Lead Pharmacist - Mental Health Older Peoples Care Unit

Job responsibilities

To undertake the duties of Independent Prescribing in the Older Peoples Care Unit of the Mental Health Care Group, in line with an agreed scope of practice

To ensure the provision of clinical pharmacy services and to identify, develop and implement practice research, audit and other projects, to ensure that the departmental cost improvement and quality targets are met.

Participate in the provision of the clinical pharmacy service to Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust wards and community based mental health services; thus, facilitating the provision of a high quality and cost-effective pharmaceutical care to patients and other service users. This includes medicines reconciliation on admission to hospital, detailed medication reviews to provide advice on optimising the safety and effectiveness of pharmacological treatment regimens, contribution to the formulation of patient medication treatment plans, review and updating of patient electronic care records.

To participate in the development and implementation of new ways of working and extended roles for pharmacists and pharmacy staff.

To develop and participate in a programme of in-house training for pharmacists, foundation trainee pharmacists(including an appraisal at the end of the rotation), pharmacy technicians and assistants.

To support the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy Leadership Team in the development and delivery of education sessions and experiences to pharmacy undergraduates.

To participate as a mentor and assessor for the pharmacists undertaking the clinical diploma. This will involve regular accompanied visits to the relevant diploma ward and completing assessments of the diploma pharmacists progress.

To act as a line manager for a small number of pharmacists and or pharmacy technicians working in Older Peoples Care Unit.

To participate in and develop a programme of training for healthcare professionals - including medical and nursing staff on pharmaceutical matters.

To provide counselling sessions for service users and carers on medication.

To provide specialist medicines information and advice to all healthcare staff, and service users and carers.

To provide appropriate pharmacy input to the second opinion service under the terms of Section 58 of the Mental Health Act Regulations controlling consent to treatment.

Establish and develop strong and effective links with all staff within the Trust and system, to maintain and develop the contribution of pharmacy to cost-effective, safe and efficient prescribing and utilisation of medicines.

To contribute to initiatives, including the development of treatment and drug usage guidelines that will provide positive clinical and financial outcomes.

Ensure that agreed local and national guidelines, policies and protocols are implemented at service level via the clinical pharmacy team.

Liaise with individual consultants regarding drug-prescribing issues within their specialty to ensure maximum benefit in the treatment of patients, in-line with local and national guidelines.

Develop close working relationships with the medical and nursing staff to ensure that pharmacists are integral members of the clinical team.

Within Care Group / Care Units actively promote and implement relevant decisions of medication management committees such as the Trust Medicines Optimisation Group.

Prepare submissions for the medication management committees such as Trust Medicines Optimisation Group and/or Mental Health Medicines Optimisation Group and Medicines Governance Group when required.

To provide professional support to the dispensary on a rota basis, including validation of new prescriptions, checking of dispensing operations performed by pharmacy staff and undertaking occasional dispensing tasks as necessary.

To have complete professional responsibility for safety and efficacy of all medicines a patient is taking whenever a patients prescription chart is reviewed on the ward or in the dispensary, using relevant information to hand.

The post-holder is responsible for recording any clinical information generated as a result of their clinical activities, e.g., writing in patients notes, annotating prescription charts and written information for medical staff and the data entry of medicines information questions and answers on the pharmacy database.

To prioritise workload and meet deadlines, particularly when under pressure.

The post holder must ensure that pharmaceutical work conforms to legal and professional requirements, procedures, clinical guidelines, any standard operating procedures and recognised good practice.

To undertake all scheduled mandatory training (including information governance) required for the role.

To always keep professionally up to date, and to be actively aware of national, local and Trust-wide issues so as to ensure safe and effective delivery of services, and to meet the General Pharmaceutical Council standards for continuing professional development so as to maintain professional registration.

To ensure that personal pharmacy practice is in line with Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council Standards for Pharmacy Professionals.

Achieve team objectives, and personal objectives agreed during the PAD (Performance Appraisal and Development) with Line Manager.

Act as a role model for all pharmacy staff practicing within the Trust, to ensure that all staff aspire to provide a consistent and high-quality standard of service. This will also contribute to the development of a departmental culture that is in line with the values and organisational culture of the organisation.

Effectively supervise and direct the work of appropriate staff where necessary, to ensure that work is accurate, appropriate and timely.

When necessary, effectively deputise for the Head of Pharmacy Mental Health Services Division, on appropriate multidisciplinary committees, working groups, and in general operational issues, to ensure consistency in pharmacy input at an appropriate level.

To participate in late duty, weekend and Bank Holiday working in accordance with departmental rotas, to fulfill contractual obligations, and to support the on-call pharmacy service in order to maintain the departmental commitment to a 24-hour service.

To accept any other responsibilities and undertake any other duties, as may be reasonably requested by the Chief Pharmacist, to fulfil the needs of the service.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

Qualifications

Essential

• oMSc in Pharmacy
• oMember of the General Pharmaceutical Council
• oPostgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy or Clinical Diploma
• oNon-Medical Prescriber

Desirable

• oCurrent membership of Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• oCurrent membership of College of Mental Health Pharmacy
• oEvidence of Leadership Development

Experience

Essential

• oClinical knowledge from degree and aspects of career to date
• oSignificant hospital pharmacy experience, including mental health
• oExperience of new ways of working and extended pharmacy roles
• oExperience of working with Mental Health Older Peoples Services

Desirable

• oProject work
• oAudit experience
• oEvidence based medicine practice
• oTeaching experience
• oProject management
• oFinance management

Knowledge

Essential

• oClinical Pharmacy knowledge associated with a Pharmacy degree course and vocational experience
• oAwareness of NHS changes and understanding of mental health pharmacy issues within the NHS

Desirable

• oExperience of teaching pharmaceutical knowledge to other pharmacy staff
• oRisk assessment
• oPersonal safety e.g., lone working procedures

Skills

Essential

• oOrganisational / time management skills
• oExcellent communication skills
• oTested problem solving, and decision-making skills
• oIT literate
• oAbility work as a team player
• oAdaptable and flexible
• oWork well under pressure and prioritise effectively
• oSelf-motivated and conscientious
• oStrong professional demeanour
• oAccuracy and attention to detail
• oNegotiation and influencing skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).