Advanced Clinical Pharmacist Cancer - Dedicated Ward Pharmacy Lead

Job responsibilities

Education, Training, Development and Supervision

To act as a role model, supervisor and mentor for the Specialist Cancer Services (Oncology & Haematology) pharmacists, rotational pharmacists, trainee pharmacists, medicines management technicians and other members of pharmacy staff.

To lead induction of staff into the Pharmacy Service for the Clinical Pharmacy Service to the adult and paediatric oncology & haematology outpatient, day case, inpatient ward and acute emergency assessment unit, and to identify training and development needs, to ensure staff can perform their duties and take responsibility effectively.

To lead formal and informal training and education to senior and junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists, and medicines management technicians working in the Clinical Pharmacy Service to the adult and paediatric oncology & haematology outpatient, day case, inpatient ward and acute emergency assessment unit, to ensure they are equipped to perform their duties effectively.

To lead on staff working through the competencies, and to ensure staff attain revalidation of the BOPA (British Oncology Pharmacy Association) passport.

Maintain the clinical training pack for all pharmacy staff working in the adult and paediatric oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit, in conjunction with the Principal Pharmacist, Oncology & Haematology and other Advanced Pharmacists.

To develop competency-based training and revalidation competencies for pharmacy staff assigned to the Clinical Pharmacy Service to the adult and paediatric oncology & haematology outpatient, day case, inpatient ward and acute emergency assessment unit.

To liaise with the technical led Aseptic Service Unit to facilitate pharmacists to attain accreditation to check and release aseptically prepared SACT medicines.

To provide the required level of clinical knowledge to technical staff in the Aseptic Services Unit to enable them to understand the administration of SACT medicines and cancer pharmacy service provided to patients.

To line manage, make the best use of their abilities and experience, monitor performance and undertake appraisal for the Specialist Cancer Services (Oncology & Haematology) Pharmacists, undertaking appraisals, supervision and identification of training and development of their skills and knowledge.

To be a tutor for the Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice.

To support pharmacists undertaking their Independent Prescribing Training.

Support Continual Professional Development for Pharmacists working in the team and seek training & development opportunities to align with the service and individuals personal development plans agreed at annual appraisal.

To maintain appropriate standards of service and safety; to enforce guidelines, policies, and procedures to ensure standards are met.

To provide education and training for medical, pharmacy, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

To help provide the training for Technicians Medicines Management Scheme and enhanced patient counselling skills.

To provide information to patients, and carers regarding patients treatment and medication to optimise patient concordance.

To identify training needs and undertake training of the other members of the pharmacy team, facilitating the RPS general and Advanced level frameworks where appropriate.

To support the Principal Pharmacist to ensure staff withing the team complete mandatory and role specific training, including GMP and GCP.

To take responsibility for own personal CPD to satisfy the requirements for mandatory professional development and registration with GPhC, improve competence and acquire new skills to benefit development of the service and develop membership for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society faculty.

Attend local and national education training and development courses and keep up to date with the latest developments in hospital pharmacy and therapeutics.

Set/monitor the standards for clinical pharmacy services within the adult oncology & haematology outpatient, day case, ward and the acute emergency assessment unit with the support of the Principal Pharmacist, Oncology & Haematology and other Advanced Cancer Pharmacists.

Represent the service at a regional or national level, if required.

If required, to undertake training to register as a non-medical prescriber.

Lead in the recruitment of new junior pharmacists in oncology and haematology.

Specialist Clinical Pharmacy Service to adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit; adult and paediatric oncology & haematology outpatient and day case areas

To lead, develop and provide a specialist clinical pharmacy service to the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit.

To lead and develop the dedicated ward pharmacy project across the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit in collaboration with the allocated band 7 dedicated ward pharmacists.

To provide a specialist clinical pharmacy service to the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit, including proactive and reactive participation in ward rounds, input into medicines management review, counselling, acting as a clinical pharmacy role model being accountable for own professional actions.

To ensure an efficient, cost-effective, and accurate system to supply prescriptions and prepacks to the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit including FP10s, NGH and third-party dispensaries.

To lead the introduction of new medicines for the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit into the Trust by appraising evidence and economic impact for new formulary submissions.

Develop, implement, and lead on the development of standards and auditing of services in the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit. To use KPIs to show realisation of dedicated ward pharmacy models.

Plan appropriate audit and practice research and implement appropriate service changes to the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit.

Set/monitor the standards for clinical pharmacy services within the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit with the support of the Principal Pharmacist, Oncology & Haematology.

To support the Principal Pharmacist to investigate incidents and complaints relating to medicines usage within the adult oncology & haematology ward and the acute emergency assessment unit and discuss with Pharmacists in the Cancer Services Team.

• To act as a highly specialised clinical pharmacist and provide a patient focused clinical pharmacy service to deliver to adult and paediatric oncology & clinical haematology for outpatient clinics and day case chemotherapy.

To work closely with the oncology & haematology clinicians to implement and proactively promote and develop safe, high quality and evidence-based prescribing and safe management of medicines.

To use specialist knowledge and expertise to make complex judgements and provide expert clinical advice, utilising highly complex information, evaluate evidence and to advise in situations when evidence is lacking in the specialist area of oncology & haematology.

To communicate highly complex information relating to medicines with clinicians, nurses, independent prescribers, carers and patients.

To ensure that prescriptions are clinically appropriate for the patient; safe, accurate, legal, legible, cost-effective, and compliant with local prescribing policies and National Guidance.

Motivate and inspire other pharmacists and healthcare professionals to adopt ownership of responsibility for prescribing.

To work as a prescriber within area of competence and optimise the use of pharmacist independent prescribers in on the adult oncology & haematology ward, the acute emergency assessment unit and outpatient clinics (assuming registration with the GPhC and authorised via the Trust NMP register), reviewing patients systemic anti-cancer medicines, blood test results, chemotherapy toxicities, radiology scans and prescribing as appropriate.

To provide general and specialist advice and information relating to medicines to all levels of health professionals, senior managers and patients within the oncology & haematology outpatient and day case areas to enhance the quality of patient care.

To provide pharmaceutical support and information necessary to manage medicines safely and cost-effectively in oncology & haematology outpatients and day case areas.

Education Training and Qualifications

Essential

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy
• Registered with GPhC
• Diploma or MSc in Clinical Pharmacy
• Independent prescriber
• Mandatory CPD Portfolio
• Electronic BOPA Passport completed
• Member of BOPA

Desirable

• Formal management training
• Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Working towards RPS faculty recognition
• Diploma Tutor accreditation

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Extensive operational experience at a Senior Hospital Pharmacist level, demonstrating a high degree of autonomy
• Extensive knowledge and experience of the pharmaceutical care of both oncology & clinical haematology patients
• Extensive knowledge and experience of the pharmaceutical care of both oncology & clinical haematology patients
• Experience with working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Teaching, supervising and training staff
• Experience of practice research or audits
• Good core clinical knowledge of therapeutics and pharmacology
• Skill mix issues/role of Technicians in Clinical Services
• Appraisal/personal development
• Awareness of interface issues
• NHS arrangements, eg CCG, CQUINS, NICE, Clinical Governance
• Experience of prescribing within a specialty to optimise medicines for specific patient groups
• Experience of managing others
• Attendance at ward rounds

Desirable

• Risk Management
• Change Management
• Experience of electronic prescribing and administration systems and electronic patient records

Skills

Essential

• Excellent analytical, clinical reasoning and judgement, and problem solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills to people at all levels within the organisation
• Good interpersonal / excellent communication both written and verbal
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to prioritise
• Ability to delegate
• Ability to manage time effectively
• Information appraisal
• Excellent organisational skills
• Planning, monitoring and influencing skills
• Ability to work without direct, continuous supervision and to deliver to deadlines
• Often required to switch tasks at short notice

Desirable

• Advanced IT 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).