Practice Pharmacist

Job responsibilities

Managerial

Initiate and develop protocols in specialist areas appropriate for a practice pharmacist and lead in their implementation.

Manage own workload to meet the needs of the practice.

Support the Medicines Management Receptionist to undertake their duties efficiently and effectively and offer advice, support and training as identified.

Manage available resources (time, manpower) to ensure an efficient and effective service.

To undertake and provide expertise in clinical medication reviews as deemed appropriate via one off appointments or other means, addressing public health and social needs of patient (s) as necessary, particularly focusing on high risk groups such as:

- Frail elderly

- Poly-pharmacy

- Renal impairment

- Hepatic impairment

- Substance misuse

- Patients on high risk medicines

- STOPP/START identified patients

- Revolving door Hospital admissions

Manage practice formularies to improve the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of prescribing

With the agreement and support of practices GP partners, to develop, lead and manage clinics which would improve patient healthcare and access.

Implement drug withdrawals and alerts in liaison with the Integrated Commissioning Board (ICB) Medicines Management e.g. MHRA aimed at improving medicines safety

Provide prescribing advice to the practice team for temporary unavailable medications, suggesting alternatives

Responsible for keeping accurate documentation in patient records.

Supervise and manage other staff as appropriate.

Leadership

Identify and support practice development plans.

Advise the practice team of any circumstances that give cause for concern in relation to patient care.

Influence and implement changes to clinical practice. Improving prescribing practice through educational support for all prescribers within the practice

Work autonomously, managing own working within agreed national and local guidelines

Provide medicines information and training to Practice healthcare professionals and admin staff

Support the educational process for specialist practitioner students and assist with GP registrars, student nurses and other students who require experience in General Practice.

Work as part of the practice team, supporting practice colleagues as appropriate.

Clinical

Work autonomously by providing pharmacist support in the management of patients medication.

Review Pathology results for patients on known medicines and initiate investigations as required e.g. bloods and urine samples, using national and local guidelines/protocols within your area of expertise, liaising with GPs and nurses as required.

Support the practice in undertaking medication reviews as appropriate supporting targets for these reviews in the practice.

Review and manage High Risk Drug Monitoring and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring processes within the practice.

Contribute to reductions in medicine related patient incidents and significant events and work to ensure patients obtain the best outcome from their medication.

Encourage the use of electronic patient medication facilities including the use of the electronic prescription service and patients ordering medications on line.

Conform to health and safety and control of infection regulations

Contribute to multimorbidity reviews and multidisciplinary reviews

Act in accordance with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC) Code of Professional Conduct

Act as a source of medicines information for all of the practice team and patients (e.g. around doses, side effects, adverse events, possible alternatives e.g. around out of stocks)

Maintain legible timely and concise documentation and input clinical information to the practice computer database.

Recognise own limitations and seek advice from General Practitioners and others as required.

Work closely with Primary Care Network (PCN) colleagues especially members of the Medicines Management Team seeking peer support as required and ensuring work is apportioned appropriately and duplication minimised.

Be the point of contact in the Practice to liaise with the Primary Care Network (PCN) Pharmacy Team to plan workload together.

Be alert to potential child or adult abuse and undertake training as directed/required

Training and education

Maintain own specialist practitioner competencies by undertaking specialist courses and education.

Keep up to date with current developments in primary care prescribing and ensure changes recommended by NICE and other organisations are discussed in the practice and changes are implemented as required

Undertake risk management in clinical practice.

Provide education to patients and carers either with individuals or in groups.

Identify training needs to line manager.

Keep up to date with informatics developments relating to the position especially those affecting the clinical information system.

Take part in performance appraisal and compilation of personal development plans as required by the practice and the GPHC.

Research and audit

Identify, apply and disseminate research findings relating to professional role and working environment.

Audit own practice for individual quality assurance purposes and ensuring all relevant targets are met.

Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms such as audit and PDSA cycles

Identify and undertake audit and research projects to evaluate and enhance current service provision.

Communication

Communicate sensitivity and appropriately with patients and/or their carers. Involving patients and their carers in decision making.

Liaise with colleagues in community pharmacy to align support for medicines adherence such as MUR and NMS

Communicate with all members of the wider health care team; primary, secondary, community and voluntary.

Work to identify and initiate changes to clinical practice.

Discuss with the practice team any circumstances that give cause for concern in relation to patient care i.e. significant events

Initiate and lead general and individual specialist team meetings.

Knowledge, training and experience

The post holder will be a registered with the GPCH and hold qualifications required of a pharmacist working in a primary care environment.

A prescriber or on a prescribing course.

Experience of multi-disciplinary team working.

Evidence of professional updating.

IT skills. Car driver.

Other

Respond to critical alert messages where appropriate.

Able to travel to both Sutton and Thatto Heath sites and patient homes as needed .

Attend practice based and external meetings as appropriate to the job and to facilitate professional development.

Work to practice non-clinical and clinical staffing policies and procedures.

Provide a chaperoning service if requested. Undertake practice based training as required.

Personal attributes

Essential

• Able to demonstrate enthusiasm to developing prescribing skills.
• Ability to work as part of an integrated team and able to get on with people.
• Understanding, acceptance, initiative, enthusiasm and common sense.
• Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities.
• Able to work under pressure and in a changing environment.
• Adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.

Experience

Essential

• Dealing with the public/patients on a one to one basis.
• Working in accordance with the GPHC Code of Professional conduct.
• Evidence of appropriate knowledge base.

Desirable

• General Practice/Primary care experience.
• Line Management.

Qualifications

Essential

• Completion of an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy, and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Proof of revalidation.
• Minimum of 2 years post graduate experience in pharmacy, as demonstrated within a practice portfolio.
• Hold an independent prescribing qualification.
• Driving Licence.

Desirable

• Member of or working towards (through foundation) RPS Faculty membership.
• May hold or be working towards a postgraduate pharmacy qualification.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Excellent Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Infection control.
• Able to use a computer/I.T.
• An understanding of current NICE Cheshire and Merseyside formulary guidance.
• Working to the latest GPHC competency framework.
• Up to date knowledge of the British National Formulary (BNF).
• Up to date on changes relating to medications and prescribing.

Desirable

• Flu vaccinating.
• Understanding of QOF.
• Awareness of national service framework guidelines.
• Understanding of health and safety issues.
• Experience of EMIS PCS Clinical System, Docman, Outlook and word.

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).