Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Pharmacy Technician

• Ensure up to date with professional requirements
• Work clinically as appropriate to support the delivery of MMT timeframe protocols (approx. 50-75%)
• Provide professional supervision of pharmacy technicians and clerks within designated hub

Strategic Management and Planning

• Support the MMTM with the strategic development and management of the Medicines Management Team within Symphony and deputise as required
• Monitor and evaluate performance of designated MMT hub against objectives; identify and manage changes required to achieve future goals
• Take an active role in supporting the practices and PCNs in achieving their medicines management ambitions and targets including QOF and IIF
• Support the strategy with the Lead Pharmacist to reduce medicines waste within designated hub

Quality & Governance:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the MMT and specifically within designated hub and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies (ie community pharmacy) to meet patients needs
• Support on medication audits and QOF medication safety projects as delegated by the MMTM
• Support practices to improve medicines reconciliation on discharge, formulary compliance and repeat prescribing management
• Manage and adhere to the incident reporting process
• Provide timely and comprehensive responses to complaints to reach satisfactory resolution
• Deputise as appropriate by MMTM to quality and governance areas

Operational Management

• Responsible for the management including line management within designated MMT Hub/s

• Monitor the Symphony Safety Scorecard and ICB scorecard for each practice responsible for and meet with practices (or delegate) to determine action plans for their improvement, supporting their delivery where appropriate to do so.
• Deputise as appropriate by MMTM

Communication

• Develop and maintain effective communication both within the MMT and with relevant key stakeholders/outside agencies, patients, carers and staff
• Provide safe and effective means of communication with staff

Financial Management

• Ensure designated hub manages within the agreed budget and financial targets set by Symphony
• Support the MMTM with the development of annual cost improvement plans to meet the required Symphony target level, continual review workforce and non pay to ensure maximum cost effectiveness and maximum income opportunity gains
• QOF support the practices to achieve maximum QOF points regarding medicine management indicators
• Deputise as appropriate by MMTM

Human Resources

• Monitor and report on workforce performance in designated hub (i.e. vacancies, sickness, turnover, appraisals, mandatory training, etc.)
• Recruit, retain, develop and support within designated hub
• Ensure hub compliance with Symphony employment policies and statutory employment requirements.
• Organise and oversee staff induction and training in designated hub
• Staff performance - empower staff to carry out their roles effectively, provide regular feedback on performance, carry out annual staff appraisals identifying and meeting training needs and succession planning for the future.
• Address areas of underperformance or and/or capability issues in a fair and timely way, following SHS policies,with support from HR when required
• Ensure maximum contribution by staff to the Symphony annual staff survey, review and share results and develop action plans for improvement to support Symphony in becoming an employer of choice.
• Maintain and update all staff employment records and documentation in line with CQC requirements
• Implement effective systems for the resolution of disputes and grievances with support from HR.

Wellbeing

• Take a lead and proactive role in supporting the health and wellbeing of staff
• Enable and empower staff to take responsibility for their own wellbeing and sign post to support as needed
• Attend training on having effective wellbeing conversations and ensure these are embedded at the practice

MMT Performance

• Understand and support the achievement of the MMT KPIs

• Symphony safety scorecard monitor the Symphony Safety Scorecard for all practices responsible for, to review with practices monthly and support its compliance. Note the Practice (clinical lead) is accountable.
• CQC readiness support practices to be compliant with CQC regulations pertaining to medicines management
• QOF support practices to achieve maximum QOF points in areas pertaining to medicines management

Organisational

• Convene meetings, prepare agendas and ensure distribution of minutes as necessary
• Support the MMTM with the development and maintenance of any policies/procedures relating to the use of medicines within the integrated care settings, liaising as appropriate with stakeholders to ensure safe medication practice is adopted at all times.
• Understand Health & Safety policies and procedures and keep abreast of current legislation.
• Support the MMTM to ensure that the MMT has adequate business continuity plan and procedures in place.

Transformation

• To ensure effective implementation within designated area of transformation projects and work streams in conjunction with the Symphony transformation strategy
• Ensure the identification and realisation of quality and efficiency gains associated with transformation projects

Information Management and Technology

• Motivate, support and monitor staff in the use of IT; organise, oversee and evaluate IT training.
• Monitoring standards for data entry and data collection.
• Ensure area has effective IT data security, back-up, maintenance and disaster recovery plans in place.

Premises and Equipment:

• Ensure that MMT premises responsible for are properly maintained and cleaned and that adequate fire prevention and security systems are in place.
• Maximise available space to achieve the optimum use of the building
• Ensure maintenance of common equipment e.g. kitchen utilities, sanitary facilities etc. linking with practice manager as required
• Ensure equipment complies with appropriate legislation (e.g. Health and safety, portable appliance testing of own equipment etc.).

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.
• Reporting potential risks identified

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• At least 3 years post-registration pharmacy experience (E)
• Good clinical pharmacy knowledge (E)
• Experience of managing/supervising a team or able to demonstrate potential to do so (E)
• Dealing with difficult and challenging staff situations (E)
• Knowledge and understanding

Desirable

• Knowledge and understanding Primary Care (D)
• Experience with financial management, including budget control and planning (D)
• Business or operational management experience (D)
• Experience of developing new and innovative services within a primary care setting (D)
• Experience of project implementation (D)
• Clinical audit experience (D)

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Management skills (E)
• Ability to develop highly motivated and high performing teams (E)
• Approachable with the ability to listen and empathise (E)
• Conflict management skills (E)
• Network and facilitation skills (E)
• Understand and respond to the health and wellbeing needs of staff (E)
• Ability to build effective positive and respectful relationships with staff and key stakeholders (E)
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively at all levels (E)
• Work well under pressure and meet deadlines (E)
• Ability to manage change (E)
• Strong organisational and time management skills (E)
• A logical approach to problem solving (E)
• Computer literacy, including good word processing skills (E)
• Ability to make effective decisions under pressure (E)
• Understands the importance of high standards of medical care & confidentiality (E)

Qualifications

Essential

• GPhC registration as a Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician (E)

Desirable

• NVQ 4 or equivalent in Medicines Management (D)
• Formal leadership or management training/qualification (D)

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Symphony Healthcare Services Limited

Address

Creech Medical Centre

Hyde Lane

Creech St. Michael

Taunton

Somerset

TA3 5FA