diversity policies of the practice and comply with all the requirements of these policies and actively promote Equality and Diversity issues relevant to the post.

Ensure the principles of openness, transparency and candour are observed and upheld.

The post holder will 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.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Good IT Skills Excellent communications skills (verbal and written).
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Ability to work safely under pressure.
• Work as part of a team.
• Have excellent time management and workload prioritisation skills.
• Understand clinical governance and risk management.
• Awareness of current medicines Management Agendas.
• Knowledge of audit and research.
• Demonstrate accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision.
• Self-Motivation.
• Adaptable Ability and ability to move between practice sites.
• In date DBS check.
• Safeguarding adult and children.
• Immunisation status.
• UK Work Permit (please note we're unable to provide Visa sponsorship at this time)

Desirable

• Previous work within a patient facing role.
• Understanding of GMS contracts and Medicines Management Incentive Schemes.
• Experience of NHS IT Systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

Essential

• Have experience and an awareness of common acute and long-term conditions that are likely to be seen in General Practice.
• Recognises priorities when problem-solving and identifies deviations from normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.
• Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct.
• Involves patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE guidelines.
• Demonstrate understanding of the pharmacy technician role in governance and can implement this appropriately within the workplace.
• Demonstrate understanding of, and contributes to, the workplace vision.
• Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service.
• Reviews yearly progress and develop clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others.
• Demonstrate ability to motivate self to achieve goals.
• Promotes diversity and equality in people management techniques and leads by example.
• Demonstrate understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or the service.
• Demonstrate understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation.
• Demonstrate understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice.
• Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol.
• Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management.
• Demonstrate ability to extend boundaries of service delivery within the team.
• Understands and demonstrates the characteristics of a role model to members in the team and/or service.
• Demonstrates understanding of the mentorship process.
• Demonstrates ability to conduct teaching and assessment effectively according to a learning plan with supervision from experienced colleagues.
• Demonstrates self-development through continuous professional development activity; working alongside colleagues to identify areas to develop.
• Participates in the delivery of formal education programmes.
• Demonstrates an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice.
• Ensures appropriate clinical supervision is in place to support development.
• Enrolled into review and appraisal systems within the network.
• Demonstrates ability to critically evaluate and review literature.
• Demonstrates ability to identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support the practice.
• Demonstrates ability to generate evidence suitable for presentations at practice and local level.
• Demonstrates ability to apply research evidence base into working place.
• Demonstrates understanding of principles of research governance.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Society and have a BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences.
• Evidence of continuing Professional development.

Desirable

• Medicines Reconciliation Certificate / Equivalent.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South Durham Health CIC

Address

East Durham Medical Group

Ashmore Terrace

Wheatley Hill

County Durham

DH6 3NP

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.southdurhamhealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be employed to undertake duties both for the Practice, Enhanced Access Service and for the Primary Care Extended Access service. They will be an experienced nurse practitioner who will provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of their care. They will demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making and expert care for patients within the general practice. They will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary general practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures, and providing nurse leadership as required. In order to work at this level, NMC requirements for advanced practice must be met.

JOB PURPOSE

The practice operates across 6 sites to cover 18500 patients. You will be usually assigned across 2 sites covering the Practice. The Primary Care Service is a nurse practitioner led service commissioned by Durham ICB. General Practitioners will be contracted to the service to provide advice throughout the hours of operation but will not routinely be present within the premises for the Extended Primary Care Services. The service is open to the population of County Durham ICB who request an appointment via 111 at any site and regardless of age. The Enhanced Access Service provision is to cover Durham Coast PCN and Easington Central PCNs.

The role of ACP requires an experienced nurse practitioner who, acting within her / his own professional boundary, will provide care for patients who access the services.

Acting as an autonomous practitioner working independently, and in conjunction with other health care professionals, to assess, investigate, diagnose, treat and evaluate all patients seen, including referring into other services wherever or whenever required. The post holder will demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making and will provide expert professional advice to patients, carers and colleagues ensuring maintenance of clinical excellence.

KEY RESPONSIBILTIES

CLINICAL ROLE

The post-holder will

• Provide the choice of direct access to a Nurse Practitioner, both in the Practice and over the telephone, for the general practice population
• Make professionally autonomous decisions for which he/she is accountable
• Provide a first point of contact within the Practice for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, making use of skills in history taking, physical examination, problem-solving and clinical decision-making, to establish a diagnosis and management plan
• To maintain accurate and contemporaneous records, utilising computer systems where appropriate and consider the Caldicott Principles in relation to all data handling.
• Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports
• Prescribe safe, effective and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework
• Provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care
• Promote health and well-being through the use of health promotion, health education, screening and therapeutic communication skills
• Refer patients directly to other services/agencies as appropriate
• Support the other clinicians within the Practice in developing and delivering specialist primary care services, such as long term disease management (diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease and hypertension) To work within the practice guidelines, policies and protocols.
• To provide ongoing care to our vulnerable population group in the Unplanned Admissions register or equivalent,and liaise with appropriate multi disciplinary team and create appropriate care plans and review them as required of the practice.

Assess patients presenting with acute illness or for review of chronic disease conditions.

Clinically examine and assess patient needs from a physiological, psychological and sociological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly

Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition (as appropriate)

Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions, integrating both drug- and non-drug-based treatment methods into a management plan

Provide education for patients for whom another service would be more appropriate

Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care

Refer patients to other medical specialities for assessment if deemed appropriate

Undertake and interpret a range of diagnostic tests and routine clinical procedures

Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols and formularies

Work with patients and their carers in order to support compliance with and adherence to prescribed treatments

Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimens, side-effects and interactions

Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles, and apply principles of self-care

Assess, identify and refer patients presenting with mental health needs

Support the practice and PCN Home Visiting Scheme.

TEAM ROLE

• As a clinician be available to support other healthcare team members and to accept referrals from other team members.

• To liaise with all members of the Primary Health Care Team and other agencies local authority, social services, secondary care and voluntary sector in order to assure appropriate care is provided for the practice population.
• To participate as a key member of the multi-professional team through the development of collaborative and innovative practice.
• To value all team members.
• To delegate appropriate tasks to the primary care team whilst still maintaining responsibility for this area.
• To support the delivery of health and safety guidance as agreed within the practice.
• To support the writing of, maintenance and delivery of CQC guidance within the practice

Person Specification

Experience working with 111 service is desirable but not essential

Essential

• Good interpersonal and communication skills. The ability to be a team player and work within a busy team.

Desirable

• Knowledge of system one

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East Durham Medical Group

Address

The Caradoc Surgery

Front Street West

Wingate

County Durham

TS285PZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.thecarodocpractice.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Job description

Job responsibilities

In general the post holder will be expected to undertake all the normal duties and responsibilities associated with a GP working within primary care including

Making professionally autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred internally within the practice

Receive patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems and make assessments of their health care needs

Consult with patients in the surgery, at home visits and via telephone or on line consultations as agreed internally between the practice GPs

Undertakes triage calls, triage visits, checking and signing of repeat prescriptions and dealing with queries, paperwork and correspondence in a timely fashion as required.

Screen patients for disease risk factors and early signs of illness

In consultation with patients and in line with current practice disease management protocols, develops care plans for health

Provide counselling and health education as necessary

Admit or discharge patients to and from caseload and refer them to other care providers internally and externally as appropriate and in line with practice protocols.

Comply with all relevant clinical Governance and Practice policies and protocols.

Assist in the establishment of appropriate systems to manage common chronic medical conditions.

Complete clinically related administrative and non-clinical duties required for the delivery of the service.

Record clear and contemporaneous consultation notes to agreed standards.

Demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning, and audit and effectiveness to ensure evidence based best practice.

Provide active input to the wider Primary healthcare team in the process of health needs research/ base line data collection/clinical audit.

Compile and issue computer generated acute and repeat prescriptions, prescribing in accordance with practice/DDES CCG prescribing formulary whenever this is clinically appropriate.

Network with other agencies (both statutory and voluntary) and develop appropriate links to further the work of the practice with the CCG and Federation

Meet professional learning and CPD requirements.

Develop effective relationships with clinical supervisor/mentors and other colleagues.

PRACTICE RESPONSIBILITIES

Contribute to the evaluation/ audit and clinical standard setting with colleagues.

Record data in patient records systems promptly and accurately and to agreed standards.

Ensure appropriate use of read codes.

Participate in the collection and collation of statistics towards the preparation of practice reports, performance monitoring and audits.

Participate in the auditing of practice activity as required.

Contribute to the strategic management and development of the practice.

Provide reports to both NHS and non-NHS agencies as required.

Responsible for health and safety of themselves and others and for reporting and actively co-operating in Alliance and Practice Health and Safety Policies and procedures.

Process and action incoming patient and hospital correspondence.

Attend in house meetings, significant event audit meetings and other meeting as deemed necessary.

Ensure that the practice complaints system is adhered to at all times.

Awareness and compliance with all relevant guidelines e.g. data protection, confidentiality, and health and safety.

Maintain current CPR and anaphylaxis certification and child/adult safeguarding training in line with local policies.

Maintain mandatory training and revalidation certification

The above is not an exhaustive list and in addition to the above duties, you may be required to perform other duties as the needs of our business change. We reserve the right to amend the above duties as deemed necessary for the needs of the business

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• MBBS MRCGP

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East Durham Medical Group

Address

The Caradoc Surgery

Front Street West

Wingate

County Durham

TS285PZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.thecarodocpractice.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)