Job summaryWe are seeking to recruit a Pharmacy Technician on a Full Time (37.5 hours per week), Permanent basis.
The focus of the post holders work will depend on the qualifications, skills and experience of the individual and the needs of the PCN, both of which may develop over time.
The post holder will: Support the role of PCN Clinical Pharmacists in the delivery of clinical pharmacy services Provide technical and administrative support to the clinicians within the PCN.
Main duties of the jobClinical 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. As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies Support the clinical pharmacists in providing medication reviews, developing further standard operating procedures, patient information and information about medicine awareness. Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities. Liaise with clinicians and admin staff to resolve prescribing queries To respond to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the GP/clinical pharmacist when appropriate. To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness Assist with medication safety monitoring systems (eg high risk drugs)
About usJoin an award-winning organisation. For the third consecutive year, Sunderland GP Alliance has been named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work and holds the Better Health at Work Gold Award with Continuing Excellence status. In addition, we offer 33 days' annual leave and a comprehensive range of employee benefits.
Sunderland GP Alliance is a not-for-profit collaboration of GP practices in Sunderland.
All GP Practices in Sunderland are members of the organisation, covering approximately 285,000 patients.
The Alliance also runs three practices: Monument Surgeries, South Hylton and New Silksworth.
DetailsDate posted: 07 August 2026
Pay scheme: Other
Salary: £30,734.11 to £36,129.55 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: U0012-26-0035
Job locations: North East BIC, Wearfield, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 2TA, United Kingdom; Barmston Medical Centre, Westerhope Road, WASHINGTON, Tyne And Wear, NE38 8JF, United Kingdom; Galleries Health Centre, Health Centre, The Galleries, Washington Centre, WASHINGTON, Tyne And Wear, NE38 7NQ, United Kingdom
Job responsibilitiesJOB PUROSEThe focus of the post holders work will depend on the qualifications, skills and experience of the individual and the needs of the PCN, both of which may develop over time.
The post holder will:
- Support the role of PCN Clinical Pharmacists in the delivery of clinical pharmacy services
- Provide technical and administrative support to the clinicians within the PCN.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESClinical- 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.
- As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies
- Support the clinical pharmacists in providing medication reviews, developing further standard operating procedures, patient information and information about medicine awareness.
- Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information, and help in tackling local health inequalities.
- Liaise with clinicians and admin staff to resolve prescribing queries
- To respond to medication queries from patients and staff in a professional manner referring to the GP/clinical pharmacist when appropriate.
- To provide advice to GPs, staff and patients in changes to prescribing to support the improvement of prescribing safety, quality and cost effectiveness
- Assist with medication safety monitoring systems (eg high risk drugs)
Technical and Administrative- Support the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation processes are being followed.
- Implement efficient ordering and return processes and reducing medication wastage.
- Provide training and support on the legal, safe and secure handling of medicines, including the implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
- Promotion of Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) and online ordering
- Develop relationships with other pharmacy professionals and members of the multi-disciplinary team to support integration across health and social care including primary care, community pharmacy, secondary care and mental health.
- Support practice reception teams in streaming general prescription requests, to allow GPs and clinical pharmacists to review the more clinically complex requests.
- Support the implementation of national prescribing policies and guidance within GP practices, care homes and other primary care settings.
- Support the PCN to deliver on QOF and locally commissioned enhanced services
- Support the PCN in reviewing and developing practice policies for CQC requirements
- Assist with the development and review of medicines audits
- Take a proactive approach in the safe handling of prescriptions, assessing risks and making any recommendations for change.
- Help, plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the practice to optimise the quality of prescribing.
- To take a proactive approach to the safe handling of prescriptions, including assessment of risk and making recommendations for improvement.
Culture- 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 appointing GP Federation 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 in all working practices.
- 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.
- Ensure that any infection prevention and control issues are reported to the line manager/Infection Prevention and Control.
Personal/Professional developmentThe post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the PCN/GP federation as part of this employment, with 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
Education and Training- Provide education and training to the, primary healthcare team and other health professionals e.g., nursing staff as required.
- Participate in a peer support network with fellow pharmacy technicians
Research and EvaluationThe post holder will demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and review literature, applying research evidence base into working place and understand the principles of research governance.
ConfidentialityIn 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. 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 Alliance may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Alliances policies and procedures relating to confidentiality, and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health & SafetyThe post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Alliances Health & Safety Policy to include:
- Identifying the risk involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
- Ensuring that all accidents or dangerous accidents are reported and investigated and follow up action taken where necessary.
Equality and DiversityThe post-holder will support the quality, 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 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-judgemental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.
QualityThe post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Alliance, 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 enhanced the teams performance.
- Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs.
- Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.
CommunicationThe post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members.
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
- Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Working ConditionsThe post-holder is required to travel independently between practice sites (where applicable), and to attend meetings and training etc. hosted by other agencies.
The post-holder may have contact with body fluids i.e., wound exudates; urine etc. while in clinical practice.
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssential- BTEC/NVQ level 3 or equivalent in pharmaceutical sciences
- Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
- Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD)
- UK driving licence
- UK work permit (if required)
- Experience of working as a qualified, registered pharmacy technician in primary care, community or hospital pharmacy
Desirable- Experience of working in a primary care setting
- Medicines reconciliation qualification
Motivation and SkillsEssential- Computer literate with an ability to use Microsoft office packages
- Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
- Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily
- Able to effectively manage allocated resources
- Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise own workload to meet strict deadlines
- Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience
- An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues
- Ability to motivate self and other members of the team
- Drive and determination to promote and support the role of pharmacy staff in General Practice
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- Demonstrates the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences
- Able to influence, motivate and persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations or agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers
- Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate
- Produce timely and informative reports
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
- An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
Desirable- Computer literate with an ability to use the required GP clinical systems
- Can plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issue in core areas for long term conditions
- Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information
ExperienceEssential- Appreciation of General Practice and working alongside General practice staff
- Knowledge of Primary Care Networks, General Practice and evidence based medicine
- An appreciation of the NHS agenda and Government targets
- Good clinical pharmacy knowledge including terminology
- An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for the improvement of prescribing
- Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics and current legislation
Desirable- An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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 RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer detailsEmployer name: Sunderland GP Alliance
Address: North East BIC, Wearfield, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 2TA, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.sunderlandgpalliance.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact: Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Ciaran Foster, ciaran.foster1@nhs.net
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. 
){kind=logo}
