Prison pharmacy technicians working in the health and justice sector play an important role in complementing prison clinical pharmacists, community pharmacists and other members of the multi-disciplinary team focussed on providing safe, cost-effective medicines for prison residents.

As a prision pharmacy technician, you have three broad areas of responsibility; clinical (medicines reconciliation, patient counselling and follow-up), technical (waste management and ordering) and training (prison staff, community pharmacy and the wider medical teams).

Key responsibilities

• Providing safe, cost-effective clinical and technical pharmacy services to prison residents and discharged prisoners within care communities.
• Proactively working as part of a multi-disciplinary team that includes community nursing teams, GPs, nurses, prison staff, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, non-medical prescribers, dietitians and support staff.
• Accurately recording and reporting activity and outcome data as required to support the quality improvement initiatives.
• Performing structured medicines reviews and education for residents, in line with current procedures and adjusting as necessary to improve health outcomes and improve efficiency.
• Building relationships within the prison, GP care home leads, primary care network pharmacist and other technicians.
• Providing prescribing support to nominated general practice(s) within the prison including advice regarding the transfer of care procedures for prison residents.
• Providing education and training to colleagues including the safe and appropriate ordering, storage and administration of medicines within a prison environment.
• Reviewing medicine ordering and wastage within the prison and providing advice to reduce wastage.
• Document technical medicines queries from colleagues, residents, and members of the public about the prescribing and dispensing of medication to prevent safeguarding incidents with prison residents
• Support the development of pathways and guidelines related to prisons.
• Understand the Mental Capacity Act to aid decision-making for medicines administration within prisons.
• Make and take responsibility for professional decisions whilst working within professional standards of conduct, ethics and performance.
• Take responsibility for keeping up to date with professional responsibilities and CPD requirements.

Location of work

Prison pharmacy technicians work within a wide of employment locations including prisons, secure facilities, and immigration removal centres, where you could be involved in the preparation of medicines, taking medication histories from patients, reviewing medicines, providing advice to patients about how to make the most of their medicines and giving advice on different treatment options. Your role will support the relationships between patients and pharmacy services.