Job summary
Are you a UK registered Pharmacist with a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Pharmacy?
Would you like the opportunity to work in a progressive multidisciplinary team?
Are you an independent prescriber, or would you like to become one soon?
We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated pharmacist to join our OPAT and virtual ward team.
This is an integrated role providing clinical pharmacy to patients receiving hospital-level care in their own homes. The role combines support for antimicrobial therapy at home and pharmaceutical care to patients on virtual wards, including those receiving IV and complex oral therapy at home.
In this newly created position, you will utilise and develop your expertise and knowledge, initially focusing on antimicrobial therapy, respiratory and frailty patients. You will expand upon this by developing new virtual ward pathways. You will be an integral part of the virtual ward team, working as a valued member of a broad virtual ward MDT in addition to working closely with a team of antimicrobial pharmacists, microbiologists, other pharmacy colleagues and healthcare professionals to provide outstanding care for our patients.
With the support of the Consultant Antimicrobial Pharmacist, you will shape and develop the virtual ward pharmacy service.
If you are looking for a role where you can provide patient-centred care, while building and influencing an innovative and high profile service, we welcome your application.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for an innovative pharmacist to join our Pharmacy team to lead the provision of a high level, comprehensive clinical pharmacy service to patients on the virtual ward and assist in identifying inpatients suitable for the virtual ward.
Working within the multi-disciplinary team is integral to the post and we are seeking candidates who work with initiative, show a willingness to learn and are keen for a new challenge.
This post will also support clinical governance processes, such as incident reporting and investigation, complaint handling, development of guidelines, policies and procedures and the monitoring and evaluation of virtual ward and infection management services
You will be involved in multi-disciplinary improvement project work, clinical audit and in measuring key performance indicators to ensure the continued development and sustainability of our high-quality clinical pharmacy service.
About us
As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.
The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.
There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone!
This role can be based at Musgrove park or Yeovil Hospital with a degree of cross site working. This can be discussed upon appointment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Lead the specialist clinical pharmacy service to the Somerset Foundation Trust Hospital@Home service (H@H)
- Be an integral member of the H@H team to develop and deliver the service in accordance with Trust policies and procedures, national legislation and standards.
- Work as a highly specialised practitioner to deliver the clinical pharmacy aspects of the H@H service.
- Support the ongoing development and expansion of the H@H service, including project management of medication-related aspects.
- Support the Somerset Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme.
- Develop policies, processes and mechanisms of optimising antimicrobial use in the H@H setting.
- Plan and deliver education and training of junior pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, relating to aspects of clinical pharmacy and the use of antimicrobials.
See Job Description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Lead the specialist clinical pharmacy service to the Somerset Foundation Trust Hospital@Home service (H@H)
- Be an integral member of the H@H team to develop and deliver the service in accordance with Trust policies and procedures, national legislation and standards.
- Work as a highly specialised practitioner to deliver the clinical pharmacy aspects of the H@H service.
- Support the ongoing development and expansion of the H@H service, including project management of medication-related aspects.
- Support the Somerset Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme.
- Develop policies, processes and mechanisms of optimising antimicrobial use in the H@H setting.
- Plan and deliver education and training of junior pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, relating to aspects of clinical pharmacy and the use of antimicrobials.
See Job Description for further details.
Person Specification
Professional Registration and qualifications
Essential
- Recognised masters Degree or equivalent in Pharmacy
- Full current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Post graduate diploma and/or Msc in Clinical Pharmacy and/or General Pharmacy
- Registered Independent Prescriber or willingness to undertake training
Desirable
- Further training in infection management or AMS
- Postgraduate training relating to infection management or AMS.
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrable commitment to continuous professional development
- Demonstrable hospital pharmacy experience delivering clinical pharmacy practice at an advanced level
- Demonstrable clinical pharmacy experience of general medicine and surgery including acute and emergency patients
- Maintains a broad knowledge of clinical and pharmacy practice.
Desirable
- Experience in management of patients with complex infections
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Able to analyse and critically appraise clinical and operational data
- Demonstrates innovation and organisation
- Demonstrates a positive attitude to change
- Ability to use IT in daily work and to support/improve care
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Able to work alone and as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
- Self-motivated
Desirable
- Experience of maintaining professionalism whilst handling a difficult situation
- Able to co-ordinate and manage audit and improvement project work.
- Ability to use judgement to challenge inappropriate prescribing and influence presAbility to use judgement to challenge inappropriate prescribing and influence prescribing decisions to enable optimal therapy.cribing decisions to enable optimal therapy.
Communication skills
Essential
- Evidence of a good standard of literacy / English language skills
- High quality communication skills; verbal, telephonic, virtual and written
- Professional attitude at all times
- Good communicator, motivated, able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and across all sectors of healthcare.
- Ability to communicate effectively in differing situations.
- Able to influence medical, pharmacy, nursing, and other multidisciplinary staff
Planning and Organisation
Essential
- Ability to work to tight deadlines and under pressure.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of groups and teams.
- Ability to achieve desired outcomes in the face of unavoidable work pressures
Physical Skills
Essential
- Ability to attend multiple sites to undertake requirements of role.
- Participation in weekend, on-call and bank holiday services
Other
Essential
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients.
- Displays honesty and integrity, is aware of ethical dilemmas relating to practice, and respects confidentiality.
Person Specification
Professional Registration and qualifications
Essential
- Recognised masters Degree or equivalent in Pharmacy
- Full current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Post graduate diploma and/or Msc in Clinical Pharmacy and/or General Pharmacy
- Registered Independent Prescriber or willingness to undertake training
Desirable
- Further training in infection management or AMS
- Postgraduate training relating to infection management or AMS.
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrable commitment to continuous professional development
- Demonstrable hospital pharmacy experience delivering clinical pharmacy practice at an advanced level
- Demonstrable clinical pharmacy experience of general medicine and surgery including acute and emergency patients
- Maintains a broad knowledge of clinical and pharmacy practice.
Desirable
- Experience in management of patients with complex infections
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Able to analyse and critically appraise clinical and operational data
- Demonstrates innovation and organisation
- Demonstrates a positive attitude to change
- Ability to use IT in daily work and to support/improve care
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Able to work alone and as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
- Self-motivated
Desirable
- Experience of maintaining professionalism whilst handling a difficult situation
- Able to co-ordinate and manage audit and improvement project work.
- Ability to use judgement to challenge inappropriate prescribing and influence presAbility to use judgement to challenge inappropriate prescribing and influence prescribing decisions to enable optimal therapy.cribing decisions to enable optimal therapy.
Communication skills
Essential
- Evidence of a good standard of literacy / English language skills
- High quality communication skills; verbal, telephonic, virtual and written
- Professional attitude at all times
- Good communicator, motivated, able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and across all sectors of healthcare.
- Ability to communicate effectively in differing situations.
- Able to influence medical, pharmacy, nursing, and other multidisciplinary staff
Planning and Organisation
Essential
- Ability to work to tight deadlines and under pressure.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of groups and teams.
- Ability to achieve desired outcomes in the face of unavoidable work pressures
Physical Skills
Essential
- Ability to attend multiple sites to undertake requirements of role.
- Participation in weekend, on-call and bank holiday services
Other
Essential
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients.
- Displays honesty and integrity, is aware of ethical dilemmas relating to practice, and respects confidentiality.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
