Clinical Pharmacist - Oncology & Haematology

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

All Roles:

To provide a high level, responsive, and developing clinical pharmacy service to individual patients on allocated wards, and assist junior pharmacists in such roles, and ward based Medicines Management technicians in their duties.

To be actively involved in efficient discharge planning on the allocated wards by reviewing and transcribing patients discharge treatment (as appropriate) facilitating timely dispensing of discharge medication and, where necessary, liaising and communicating with relevant healthcare practitioners in intermediate or primary care to ensure safe transfer and continuity of care.

If agreed, to undertake prescribing as a Pharmacist independent Prescriber, in the clinical area for which Prescriber accreditation was gained, and in a wider sense within the limits of competency.

To lead the efficient organisation and smooth running of a dispensary, including assuring that the environment is ready and safe for the days work

To monitor service delivery

From Main Dispensary provide cover and support to the Outpatients dispensary operated by SWFT Clinical Services Ltd. on demand

To train and support staff to maintain formulary control, and adherence to prescribing and dispensing policies, and to collect prescription charges

To assist the Lead and Senior Technician in policies, procedures and the framework for dispensing, and the planning and development of the service, including automation, and stock control

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about their therapy, and to provide tailored counselling around complex regimes

To advise and support ward and clinic staff, not least regarding controlled stationery, service hours, late prescribing, e-prescribing, and use of the tracker to monitor prescription progress

To undertake clinical checks of the treatment regimens in care pathways, and raise and resolve anomalies with prescribers,

To contribute to dispensing

To ensure that staff log errors and near misses and that the team and the individual learn from these

To pick up issues arising during weekend service hours and address these on the next full working day

To contribute to the Emergency Duty Commitment of pharmacists providing an out-of-hours emergency Pharmacy service. To undertake routine duties within the dispensary as required, supervising the work of junior pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and (senior) ATOs.

To contribute to the late night, weekend, Bank Holiday and Statutory Day working rota.

If requested, to be an authorised signatory for drug purchase orders and for drug invoice payments.

To demonstrate and maintain a commitment to continuing professional development and encourage other members of the team to do likewise.

In the specialist pharmacy service of Surgical Specialties, Medical Specialties, Medical Admissions, Frailty, Family Health, Neurology and neuro-rehabilitation, and Elective Care:

To provide a specialist level of clinical pharmacy services to the patients on the allocated wards, and assist the medical and nursing teams on the wards with pharmaceutical and therapeutic advice,

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about their therapy,

To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss therapy regimens,

To deputise for the Lead Pharmacist

To advise the Principal Pharmacist and Lead Pharmacists on development needs and opportunities for this service area

To supervise and mentor more junior staff in the provision of services to these areas

To develop or contribute to a training programme for clinical pharmacists allocated to the specialty areas and to administer any competency assessment process that is in place to ensure the appropriate standards are achieved.

To assist with Foundation student pharmacist training within the Trust for our own Foundation student pharmacists and community Foundation student pharmacists allocated to Warwick Hospital.

To provide clinical pharmacy training for undergraduate pharmacy students, vacation students, Foundation Student pharmacists (hospital and community-based) and hospital clinical pharmacists.

To contribute as required to the induction and in-service training of nursing, midwifery and medical staff as appropriate

To assist and supervise as necessary, wardbased Medicines Management technicians in the clinical aspects of their work,

To maintain an awareness of current developments in pharmacy practice pertinent to the specialist pharmacy area.

To coordinate the out of hours on call service, providing reports, evaluating responses to calls, sharing lessons learned, and ensuring consistency and a good standard of service.

To lead on opportunities to improve the efficiency or cost of drugs use (QIPP).

To act as Pharmacys representative to the Audit and Operational Governance Group AOGG for a Division when required

When required, to advise/ comment on clinical treatment guidelines for use in the specialty area that have been produced locally or by national bodies e.g. NICE, NSFs, National Prescribing Centre guidelines etc.

To contribute to and/ or undertake audit projects in the specialty areas particularly those concerned with the clinical and cost effective use of drugs, compliance with safer prescribing and drug administration policies, procedures and guidelines, and implementation of pharmacy service developments. To provide reports and present the audit findings within the Trust.

To be involved in the work of clinical drug trials including, where necessary, initial clinical discussions with the investigator / sponsor, review of the trial protocol, initiation/ implementation, supply of study material to patients, record keeping, problem solving and liaison with the study investigators and co-ordinators when necessary.

To undertake duties as a clinical pharmacist to other wards in the Trust when necessary, including occasional work at other pharmacies from which a pharmacy service is provided. In the specialist pharmacy service of Clinical Haematology and Oncology, with Aseptics and Clinical Trials:

To assist the Principal Pharmacist in their role of providing highly specialist clinical pharmacy advice to consultant clinicians, clinical nurse specialists, ward and clinic staff,

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about their therapy,

To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss therapy regimens,

To advise dispensary staff (SWFT CS and inpatient dispensary) in the dispensing of chemotherapy and adjuvants,

To contribute with the Cancer Unit lead, to the development of the chemotherapy management system Mosaiq (software)

To contribute to the preparation of cancer treatment regimens

To check the treatment regimens in care pathways and resolve any anomalies,

To be responsible for the clinical and final checks of products prepared in the Aseptics Unit,

To provide clinical and final checks of bought-in specials,

To ensure that staff are trained in risk management processes relating to the therapy area (this will include cancer and non-cancer intrathecal administration for non-rotational posts) ,

To attend clinical meetings, when required, of the relevant clinical Network.

To assist the Principal Pharmacist Cancer and Aseptic Services in ensuring all chemotherapy prescribed has appropriate funding and Patient Access Schemes are followed,

To assist with the training of junior pharmacists, Foundation Student Pharmacists , technicians and student technicians in this area of specialised practice

To act as Pharmacys link to the Nutrition Team, advise and support on Clinical Nutrition, assist dietitians in converting patients nutrition needs into a formulation (where other forms of feeding are inappropriate) for parenteral nutrition when require

To support the Lead pharmacists in the implementation and running of clinical trials as directed

To support the clinical ward service, as outlined above, as per the teams rota commitments Other Duties

Any other duties considered appropriate to the post and grade by the line manager.

To adhere to and perpetuate Trust Policies and Procedures, e.g. Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety etc. Special Requirements of the Postholder

The post holder will have Warwick Hospital as their main base but will be required to work at and/or visit other hospitals in the Trusts we serve.

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, is not exhaustive and serves as a guide to the main tasks, envisaged at the time of drafting. As such this job description will change and evolve in accordance with the Pharmacy Services needs.

Qualifications

Essential

• Master's Degree in Pharmacy (or equivalent)
• Professional registration as a Pharmacist in the UK, through practitioner Membership of The General Pharmaceutical Council
• Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy diploma OR postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate completed and working towards postgraduate Clinical Diploma (to be completed within 12 months of appointment) OR at least 12 months of appointment) OR at least 2 years post qualification experience with at least 6 months of those within specialist area
• (if this is an agreed part of the role) Pharmacist independent Prescribing national accreditation and registration

Experience

Essential

• Sufficient hospital pharmacy experience (as a registered pharmacist) to have acquired the competencies needed for the job
• Recent clinical practitioner ward experience in a general hospital setting
• Specialist services relevant to the post (e.g. aseptics)

Desirable

• Undertaken audit work.
• Lectures, talks, training given (Medical/Nursing/Pharmacy staff and patients)
• Experience of managing a clinical pharmacy service to a specialty on a day to day basis (e.g. whilst covering a senior colleague)

Skills

Essential

• Good understanding of recent NHS and pharmacy and medicines management reports and how they relate to pharmacy practice
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of specialist knowledge in the relevant area for the post
• Ability to advise and influence all grades of medical and nursing staff on therapeutic aspects of patient care
• An understanding of the relevance of clinical governance and risk management
• Able to understand clinical research data
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Able to clearly communicate complex clinical information to all grades of medical, nursing and pharmacy staff.
• Able to sensitively question patients on their drug treatment and to communicate clearly with them
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good presentation skills
• Able to create a rapport with people
• Ability to prioritise own work and assist others to do so
• Able to use initiative and work without supervision
• Ability to manage pharmacy staff allocated to the specialty
• Able to give credible representation of the Pharmacy at a senior medical and management levels
• Ability to work in teams - pharmacy teams and multidisciplinary teams.
• Sound judgement on clinical, pharmaceutical and ethical issues
• Able to advise other pharmacists of all grades in the post holder's expert area of knowledge
• Assertiveness skills- able to respond to challenge at senior medical or nursing levels
• Able to deal with concerned/anxious patients or relatives particularly in relation to their drug treatment
• Able to meet deadlines
• High standards of work presentation

Personal Qualitites

Essential

• Professional appearance
• A positive "can do", enthusiastic approach to work
• Self-motivating and able to motivate a pharmacy team
• Wants to "make a difference". Can enthuse about the potential of the post

Other

Essential

• Prepared to contribute to routine, clinical pharmacy and dispensary duties
• Accurate clinical, dispensing and checking abilities
• Able to undertake weekend, Bank Holiday and Statutory Day working and Emergency Duty Commitment on a rota
• Ability to use VDUs
• Able to demonstrate a satisfactory level of continuing professional development
• Satisfactory computer keyboard skills
• Use of motorised transport and insured for business use (or willingness to stay on site at own expense whilst on call).
• Competent in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook
• Competent in Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint

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).