Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Pharmacist at Ivel Valley South PCN, supporting delivery of the new Network Contract DES Service specifications and IIF targets.
Ivel Valley South cover the following surgeries:
Dr Baxter & Partners, Larksfield Surgery & Arlesey Surgery and Lower Stondon Surgery.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be joining a team of 4 clinical pharmacists taking responsibility within the network for areas of chronic disease management, assist with prescription and
medication queries and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively
manage patients and directly tackle over-medication of patients including the
inappropriate use of antibiotics. Through structured medication reviews the
post holder will support patients to take their medicines to get the best from
them, reduce waste and promote self-care.
About us
Ivel Valley South PCN consists of 3 GP practices covering a population of over 40,000 patients across Bedfordshire.
As a PCN, we are proud to represent our member practices and to champion primary care by working with local general practice and system partners in the provision of community-based healthcare services. We are dedicated to providing safe and compassionate care to our patients across our range of primary and unplanned healthcare services in Bedfordshire, and believe in continuous commitment to quality service delivery and positive patient outcomes.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do, and we pride ourselves in ensuring our patients feel safe, supported, communicated with and respected, at a time when they may be feeling vulnerable.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary PCN team who will work between the 5 practices within the network.
The post holder will take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management, assist with prescription and medication queries and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage patients and directly tackle over-medication of patients including the inappropriate use of antibiotics. Through structured medication reviews the post holder will support patients to take their medicines to get the best from them, reduce waste and promote self-care. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan commitments the post holder will focus on particular priority groups, including but not limited to:
- Asthma & COPD
- Hypertension & hypercholesterolaemia
- Atrial fibrillation
- Frail elderly
- Care home residents
- Patients with complex needs taking large numbers of different medications
The post holder will also support the practices and PCN with prescription and medication queries and the achievement of PCN objectives in relation to the PCN Direct Enhanced Service (DES). They will help support the repeat prescriptions system, deal with acute prescription requests, medicines reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing, providing expertise in clinical medicines advice while addressing both public and social care needs of patient in the GP practice(s).
The post holder will provide clinical leadership on medicines optimisation and quality improvement and manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework, with a particular focus on the prescribing safety quality improvement domain, and enhanced services.
The role is key to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver excellent service within general practice.
The post holder will be joining the current pharmacy team at Ivel Valley South PCN and will work closely with the practice’s multi-disciplinary team and other pharmacists’ within the network. We expect this role will evolve as the PCN continues to develop.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary PCN team who will work between the 5 practices within the network.
The post holder will take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management, assist with prescription and medication queries and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage patients and directly tackle over-medication of patients including the inappropriate use of antibiotics. Through structured medication reviews the post holder will support patients to take their medicines to get the best from them, reduce waste and promote self-care. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan commitments the post holder will focus on particular priority groups, including but not limited to:
- Asthma & COPD
- Hypertension & hypercholesterolaemia
- Atrial fibrillation
- Frail elderly
- Care home residents
- Patients with complex needs taking large numbers of different medications
The post holder will also support the practices and PCN with prescription and medication queries and the achievement of PCN objectives in relation to the PCN Direct Enhanced Service (DES). They will help support the repeat prescriptions system, deal with acute prescription requests, medicines reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing, providing expertise in clinical medicines advice while addressing both public and social care needs of patient in the GP practice(s).
The post holder will provide clinical leadership on medicines optimisation and quality improvement and manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework, with a particular focus on the prescribing safety quality improvement domain, and enhanced services.
The role is key to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver excellent service within general practice.
The post holder will be joining the current pharmacy team at Ivel Valley South PCN and will work closely with the practice’s multi-disciplinary team and other pharmacists’ within the network. We expect this role will evolve as the PCN continues to develop.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualifications
- -Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent)
- -Independent prescriber or working towards/intent of gaining independent prescribing qualification
- Essential criteria
- -In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare
- -An appreciation of the nature of GPs and general practices
- -An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
- -Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- -Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- -Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive
- information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g.
- patients)
- - Ability to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions
- - Good IT skills
- -Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information
- -Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate
- -Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- -Produce timely and informative reports
- -Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/ persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/
- agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers
- -Work effectively independently and as a team member
- -Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualifications
- -Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent)
- -Independent prescriber or working towards/intent of gaining independent prescribing qualification
- Essential criteria
- -In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare
- -An appreciation of the nature of GPs and general practices
- -An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
- -Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- -Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- -Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive
- information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g.
- patients)
- - Ability to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions
- - Good IT skills
- -Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information
- -Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate
- -Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- -Produce timely and informative reports
- -Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/ persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/
- agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers
- -Work effectively independently and as a team member
- -Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).