Clinical Pharmacist

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide and receive complex information relating to medicines and medicines management

o This includes clinical information regarding patient care, technical medicines management/therapeutics information and prescribing activity data derived from audit and prescribing data

o The post holder will need to receive this from and provide it to patients, carers and other health professionals. He/she may need to persuade the recipients of the validity and relevance of the information/argument, and negotiate actions in line with medicines management goals

o The post holder may have to adjust his/her communication style and content to take account of the other persons language difficulties and intellectual abilities.

To analyse, interpret and compare complex information and/or a range of options

o This will usually, but not always, relate the topics outlined above

o The post holder will apply his/her technical knowledge to complex clinical and/or medicines management situations.

To provide highly specialised advice concerning care of individual patients and groups of patients

o This includes advice on choice of drug treatment, including choice of drug(s), side effects and doses

o This advice will be in response to review and analysis of patient prescriptions and prescribing data

o This will also involve ensuring compliance with medicines legislation, National Patient Safety Agency advisory notices and other established good practice to manage and minimise risk.

To propose and implement policy or service changes that impact within and beyond the post holders own role, including work within the practices, community pharmacies and Medicine Management team. This includes the development of prescribing or medicines management guidelines and protocols.

To plan and organise the post holders own workload, including audit and project work and training sessions for members of the Medicines Management Team, Practice Team, and Community Pharmacy Team.

To support the day-to-day work of a Pharmacy Technician working under the direction of the post-holder. This includes any formal and informal teaching of colleagues as required.

To work to ensure best value for money and avoidance of waste in relation to medicines and contribute to the reduction in fraud related to medicines and pharmacy consistent with the post holders position in the organisation.

To participate in audit as appropriate.

The post holder acts as a lead specialist within his/her area and has discretion to work within the parameters defined by the post holders line manager and more senior clinicians.

To maintain registration as a pharmacist and comply with appropriate professional codes.

To enrol and complete the CPPE pathway for PCN Clinical Pharmacists, if not already completed.

As appropriate to the post, to maintain and develop professional competence and expertise, keep up to date with medical or therapeutic evidence and opinion, local and national service, legislation and policy developments, agree objectives and a personal development plan and participate in the appraisal process.

To attend local, regional and national meetings of relevance.

To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post holders grade

as agreed with the post holders line manager.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters degree in Pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent)
• Specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate diploma level or equivalent training/experience
• Independent prescribing qualification (or working towards)

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience
• 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)
• Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions.
• Good IT skills

Skills

Essential

• 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 and independently and as a team member
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision

Other

Essential

• Self-Motivation
• Adaptable
• Full Driving Licence
• In date CRB
• Safeguarding adult and children level three
• Information Governance toolkit completion
• Immunisation status
• Basic life support training

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).

Employer details

Employer name

GP First Ltd

Address

Stafford Health & Wellbeing

Whitgreave Court

Stafford

Staffordshire

ST16 3EB

Employer's website

https://www.gpfirst.net/ (Opens in a new tab)