Job responsibilities
JOB TITLE: Clinical Pharmacist
HOURS: Full time
REPORTS TO: The GP Partners clinical and professional activities
The Practice Manager administrative and non-clinical
activities
BASED: New Barn Close Surgery, Broadway, Worcestershire
JOB PURPOSE
Provide expertise in clinical medicines review and address public health and social needs of patients in the Practice
Reduce inappropriate polypharmacy and wasteful prescribing through clinical medication review
Reconcile medicines following hospital discharge and work with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post discharge.
Contribute to reductions in medicine related hospital admissions and readmissions by supporting patients to get the best outcomes from their medicines and identifying and addressing medicines related issues
Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues and develop referral processes between primary care professionals including the promotion of the repeat dispensing service
Oversee and support the dispensary function of the Practice
Oversee the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process, including reviewing requests for repeat prescriptions and medicines reaching review dates
Manage patients and health care professionals medicine queries
Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms such as audit and PDSA (PLAN DO STUDY ACT) cycles
Manage practice formularies to improve the quality, safety, and cost effectiveness of prescribing
Implement drug withdrawals and alerts e.g. MHRA, aimed at improving medicines safety
Work with primary care professionals and patients to implement NICE and other evidence-based guidelines
Work with Commissioning organisations and SW Healthcare to comply with local medicines optimisation schemes and projects
Support and hold clinics where medicines are the main interventions e.g., asthma clinics
Contribute to multi-morbidity reviews and multidisciplinary reviews
Provide medicines information and training to Practice healthcare professionals and admin staff
Review daily Pathology results for patients on known medicines
Act as a source of medicines information for all the practice teams and patients (e.g., around doses, side effects, adverse events, possible alternatives e.g., around out of stocks)
Ultimately to undertake minor ailments triage, dealing with minor ailments and triaging patients appropriately
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Working within the practice-based team to undertake medication reviews particularly in high-risk groups such as:
- Frail elderly
- Polypharmacy
- Renal impairment
- Hepatic impairment
- Asthma, diabetes, hypertension and Rheumatoid and DMARD drug monitoring
- Substance misuse
- Patients on high-risk medicines
- STOPP/START identified patients
- Revolving door Hospital admissions
Management support for the dispensary including profitability and stock control; negotiations with drug company representatives and wholesalers; and organisational management including review of SOPS (Standard Operating Procedures) and compliance issues
Ensure the Practice continues to participate in, and meet the requirements of, the local DSQS (Dispensing Services Quality Scheme)
Improve prescribing practice through educational support for all prescribers within the practice
Lead on where changes in evidence require changes in prescribing across the patient population, e.g., where a drug is withdrawn, or indications change
Liaise with colleagues in community pharmacy to align support for medicines adherence such as MUR (Medication Use Reviews) and NMS (New Medicine Service).
Support improvements in clinical care through practice-based audit and implementing change
Prescribing advice to prescribers in practice e.g., temporary non-availability of drugs
Ensure patient safety when they are transferred between care providers through reconciliation of prescribed medicines
Lead for medicines optimisation scheme compliance, including care home support; discharge reviews; medication reviews; and QIPP
Qualifications and Training for the Role
NB: it is anticipated that the level of qualification held may vary according to the level of position and the components of the role being undertaken
Completion of an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy, and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
Minimum of 2 years post graduate experience in pharmacy, as demonstrated within a practice portfolio
Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Desirable
Member of or working towards (through foundation) RPS Faculty membership May hold or be working towards a prescribing qualification
May hold or be working towards a postgraduate pharmacy qualification
Has an awareness of the breadth of common acute and long-term conditions that are likely to be seen in a general medical practice
Behavioral Competencies and Skills for this Job Expert Professional Practice
Demonstrates general pharmaceutical skills and knowledge in core areas
Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general pharmaceutical care programmes for patients in core areas, including disease states / long term conditions identified by local Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment
Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision as an individual
Demonstrates ability to use skills in a range of routine situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options
Recognises priorities when problem-solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate
Is able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct
Involves patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE
About New Barn Close Surgery:
New Barn Close Surgery is an NHS General Practice, providing primary care service to Broadway and the surrounding areas. We are a three partner, three salaried GP rural dispensing practice for 8000 patients.
We relocated to a new purpose-built medical facility in October 2021 having previously been based in an historic listed building in the centre of Broadway village. The new premises is a wonderful state of the art building and is equipped with new facilities and equipment, including ample on-site parking, that can provide excellent modern healthcare for many years to come.
We have an onsite dispensary which serves approximately 50% of our patients.
There is a full compliment of ancillary staff including receptionists, dispensers, practice nurses and HCAs. We are a training practice for Specialist Trainee GP doctors and have a rotating final year medical student from Birmingham University.
Our close-knit team is committed to offering high quality, safe and effective care with a focus on providing excellent patient access and continuity of care.
We pride ourselves in the communication between colleagues and after morning surgery clinicians gather for coffee, wellbeing and general catchup and review any practice issues, patients, and referrals. The clinical pharmacist would be a welcome addition to this group as well as practice training afternoons.
Collaborative Working Relationships
Recognises the roles of other colleagues within the organisation and their role to patient care Demonstrates use of appropriate communication to gain the co-operation of relevant stakeholders (including patients, senior and peer colleagues, and other professionals, other NHS/private organisations e.g., ICBs)
Demonstrates ability to work as a member of a team
Is able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary
Liaises with ICB colleagues including ICB pharmacists on prescribing related matters to ensure consistency of patient care and benefit
Liaises with ICB pharmacists and Heads of Medicines Management/ Optimisation to benefit from peer support
Liaises with other GP Practices and staff as needed for the collective benefit of patients.
Leadership
Demonstrates understanding of the pharmacy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace
Demonstrates understanding of, and contributes to, the workplace / practice vision
Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service
Reviews last years progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within set priorities
Demonstrates ability to motivate self to achieve goals
Management
Demonstrates understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service
Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice
Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol
Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management
Demonstrates ability to extend boundaries of service delivery within the team
