I’m Gemma, Lead Pharmacy Technician for Immedicare.
I have worked in the pharmacy profession for almost 20 years. I started my career as a pharmacy assistant working in community pharmacy before moving to hospital pharmacy and progressing over the years into the specialist pharmacy technician I am today. I have worked at Airedale General Hospital for almost 12 years.
As demand for healthcare services increases due to an ageing population and people living longer with multiple healthcare conditions, pharmacy technicians are more important than they have ever been.
Our profession is ever evolving, and pharmacy technicians are crucial members of healthcare teams, working in a range of diverse clinical positions like my own.
Immedicare provides care homes with 24/7 remote access to the NHS professionals in our Digital Care Hub. Falls are the number one reason care homes call Immedicare with 15,000 falls related calls in 2024.
I work closely with the Immedicare pharmacist to improve medication safety in care homes and falls prevention is one of our biggest priorities. Medication review plays an important part in falls prevention; I carry out STOPPFall medication reviews for residents who have fallen and are taking medication known to increase the risk of falls. Following my review, if I identify medication as potential source of harm I share specific patient-centred advice with GP surgeries on which medication I think should be reviewed and where applicable relevant guidance on how to do it.
It’s very rewarding to see the positive impact our work is having. Initial data from our STOPPFall medication review service confirms where medication is reduced or stopped following a medication review by the Immedicare pharmacy team, the rate of falls over the following 2 months decreases for 46% of residents.
My role at Immedicare is unique and while I have a network of Pharmacy Technicians, I don’t know anyone who works in a role quite like mine.
Working in the Digital Care Hub as part of a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, I have such a great opportunity to learn from and support those around me. At Immedicare, we make a real difference to patients – we can truly impact the quality of life for the residents we support.
