Prescribing Assistant
| Posting date: | 04 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Negotiable |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 21 December 2025 |
| Location: | Gloucester, GL2 2FY |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | A3678-25-0020 |
Summary
Key responsibilities Patient Services - Prescribing 1. Deal with medication queries from patients, carers and pharmacies in a supportive and polite manner. Ensure they are aware of the outcome and that all queries are dealt with in a timely fashion. 2. Escalate queries as appropriate to the doctors, pharmacists, Patient Services Manager and Practice Manager. 3. In accordance with practice protocols, process requests for repeat prescriptions and acute prescriptions. Ensure patients receive their repeat prescription within 5 working days, except in exceptional circumstances. 4. Keep accurate records of all actions taken in the patients medical record. 5. Communicate with patients if their prescription cannot be produced within the expected timescale. Ensure a record is kept in the patients journal of any communication. 6. Monitor the frequency of prescription requests and where identified, bring to the attention of doctors, and others, patients who are under or over using medication. 7. Monitor the quantities on prescriptions where there should be consistency for those patients on regular medication. 8. Check for patients who require regular tests and clinical reviews linked to their prescriptions and where necessary ensure that patients comply with recommendations. 9. Be aware of entries in the patients medical record, and in other documentation, that may have an impact on the medication that patient receive. 10. Synchronise re-order dates where patients have multiple medications to ensure they all run out at the same time to improve efficiency for all. 11. Process changes in medication identified from discharge summaries and letters and bring them to the attention of the patients usual Doctor. 12. Update patients medical records in respect of expired or old repeat medication. 13. Identify and bring to the attention of the patients usual doctor those suitable for repeat dispensing. 14. Liaise with appliance contractors for the provision of those appliances to patients. 15. Continually review medication and identify potential cost effective prescribing. 16. Liaise and work in conjunction with the Practices Support Pharmacist. Patient Services - General 1. Distribute health promotion or health related leaflets and information to patients as necessary. 2. Ensure that patient satisfaction is maintained at every opportunity. This includes resolving problems in a timely fashion and communicating in a polite manner. Quality 1. Assess prescription related systems and make suggestions for improvements. 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. 2. Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk and bring to the attention of the Lead Pharmacist problem areas, backlogs and areas of difficulty. 3. Escalate concerns to the Lead Pharmacist if prescriptions are not being produced in a timely fashion. 4. Ensure Practice policies are followed and accurate records are kept. 5. Attend meetings with other staff to review and address quality issues relating to prescriptions. 6. Be involved in training other staff in prescription related matters. 7. Assist with the production and upkeep of Practice protocols, procedures and policies. Complaint and problem resolution 1. Deal with prescription related situations that members of the reception team feel unable to resolve themselves. 2. Assess the need for prescriptions to be reprinted and for reception staff to act outside normal guidelines as required. 3. Investigate complaints at the request of the Practice Manager. Workload planning 1. The post holder will be supervised on a daily basis by the Practices Support Pharmacist but is expected to be self-motivated and use their own initiative within procedural guidelines. 2. Prioritise own workload and requests for support to make the most effective use of resources available. 3. Use judgement and experience to determine the relevant urgency of requests received from patients, reception staff and other external organisations. Personal Development 1. Following adequate notice, undertake appropriate training whenever reasonably possible. Such training may be provided internally or externally. 2. Take part in Protected Learning Time and other training deemed necessary by the Practice. Such events that maybe held internally or externally. If these are not scheduled within normal working hours the Post Holder will be paid for the additional hours worked. 3. All employees have a responsibility to participate in regular appraisal (at least annual) with their line manager and to identify performance standards for the post. 4. As part of the appraisal process employees have a joint responsibility with their line manager to identify any learning development needs in order to meet the agreed performance standards. Confidentiality 1. Maintain patient and Practice confidentiality at all times 2. Enter into a Confidentiality Agreement with the Practice which will continue after employment ceases. Working Safely 1. Carry out all duties in accordance with guidelines, protocols and policies. 2. Follow Practice guidance and protocols with regard to building security and have thorough knowledge of securing doors, windows and alarm systems. 3. Ensure that all duties of the post are carried out at all times so that they conform to: i. Practice related policies, protocols, guidelines and procedures. ii. The legal requirements of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended), the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) and the Disability Discriminations Action 1995 where applicable. iii. All health and safety legislation and Practice procedures.