Care Homes: Role Comparison of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
On the 11th of April, 2024, we published a comparison of the role profiles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in a general practice setting, based on the learning needs analysis (LNA) tool used by professionals on the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP), which is provided by CPPE. At the time, we promised to provide a similar chart for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in care homes. We are now making good on that promise.
Similar to pharmacy professionals working mainly in the practice, CPPE envisages that those working in care homes with practice at the entry, intermediate and advanced levels. The tables below give a summary of what the CPPE thought the roles would be able to accomplish at each of these levels. You are welcome to download the PDF version at the bottom of the page if you wish to adapt the tables to your need.
Entry Level Practice in Care Homes
| Entry Level | Pharmacist | Pharm Tech |
| Involvement in national and local Quality, Innovation Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) projects | TRUE | TRUE |
| Identifying topics for local quality improvement projects and participating in the chosen projects | TRUE | TRUE |
| Using software tools to monitor prescribing | TRUE | TRUE |
| Dealing with medication queries from residents, staff, and carers according to local policies and procedures | TRUE | TRUE |
| Ensuring allergy information is accurate and correctly documented, and that the information is shared with the wider multidisciplinary team including community pharmacy | TRUE | TRUE |
| Identifying missing information, discrepancies, and errors on repeat prescription requests and resolving them according to local policies and procedures | TRUE | TRUE |
| Completing effective medicines reconciliation at transfer of care according to local policies and procedures | TRUE | TRUE |
| Completing audits and reviews of the use of medicines according to local policies and procedures | TRUE | |
| Ensuring medicines policies and procedures meet the requirements of Care Quality Commission (CQC)* | TRUE | |
| Ensuring care homes comply with Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards on medicines-related issues* | TRUE | |
| Working with care home staff to develop safe and effective processes for the ordering and administration of medicines* | TRUE | |
| Developing effective systems for monitoring high-risk medicines* | TRUE | |
| Using software tools to monitor and improve prescribing* | TRUE | |
| Ensuring effective antimicrobial stewardship* | TRUE | |
| Participation in national and local Quality, Innovation Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) projects* | TRUE | |
| Identifying topics for local quality improvement projects and participating in the chosen projects* | TRUE | |
| Providing advice about medicines to residents, staff and carers* | TRUE | |
| Resolving queries, errors and omissions from medicines reconciliation at transfer of care* | TRUE | |
| Working with care home staff and local GP practices to prioritise patients for medication review* | TRUE | |
| Ensuring effective medicines reconciliation at transfer of care* | TRUE | |
| Delivering person-centred consultations about medicines encouraging shared decision making with residents and carers* | TRUE | |
| Understanding who can be involved in decisions about medicines when an individual resident is unable to make their own decisions* | TRUE | |
| Performing NHS health checks on residents as appropriate* | TRUE | |
| Caring for individuals with one or more long-term conditions (LTCs)* | TRUE | |
| Providing ongoing care for specific conditions (eg, eczema, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS))* | TRUE | |
| Managing musculoskeletal pain (eg, osteoarthritis)* | TRUE | |
| Identifying and raising any safeguarding concerns about residents * | TRUE |
Intermediate Level Practice in Care Homes
| Intermediate Level | Pharmacist | Pharm Tech |
| Implementing policies and effective processes for medicines governance including controlled drugs | TRUE | TRUE |
| Working to ensure effective antimicrobial stewardship | TRUE | TRUE |
| TRUE | TRUE | |
| Monitoring high-risk medicines according to local systems and processes | TRUE | TRUE |
| Dealing with repeat prescription requests according to local policies and procedures | TRUE | TRUE |
| Working to ensure compliance with CQC standards for managing medicines within care homes | TRUE | TRUE |
| Liaising with staff, residents, carers and local community pharmacies to understand, advise upon and resolve medication supply issues | TRUE | TRUE |
| Working in a patient-facing role to enable individuals get the best out of their medicines (eg, identifying medication adherence issues, synchronising repeat prescriptions, dealing with supply issues) | TRUE | TRUE |
| Undertaking level 1 medication reviews | TRUE | TRUE |
| Establishing a programme of regular medication review for targeted patients* | TRUE | |
| Developing individualised treatment plans for patients taking multiple medicines, particularly those at risk of hospital admission* | TRUE | |
| Promoting self-management and developing support systems for residents with one or more long-term conditions* | TRUE | |
| Monitoring any residents taking high-risk medicines* | TRUE | |
| Monitoring psychotropic medicines prescribed in care homes* | TRUE | |
| Building links with community pharmacists and others involved in the medicines supply chain to resolve issues and improve resident experience* | TRUE | |
| Facilitating staff training on all matters relating to medicines | TRUE |
Advanced Level Practice in Care Homes
| Advanced Level | Pharmacist | Pharm Tech |
| Investigating and escalating appropriately, any incidents (including safeguarding) relating to medicines or their use by residents and staff | TRUE | TRUE |
| Reviewing the implementation of policies and procedures related to medicines governance | TRUE | TRUE |
| Undertaking level 2 medication reviews (depending on competence and experience) including making suggestions for deprescribing where appropriate | TRUE | TRUE |
| Delivering person-centred consultations for acute illness or long-term conditions using appropriate clinical examination and diagnostic skills as part of a multidisciplinary team | TRUE | TRUE |
| Leading a regular programme of level 3 medication reviews | TRUE | |
| Taking responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the care home* | TRUE | |
| Supporting residents with complex medication regimens and/or multiple long-term conditions including making suggestions for deprescribing where appropriate* | TRUE | |
| Using clinical and pharmaceutical expertise to care for clinical conditions such as acute presentations of common illnesses, exacerbations of depression or anxiety, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, or heart failure | TRUE | |
| Offering end-of-life care | TRUE | |
| Reducing the treatment burden of residents including deprescribing | TRUE |
PDF Version
As promised above, if you wish to download a easy-print download version of the above, click on the three dots (…) under the file below.
Role Comparison Pharmacy Professionals in Care Homes
Discover more from The GP Pharmacy Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
