Working as a pharmacy technician in the UK is no small deal. In charge of the other pharmacy employees, such as pharmacy assistants, you may occasionally need to refer patients to another member of the healthcare team, such as a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or allied health professional. A locum recruitment agency in the UK that deals with many pharmacists on an everyday basis, at JP Medicals we have exciting opportunities for experts like you. Yours is definitely a rewarding profession, so let us go through its details in this blog.
What is a pharmacy technician?
Pharmacy technicians are senior members of the pharmacy team whose job is to manage and prepare the supply of medicines while also advising patients on how to take these medications safely.
Pharmacy technicians may also be involved in the delivery of some public health services, such as smoking cessation counseling.
Responsibilities of Pharmacy Technicians
A Pharmacy Technician’s tasks might range from simple to complex. As a result, job descriptions will frequently differ from pharmacy to pharmacy.
As a Pharmacy Technician, you will most likely be working closely with Pharmacists. As a result, your job will entail carefully crafting prescriptions and double-checking medications.
Furthermore, providing medical advice, accepting calls, and so on may be frequent activities.
Here is a list of the various tasks that Pharmacy Technicians perform:
- Handle insurance and legal matters
- Keeping pharmaceuticals in stock, assembling them, and delivering them to support pharmacological services.
- Providing assistance to healthcare providers and patients. For example, greeting patients in person, maintaining communication, and responding to questions and concerns.
- Keeping track of prescription supplies and replenishing inventory as needed.
- Forecasting prescriptions and supplies.
- Placing and expediting orders, confirming deliveries, and removing expired products All of this is part of keeping pharmacy inventory.
- Maintaining the pharmacy’s safety and cleanliness by adhering to policies, laws, and regulations.
- To protect patients and staff and adhere to infection control protocols and recommendations.
- Reads medicine orders and prescriptions, creates stickers, and performs math calculations.
- They also prepare intravenous solutions and other medicinal treatments for dispensing by pharmacists.
- Keeps track of doctor’s instructions and prescriptions by documenting and filing them.
- Calculates, records, and issues charges to generate money.
- To assure prescription availability, medications are delivered to patients and departments.
- Records are created by gathering and summarising information.
- Contributes to the team effort as needed by completing appropriate outcomes.
Where can pharmacy technicians work?
Pharmacy technicians often serve as members of healthcare teams in organisations that span multiple health sectors. Some of the most prevalent places for pharmacy technicians to work include:
- Hospitals (NHS and Private)
- Community pharmacies
- Primary health care
- GP consultations
- Healthcare Divisions
- Life Sciences Pharma
- High-end retail (pharmacies and supermarkets)
- Care homes
- Patient homes
- Armed forces
- Pharmaceutical industry
What qualifications are required for a pharmacy technician?
To work as a registered Pharmacy Technician in the United Kingdom, you must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. To register, you must have an authorised qualification such as
- National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science (BTEC)
- Pharmacy Services Level 3 NVQ/SVQ
- National Certificate in Pharmaceutical Science
What are the skills required to work as a pharmacy technician?
It is also vital to note that certain talents and personality traits are required for this specific job in order to become a pharmacy technician. These are some examples:
- Accurate
- Reliable
- Meticulous to details
- Ability to be confidential
- Ability to work well with patients and the public
- Responsible and accurate
- Should possess effective communication abilities, outstanding interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, and time management abilities
Salary and benefits of the pharmacy technicians
In the NHS, newly qualified pharmacy technicians often start at band 4 of the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scale. In addition, you’ll have access to a robust pension plan and healthcare discounts, as well as at least 27 days of annual vacation plus bank holidays.
Terms and conditions may differ for pharmacy technicians working outside of the NHS, such as those in community pharmacies or for other businesses that supply NHS services.
Key benefits of working as a locum Pharmacy Technician
The duties and obligations of a locum pharmacy technician will stay the same, although on a more temporary basis. As a locum technician, you will have entire control over your earning potential and working hours, giving you the freedom and flexibility to work for as long as you choose.
For many, this permits them to take career breaks, travel, and maintain a great work/life balance. There are always opportunities available as a locum, ranging from short-term or medium-term contracts to more permanent long-term contracts.
- Work hours that are flexible
- Opportunities for training – the path from community pharmacy to hospital pharmacy
- Possibility of relocating for career prospects in the UK and abroad
- Financially rewarding – high hourly pay rates
- There are no extensive notice periods; all locum contracts require a one-week notice period.
- Opportunity to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including private hospitals, HM Prisons, CCGs, and primary care.
How to get a job as a Pharmacy Technician?
You must complete a two-year approved pharmacy technician programme that combines actual work experience and academics. As a pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician, you’ll normally work at a pharmacy and study for a level 3 apprenticeship.
You must complete a two-year training programme that includes both actual job experience and classroom instruction. After that, you can register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and work as a qualified pharmacy technician.
Requirements for entry
To pursue the level 3 Pharmacy Technician (Integrated) apprenticeship, you will typically require four GCSEs or equivalent at A*-C/9-4, including mathematics, English language, science, and one other subject.
Development and training
You will be required to maintain your skills and knowledge up to date through annual continuing professional development (CPD) and formal assessments with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Your employer may provide in-house training, and regional and national courses and credentials are also available.
Interested in working as a pharmacy technician? Join JPMedicals Recruitment right away.
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