Our PCN Pharmacy services team includes Clinical Pharmacists (highly qualified experts in medicines, with advanced training in how medications work and interact) and Pharmacy Techncians (Trained professionals who work alongside clinical pharmacists to support medicine-related tasks).

Clinical Pharmacists ensure you get the most benefit from your medicines and can often answer questions you might otherwise need to ask a GP.  They free up GP time by handling repeat prescriptions and medicine-related queries, enabling GPs to treat urgent and acute cases.

Pharmacy Technicians work behind the scene to ensure medication records and prescriptions are managed effectively and efficiently.

Scroll down for a guide to some of the things they do.

Structured medication reviews (SMRs).  These are carried out by pharmacists and are targeted at patients deemed most in need, for example, those with ten or more medications on repeat prescriptions. The pharmacists will have 30 minutes for these appointments, which allows them to look at all the medicines in detail and ensure the patients’ thoughts and wishes regarding their medications are heard.

High-risk drug monitoring.  Our team helps practices to ensure that patients on medication that requires close monitoring are invited for their required blood tests. Any abnormal results are highlighted to a pharmacist or the patient’s GP for review. For example, all patients on anticoagulant medication have their dose monitored at least annually to check that it is correct for the individual.

Out of stocks.  Our team works with local community pharmacies to help source medication and supply alternatives to unavailable items. The number of medicines that are unavailable has increased dramatically in recent years. To help the team manage this workload, patients will be asked to try sourcing their medication from multiple pharmacies before returning to the surgery for an alternative.

Medication queries.  Our team has some appointment slots available each day for the reception teams to book into so that we can help patients with medication queries they have, such as potential side effects they may be experiencing or lacking clarity around a dose.

Medicines reconciliation.  When patients are seen for care elsewhere, medications may be stopped or started. Our team help to make sure that the patient’s repeat prescription is up to date with the latest changes. Patients may be contacted to check that the new medications suit them or to issue different doses when a drug is being titrated (slowly increasing the dose of a medicine by very small amounts over days, weeks, or even months to find the correct dose that is effective for you).