Job summary
Are you passionate about improving patient care and making a real impact in primary healthcare?
We are looking for a dedicated and forward-thinking Senior Clinical Pharmacist to join our general practice team. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of patient care, helping to optimise medicines use, support long-term condition management, and improve the safety and effectiveness of prescribing across a diverse patient population, whilst supporting the mentorship and development of a growing pharmacy team.
Youll work as part of a supportive, multi-disciplinary team in a role that offers variety, autonomy, and the chance to lead on clinical initiatives. Whether reviewing medication for older adults, advising on treatment pathways, or reducing hospital readmissions, your expertise will be central to delivering high-quality, patient-centred care.
If youre looking to take the next step in your career and want to be part of an innovative and evolving healthcare environment, wed love to hear from you.
The Senior PCN Clinical Pharmacist will participate in patient triaging, conduct structured medication reviews, oversee the repeat prescription authorisation process, manage acute prescription requests, perform medicines reconciliation during care transfers, and lead the implementation of systems to enhance prescribing safety within the PCN. The Senior PCN Clinical Pharmacist will also be responsible for managing one or more areas of chronic disease.
Main duties of the job
- Medication Safety Reviews
- Structured Medication Reviews
- Medication Queries
- Acute Prescription Requests
- Chronic Disease Management
- Management of common/minor/self-limiting ailments
- Medicine information to practice staff and patients
- Unplanned hospital admissions
- Medicines Reconciliation
- Service development
- Medicines Safety/Quality alerts and auditing
- Implementation of local and national guidelines and formulary recommendations
- Leadership and Management
In addition to these clinical duties, the Senior PCN Clinical Pharmacist will be expected to mentor and develop a pharmacy team with varying levels of experience to support the strategic objectives for medicines management within Rockingham Forest PCN and Lakeside Healthcare.
About us
LAKESIDE HEALTHCAREis changing the face of primary care provision in England. We are bold, adventurous and ambitious and determined to thrive in uncertain times. We are the largest true partnership in the NHS and operate from various sites across the East Midlands. We serve the healthcare needs of over 170,000 patients across Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire & Cambridgeshire.
Values
Caring & Respect:Simply put we genuinely care about people: working together for our patients and our teams, our patients come first in everything we do.
Teamwork & Quality:In all areas of our business we network, collaborate and learn from our Patients, Stakeholders and each another to ensure we are always striving to improve, making the right and best decisions to provide the best service.
Rockingham Forest PCNis a large, forward-thinking Primary Care Network compromising 3 practices across Corby, Kettering and Oundle.
This role is based across Corby, Kettering and Oundle.
We recognise the value that this role can bring to our practices and our patients, and we look forward to growing our PCN team. Our aim is to provide exemplary patient care; finding innovative solutions in general practice to deliver the best care we can to our patients. For more information on primary care networks please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/primary-care-networks/
Job description
Job responsibilities
Supporting the
overarching Lakeside Healthcare strategy and service delivery, the Senior PCN
Clinical Pharmacist will have previous experience of working in primary care to
develop and implement medicines management services in primary care.
The role is pivotal
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
work collaboratively with a range of multidisciplinary teams to meet the needs
of patients, support the delivery of policies and procedures, and provide
pharmacy leadership across our Primary Care Networks (PCN).
The Senior PCN
Clinical Pharmacist will support patient triage, oversee the repeat
prescription authorisations, manage acute prescription requests, conduct
medicines reconciliation at transfer of care, perform structured medication
reviews, and lead on the implementation of systems for safer prescribing within
the PCN.
The Senior PCN
Clinical Pharmacist will also be expected to manage one or more areas of
chronic disease.
In addition to the
clinical responsibilities outlined above, the Senior PCN Clinical Pharmacist
will be required to mentor and develop a pharmacy team of differing abilities
to meet the strategic objectives for medicines management within Lakeside
Healthcare.
To work at this
level, the post holder will be registered with the General Pharmaceutical
Council (GPhC), be an independent prescriber, and ideally hold a postgraduate
diploma in clinical pharmacy.
The postholder will
also have a minimum of 2 years of leadership and management experience within
primary care and understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a
super-practice and its associated Primary Care Networks.
In summary, the post
holder is an experienced Clinical Pharmacist who understands the expectations
of a medicines management team within general practice, is able to manage,
mentor and develop pharmacists and technicians, acts within their professional boundaries,
ensures that the PCN integrates with community and hospital pharmacy to help
utilise skill mix, is keen on implementing medicines safety initiatives,
strives to improve patient access to healthcare, and is passionate about
reducing the medicines related GP workload.
KEY DUTIES &
RESPONSIBILITIES
Medication Queries
- Provide
telephone consultations for patients with medication queries
Acute Prescription Requests
-
Manage
acute prescription requests from patients and sign prescriptions for a broad
range of drugs as an independent prescriber.
Medicine Information to practice staff and
patients
-
Answers
relevant medicine related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff, other
healthcare teams (e.g. community pharmacy) and patients with queries about
medicines
Medication Safety Reviews
-
Undertake
medication safety reviews of medical notes to ensure repeat prescribing is safe
and arrange relevant monitoring where required.
Medicines Reconciliation
-
Reconcile
medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care
homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working
with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the
medicines they need.
-
Set
up and/or manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high-risk
groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care
homes).
- Partake
in MDTs to develop and implement pharmaceutical care plans.
Management of common/minor/self-limiting
ailments
-
Manage
a caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments while working
within a scope of practice and limits of competence.
-
Signposting
to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals
where appropriate
Medicines Safety/Quality
-
Identify
national and local policy and guidance related to medicines that affects
patient safety. Implement changes to medicines that result from MHRA alerts,
product withdrawal and other local and national guidance.
-
Undertake
clinical audits of prescribing in areas directed by the ICB and the LHG audit
programme, and implement changes in conjunction with the practice team.
-
To
ensure the processes for monitoring high-risk drugs is effective within the PCN
Unplanned hospital admissions
-
Review
the use of medicines most associated with unplanned hospital admissions and
re-admissions through audit and individual patient reviews.
-
Put
in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk
patient groups
Structured Medication Reviews
-
Undertake
Structured Medication Reviews in-line with the PCN DES and implement own
prescribing changes as an independent prescriber.
Chronic Disease Management
-
Independently
manage or signpost patients with single or multiple medical problems where
medicine optimisation is required (e.g. COPD, asthma)
Service development
-
Provide
pharmaceutical advice for the development and implementation of new services
that have medicinal components (e.g. advice on treatment pathways and patient
information leaflets)
Implementation of local and national
guidelines and formulary recommendations
-
Monitor
practice prescribing against the local health economys formulary and
guidelines and make recommendations to GPs for medicines that should be
prescribed by hospital doctors (red drugs) or subject to shared care (amber
drugs).
-
Audit
practices compliance against NICE technology assessment guidance
Leadership and Management
-
With
support from the Digital & Transformation Manager, line manage a team of
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technicians
-
Provide
clinical mentoring and supervision for PCN Pharmacists and Technicians
-
Support
the development of new pharmacists and technicians to ensure they integrate
into the clinical teams and work within their competence whilst also developing
their scope of practice.
Operating arrangements
-
Responsibility
for one or more sites dependent upon patient list size.
-
Working
across the PCN geography, having a regular rota at all practices
-
This
is an evolving role and the responsibilities may augment over time in
consultation with the post-holder
-
From
time to time the post-holder may be required to work from other sites
-
Other
duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the line manager
dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels
Other administration and professional
responsibilities
-
Participate
in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team
-
Ensure
appropriate items of service claims are made accurately, reporting any problems
to the practice administrator.
-
Ensure
collection and maintenance of any required statistical information.
-
CQC
Audits; to aid compliance reporting and evidence collection
-
Attend
and participate in practice meetings as required
-
Provide
Pharmacy Placement/Education stakeholder engagement and support when
opportunities arise
Training and personal development
-
Maintain
professional registration with the GPhC.
If
it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full
training will be given.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Supporting the
overarching Lakeside Healthcare strategy and service delivery, the Senior PCN
Clinical Pharmacist will have previous experience of working in primary care to
develop and implement medicines management services in primary care.
The role is pivotal
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
work collaboratively with a range of multidisciplinary teams to meet the needs
of patients, support the delivery of policies and procedures, and provide
pharmacy leadership across our Primary Care Networks (PCN).
The Senior PCN
Clinical Pharmacist will support patient triage, oversee the repeat
prescription authorisations, manage acute prescription requests, conduct
medicines reconciliation at transfer of care, perform structured medication
reviews, and lead on the implementation of systems for safer prescribing within
the PCN.
The Senior PCN
Clinical Pharmacist will also be expected to manage one or more areas of
chronic disease.
In addition to the
clinical responsibilities outlined above, the Senior PCN Clinical Pharmacist
will be required to mentor and develop a pharmacy team of differing abilities
to meet the strategic objectives for medicines management within Lakeside
Healthcare.
To work at this
level, the post holder will be registered with the General Pharmaceutical
Council (GPhC), be an independent prescriber, and ideally hold a postgraduate
diploma in clinical pharmacy.
The postholder will
also have a minimum of 2 years of leadership and management experience within
primary care and understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a
super-practice and its associated Primary Care Networks.
In summary, the post
holder is an experienced Clinical Pharmacist who understands the expectations
of a medicines management team within general practice, is able to manage,
mentor and develop pharmacists and technicians, acts within their professional boundaries,
ensures that the PCN integrates with community and hospital pharmacy to help
utilise skill mix, is keen on implementing medicines safety initiatives,
strives to improve patient access to healthcare, and is passionate about
reducing the medicines related GP workload.
KEY DUTIES &
RESPONSIBILITIES
Medication Queries
- Provide
telephone consultations for patients with medication queries
Acute Prescription Requests
-
Manage
acute prescription requests from patients and sign prescriptions for a broad
range of drugs as an independent prescriber.
Medicine Information to practice staff and
patients
-
Answers
relevant medicine related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff, other
healthcare teams (e.g. community pharmacy) and patients with queries about
medicines
Medication Safety Reviews
-
Undertake
medication safety reviews of medical notes to ensure repeat prescribing is safe
and arrange relevant monitoring where required.
Medicines Reconciliation
-
Reconcile
medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care
homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working
with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the
medicines they need.
-
Set
up and/or manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high-risk
groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care
homes).
- Partake
in MDTs to develop and implement pharmaceutical care plans.
Management of common/minor/self-limiting
ailments
-
Manage
a caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments while working
within a scope of practice and limits of competence.
-
Signposting
to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals
where appropriate
Medicines Safety/Quality
-
Identify
national and local policy and guidance related to medicines that affects
patient safety. Implement changes to medicines that result from MHRA alerts,
product withdrawal and other local and national guidance.
-
Undertake
clinical audits of prescribing in areas directed by the ICB and the LHG audit
programme, and implement changes in conjunction with the practice team.
-
To
ensure the processes for monitoring high-risk drugs is effective within the PCN
Unplanned hospital admissions
-
Review
the use of medicines most associated with unplanned hospital admissions and
re-admissions through audit and individual patient reviews.
-
Put
in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk
patient groups
Structured Medication Reviews
-
Undertake
Structured Medication Reviews in-line with the PCN DES and implement own
prescribing changes as an independent prescriber.
Chronic Disease Management
-
Independently
manage or signpost patients with single or multiple medical problems where
medicine optimisation is required (e.g. COPD, asthma)
Service development
-
Provide
pharmaceutical advice for the development and implementation of new services
that have medicinal components (e.g. advice on treatment pathways and patient
information leaflets)
Implementation of local and national
guidelines and formulary recommendations
-
Monitor
practice prescribing against the local health economys formulary and
guidelines and make recommendations to GPs for medicines that should be
prescribed by hospital doctors (red drugs) or subject to shared care (amber
drugs).
-
Audit
practices compliance against NICE technology assessment guidance
Leadership and Management
-
With
support from the Digital & Transformation Manager, line manage a team of
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technicians
-
Provide
clinical mentoring and supervision for PCN Pharmacists and Technicians
-
Support
the development of new pharmacists and technicians to ensure they integrate
into the clinical teams and work within their competence whilst also developing
their scope of practice.
Operating arrangements
-
Responsibility
for one or more sites dependent upon patient list size.
-
Working
across the PCN geography, having a regular rota at all practices
-
This
is an evolving role and the responsibilities may augment over time in
consultation with the post-holder
-
From
time to time the post-holder may be required to work from other sites
-
Other
duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the line manager
dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels
Other administration and professional
responsibilities
-
Participate
in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team
-
Ensure
appropriate items of service claims are made accurately, reporting any problems
to the practice administrator.
-
Ensure
collection and maintenance of any required statistical information.
-
CQC
Audits; to aid compliance reporting and evidence collection
-
Attend
and participate in practice meetings as required
-
Provide
Pharmacy Placement/Education stakeholder engagement and support when
opportunities arise
Training and personal development
-
Maintain
professional registration with the GPhC.
If
it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full
training will be given.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registration with GPhC
- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy
- Completion of CPPE
Desirable
- Membership of Primary Care Pharmacy Association
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Independent Prescribing
- MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice (or working towards)
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 2 years leadership or mentoring experience in Primary Care
- Minimum of 5 years of post-registration experience
- Experience of working as a pharmacist in General Practice
- Understands the importance of working efficiently to ensure equitable access for patients
Desirable
- Thorough understanding of the nature of primary care4 prescribing concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
- An understanding of the nature of a super-practice in relation to Primary Care Networks
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registration with GPhC
- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy
- Completion of CPPE
Desirable
- Membership of Primary Care Pharmacy Association
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Independent Prescribing
- MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice (or working towards)
Experience
Essential
- Minimum of 2 years leadership or mentoring experience in Primary Care
- Minimum of 5 years of post-registration experience
- Experience of working as a pharmacist in General Practice
- Understands the importance of working efficiently to ensure equitable access for patients
Desirable
- Thorough understanding of the nature of primary care4 prescribing concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
- An understanding of the nature of a super-practice in relation to Primary Care Networks
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).
