PCN Principal Clinical Pharmacist

Job responsibilities

Main duties of the job:

The Principal Clinical Pharmacist will provide the strategic leadership for clinical support and advice for PCNs, MBPCC, PCN Clinical Pharmacists and where appropriate Pharmacy Technicians.

Provide support to newly appointed PCN Clinical Pharmacists

• PCN Pharmacy related input into Clinical Pharmacy inductions including where to go for help.

• Delivery introductions to Primary Care targets such as QoF (Quality and Outcomes Framework), PCN DES, ICB Quality Contracts.

• Facilitating medication optimisation knowledge and activity including guidance and formulary information and engagement in ICB programmes of work.

Advice and guidance support for PCN Clinical Pharmacists

• To support the Clinical Pharmacists by providing strategic clinical leadership on therapeutics, medicines optimisation and quality improvement.

• Cascading information gained from a variety of local and national bodies.

• Advice on achieving Primary Care targets (PCN DES, QIS and QoF) which includes EMIS SNOMED codes.

• Medicines support via answering queries across multiple PCNs.

• To provide information and support in complex scenarios around medicines related issues to Clinical Pharmacists.

• Provide medicines management expertise and sharing best practice.

Individual support for PCN Clinical Pharmacists

• Pastoral support as required.

• Regular 1:1s.

• Attend, or feed into yearly appraisals, where appropriate.

• Develop work plans.

• Apply expertise knowledge to answer ad-hoc queries via email or telephone.

• Support for individuals undertaking CPPE primary care pathway (PCPEP) or non-medical prescribing course.

• Work with each individual to develop their areas of competence in their clinical practice via review of anonymised SMRs and review of quarterly NMP Prescribing reports.

Provide support to PCNs

• Attending interviews if required for Clinical Pharmacists or Pharmacy Technicians.

• Work closely with a range of PCNs equivalent band 7 and band 8a Clinical Pharmacists where needed to promote and embed the role of PCN Clinical Pharmacist.

• Work in conjunction with primary care healthcare professionals to ensure agreed changes in medication are implemented and sustained.

• To lead on the development of protocols with key stakeholders as necessary to support prescribing initiatives.

• To proactively introduce and implement new/revised policies and guidelines to improve Clinical Governance around Medicines and prescribing.

• Attend PCN meetings when appropriate and work to find solutions when problems arise linked to pharmacy or medicines.

• Provide clinical leadership for the PCNs strategic plans, working with members to improve the quality and effectiveness of its delivery of the PCN DES.

Provide support to MBPCC

• Writing or updating policies and procedures for medicines related areas.

• To lead and participate in clinical audit for the service and collect appropriate management data.

• To provide operational and clinical support to medicines optimisation developments and prescribing initiatives as dictated by the ICB, Hospital Trust, PCNs, GP practices and national NHS.

• When required feed into procurement exercises and other adhoc work.

• Regular meetings with Manager to highlight issues or raise concerns.

Networking and contacts

Responsibilities will include working across multiple PCNs and will involve partnership working.

• Building relationships, information gathering and sharing.

• Maintain an awareness of local pressures and medication aims of organisations.

• To work with general practice colleagues, ICB pharmacists and local Community Pharmacy colleagues to support local and national medicines initiatives.

Compliance

• Comply with agreed safe working procedures, reporting of incidents and the respect of patient confidentiality.

• Ensuring compliance of the Data Protection Act (1994), the General Data Protection Regulations (2018) and the Access to health Records Act (1990).

• Work alongside and foster strong relationships with Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the PCN is compliant with CQC standards.

Qualifications and Experience

• Undergraduate degree in pharmacy.

• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

• Completion of CPPE PCPEP or evidence of full exemption from the pathway.

• Experience working as a Primary Care Clinical Pharmacist.

• Registration with GPhC as an independent prescriber.

• Ability to problem-solve and recognise deviations to normal patterns, referring to senior managers or GPs when appropriate.

• Excellent knowledge and experience of delivering clinical therapeutics.

• Advanced communication and networking skills.

• Ability to use IT software such as MS PowerPoint.

• Proven experience of senior management and leadership

The above list of duties is not exhaustive and may be subject to change as deemed necessary

This role does not have a clinical element to provide direct care such as specialist advice to patients or medication reviews.

Other requirements

Essential

• Hold a full UK driving license and must be able to travel to multiple sites acrossMorecambe Bay as needed.

Experience

Essential

• 5 years' experience of working in a Clinical Pharmacy role and a minimum of 2 years of leadership and management experience in primary care
• Competent user of EMIS Web
• Experience of managing a team
• Evidence of high-quality prescribing practice
• A thorough understanding 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
• Ability to use MS software: PowerPoint, Word, Excel and email

Qualifications

Essential

• Master of Pharmacy (or equivalent)
• Independent prescriber
• Completion of CPPE pathway or evidence of full pathway exemption from CPPE

Desirable

• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Great Leadership skills
• Good negotiation, influencing and motivational skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Demonstrated commitment to continual improvement of services and processes
• Conversant with quality improvement tools and techniques
• Good understanding of the NHS Long Team Plan and ability and experience to implement relevant guidance on Medicine Optimisation
• Able to work independently or within a team
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
• Self-motivated
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure
• Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines

Desirable

• Confident in the collection, analysis and presentation of data
• Experience of mentoring and developing a team of differing abilities

Registration

Essential

• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Registration annotated as an Independent Prescriber

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).