For GP practices and PCNs
On-site pharmacy technician cover
Request a pharmacy technician to work alongside your practice medicines team. Set out the workflows, sites and support arrangements needed for the assignment.
Explain the technician’s place in the team
Identify the work the locum will take over and the colleagues they will work with. Distinguish medicines-related administrative tasks, patient or pharmacy contact and support tasks from decisions reserved for the relevant clinician. If your surgery dispenses, be explicit about whether dispensary duties are included.
Prepare procedures as well as a workstation
Have the current local process available, arrange individual access and identify the person leading induction. Explain how tasks are allocated, recorded and escalated. The locum needs to know the practice’s workflow even if they have extensive experience of the same clinical system elsewhere.
Give multi-site cover a realistic timetable
For a PCN booking, state where the person will be each day and whether travel falls within the agreed hours. Check that every site has access and workspace ready. Name one contact who settles competing priorities, so the technician is not left to juggle separate practice lists.
Agree who reviews unfinished work at the end of a short assignment. A clearly labelled handover makes it easier for the permanent team to resume responsibility.
- Shift postedGP session, 8:30am to 6pm
- Locum appliedChecks already complete
- Terms agreedRate, duties and cancellation in writing
- Booking confirmedBoth sides get the detailsToday
Booking
From request to confirmed booking
Post the shift, review applicants and agree terms in writing. Every step is recorded for you and the locum.
Register your practiceDescribe cover for an absent technician
List the absent colleague’s duties individually and identify which are needed during the cover period. Some work may depend on local training or permissions that need time to arrange. Prioritising the required tasks gives a new locum a more realistic brief than asking them to copy the entire existing role immediately.
Professional requirements for the role
Great Britain requires GPhC technician registration. PSNI does not currently register technicians in Northern Ireland; check relevant qualifications and experience.
Specify the technician duties, local procedures and supervision. Dispensing, accuracy-checking and system qualifications each cover only part of the work in a GP practice. Identify who reviews decisions outside the agreed technician role.
State the country where the service is delivered. Onboarding, local service requirements and any funding conditions need checking for that assignment.
How we approach checks and bookings →| Shift | Day | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Locum GP, morning | Monday | 2 applied |
| Practice nurse | Tuesday | Offered |
| Clinical pharmacist | Wednesday | Booked |
For practices
Every shift in one place
Post pharmacy technician shifts, see who has applied and confirm bookings from one workspace.
Register your practiceQuestions about booking cover
Should we ask for an accuracy-checking technician?
Only specify that qualification where it is relevant to the duties. Describe the work and the evidence required; an accuracy-checking qualification should not be used as a substitute for assessing the actual general practice task.
Can a technician work without a local contact?
The booking needs a clear route for operational questions and work outside the agreed role. State the appropriate supervision and support, including arrangements when the usual colleague is absent.
How much is the booking fee?
£19.99 + VAT per locum for each calendar day worked, including a part-day. Prices exclude VAT. The practice contracts with and pays the locum directly, including agreed expenses, separately from our fee. The same fee applies to GP, pharmacist, pharmacy technician and nursing cover.
Preparing for the work
Official professional guidance
Source review: . Use the current requirements for the country and service involved.
Our editorial policyRegister your practice for on-site pharmacy technician cover
Register free, then send the dates, duties and support arrangements. We’ll review suitable availability and discuss the booking.