Pharmacy technicians play an important role within general practice and complement the more clinical work of clinical pharmacist, through utilisation of their technical skillset. Their deployment within primary care settings allows the application of their acquired pharmaceutical knowledge in tasks such as audits, discharge management, prescription issuing, and where appropriate, informing patients and other members of Primary Care Network (PCN) workforce. Work is often under the direction of clinical pharmacists, and this benefit is realised through the creation of a PCN pharmacy team.
The responsibilities of a Pharmacy Technician include:
- Undertaking patient facing and patient supporting roles to ensure effective medicines use, through shared decision-making conversations with patients.
- The carrying out of medicines optimisation tasks including effective medicine administration, supporting medication reviews and medicines reconciliation.
- Where required, utilisation of consultation skills to work in partnership with patients to ensure they use their medicines effectively.
- Providing of 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.
- Taking a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols and liaising with specialist pharmacists for more complex patients.
- Supporting initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.
- Working with the PCN multi-disciplinary team to ensure efficient medicines optimisation, including implementing efficient ordering and return processes and reducing wastage.
Is there any recruitment funding available to Primary Care Networks for Pharmacy Technicians?
The Pharmacy Technician role is included in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme for Primary Care Networks from April 2020.
What education and training is required for a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy Technicians need to be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
GPhC – Pharmacy technician education and training
Further information
Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service: guidance for 2022/23 in England