Highly Specialist Pharmacist - Medicine

Job description

Job responsibilities

(Note: A candidate who are currently completing their diploma will be considered for shortlisting, if recruited, they will receive Band 7 AFC remuneration until they achieve the Diploma qualification preferably within the next 6 months)

1. General Clinical Practice

• Be responsible and accountable for the clinical pharmacy service provided to the sub speciality of the Medicine Directorate.
• Demonstrate professional accountability to patients.
• To act as a clinical role model within Medicine and demonstrate the ability to provide high quality, safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in these patients
• Provide highly specialist pharmaceutical care to patients within Medicine including medication reconciliation on admission, at discharge, and medication review during inpatient stay
• Participate in ward rounds to integrate into the multidisciplinary team and raise the pharmacy profile via contributions at consultant level.
• Manage the allocated patients medication and make appropriate referrals.
• Demonstrate a whole-system patient-focused approach.
• Demonstrate advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement.
• Communicate highly complex issues in all areas of work including communication with Medicine patients, patients having language difficulties and patients with physical and mental disabilities.
• Effectively deal with supply issues for Medicine patients and liaise with the buying office as necessary in order to maintain necessary medication.
• Make appropriate referrals where necessary; ensure the clear and effective communication of patients pharmaceutical needs to other pharmacists and health care professionals both within the trust and in other health care environments

1. Leadership

• Identify and promote best practice in medication use in Medicine.
• Act as a role model for trainee pharmacists, specialist and junior pharmacists in their Medicine rotation.
• Ensure delivery of the clinical governance agenda in relation to drug use in Medicine in order to minimise the number of drug related incidents
• Motivate and inspire others (both within pharmacy and the directorate) in order to create and maintain a good working environment and facilitate staff retention.
• Proactively develop clinical pharmacy services in Medicine in line with local and national objectives.
• Demonstrate innovation in the highly specialised chosen field within Medicine pharmacy practice.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacy and medical staff, the multidisciplinary team and management in the natural agenda for pharmacy services in accordance with the agreed objectives.
• Deputise for the Lead Directorate Pharmacist Medicine when required.

1. Management of service

• To provide Clinical Pharmacy services to the sub-speciality of Medicine in accordance with priorities set by the post holder and Lead Directorate Pharmacist.
• Reconcile national priorities with local realities
• Work across traditional boundaries e.g. pharmacist transcription of discharge medication.
• Ensure that national and local agendas are delivered.
• To identify and prioritise the delivery of clinical pharmacy services to Medicine.
• Follow and conform to relevant standards of care.
• Provide advice and support on the development and implementation of shared-care guidelines in Medicine in order to promote seamless care for patients.
• Effectively liaise with other hospitals in order to communicate complex pharmaceutical information about patients being transferred either to or from the Trust.
• Identify and manage risks in relation to Medicines use according to policy/protocol.
• Delegate duties / responsibilities appropriately to junior staff.
• Evaluate the performance of junior staff against identified criteria using departmental tools and General Level Competence Framework.
• To provide evaluated pharmaceutical and financial information for the Medicine specialty to the Lead Directorate Pharmacist for Medicine in accordance with the needs of the directorate and the pharmacy department.
• Effectively monitor and report on the drug expenditure within Medicine, including that of high cost drugs e.g. Anti TNF alpha, and provide feedback to the Lead Directorate Pharmacist Medicine, service managers and clinicians.
• Identify changes in prescribing practices in Medicine that may impact on the setting of the drugs budget, including new prescribing practices (horizon scanning).
• Provide advice on the cost effective use of Medicines within sub-speciality including the implementation of prescribing guidelines and identification of potential cost savings.
• Review drug related incidents that occur within the chosen sub-speciality and implement actions to reduce re-occurrence after discussion with the LDP Medicine.
• Support LDP Medicine in the investigation of errors and complaints from Medicine directorate and contribute to the formulation of an action plan in order to ensure that there is a satisfactory outcome.
• Support the LDP Medicine directorate in the production of business plans for all advancements of pharmacy services within Medicine.
• Provide advice on the implementation and maintenance of Patient Group Directions used in Medicine
• Attend and represent pharmacy at relevant and appropriate multidisciplinary Medicine meetings, e.g. clinical governance meeting and Divisional board meetings
• Develop, review and negotiate the ward rota for the Medicine directorate on a weekly basis.
• Deputise for the Lead Directorate Pharmacist Medicine Directorate as required and represent pharmacy at directorate management meetings when considered appropriate.
• To support the Lead Pharmacist for Medicine in the development of a 7-day service for Medical patients in line with the trust requirements.
• Ensure safe delivery of high-risk medications or procedures involving medication in medical sub-specialties.

1. Evaluation of Service

• Evaluate the quality of the pharmacy service to the sub speciality allocated in the Medicine Directorate to ensure that they are recognised as a lead in the national field in line with the corporate objectives and clinical governance agenda.
• Document the workload and quality of pharmacy services to the sub speciality in line with departmental and corporate objectives, including transcription monitoring and the evaluation of on-call data.
• Ensure departmental standards are met.
• Supervise and undertake clinical audit as part of the multi-disciplinary audit process, including risk management issues in Medicine.
• Undertake assessments/evaluations of service and patient care as required e.g. of new products within Medicine.
• Assist the LDP in quality improvement of pharmaceutical services to Medicine specialties

1. Research and Service Development

• Demonstrate a critical approach towards pharmacy practice in Medicine.
• Integrate research evidence into practice.
• Develop clinical guidelines / pathways within the directorate and review (and sign off if appropriate) guidelines, that include medication, written by others.
• Actively seek to improve the wards and clinical services provided.
• Undertake and supervise practice research in accordance with the pharmacy research agenda, including the presentation of findings with a view to publication.
• Pharmaceutical screening of research applications from the directorate to the Trust R&D committee when designated as appropriate.
• Supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate project work.
• Adopt continuous improvement methodology and support Pharmacy in becoming a continuous improvement department

1. Education and Training

• Participate in the training and supervision of junior pharmacists and trainee pharmacists in providing a clinical pharmacy service to patients in Medicine.
• Participate in the general clinical training of all junior staff including the principles of pharmaceutical care.
• Be a ward tutor for a junior pharmacists, which includes regular (weekly/fortnightly) informal ward accompanied visits and two formal visits in their 4-monthly rotation.
• Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff on rotation in Medicine.
• Provide education and training to other clinical staff in relation to Medicine.
• Evaluate the training provided.
• Identify own training needs and maintain a portfolio of practice.
• Represent Pharmacy / Medicine at appropriate external meetings / education and training events in order to network and share knowledge and experience with other Medicine pharmacists at a national level if appropriate.
• Co-ordinate input and run workshops/lectures for the pharmacy department in order to update and improve knowledge in Medicine.
• Act as an HEE Educational Supervisor and Practise Supervisor.

• Act as an Educational Supervisor for Diploma practitioners
• Provide teaching and support as preceptor for undergraduate pharmacists and doctors who are assigned to the pharmacy department for work experience and/or project work as required
• Participate in the training of final year medical students and junior doctors if required
• Be able to act as a Designated Prescribing Practitioner if required for trainee pharmacists completing Independent Prescribing qualifications

1. Other Duties

• To participate in on-call, weekend/bank holiday and shift working as well as 7 day working when required on a rotational basis.
• To assist in the production of ward and department rotas.
• At all times practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
• Follow legal, ethical, professional and employers codes of conduct.
• Any other duties as reasonably required by the Chief Pharmacist.

Refer to the attached job description for further details.

Person Specification

Education and Qualificiation

Essential

• Independent Prescriber
• Registered as a practicing pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Diploma in Pharmacy Practice or equivalent training
• Independent Prescriber or currently working towards IP

Desirable

• ICH GCP Training
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) faculty membership
• Postgraduate qualifications in Medical specialities

Experience

Essential

• Relevant and extensive post registration ward pharmacy experience including in medicine and surgery specialist areas
• Recent experience as a specialist clinical pharmacist in medicine or surgery, able to demonstrate a high level of competency e.g. equivalent to achieving Mastery in the majority of competencies within the Advanced Level Competency Framework
• Variety of clinical practice to include Acute Medicine and Surgery rotations
• Supervision of pharmacy staff in training
• Meets the necessary GPhC requirements in order to undertake role of GPhC Trainee pharmacist Tutor

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Good oral and accurate written communication; word-processing, email, accurate data entry skills
• Able to present complex and potentially sensitive information
• Problem solving and risk assessment abilities
• Demonstrable organisational and prioritisation skills to work to a deadline
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to motivate self and others and to work independently on designated
• Identify and prioritize clinical work to meet set targets
• Understanding of national and local priorities
• Awareness of and commitment to the Clinical Governance Agenda
• Expert clinical knowledge in medicines

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Enthusiasm for the position and a mature and positive approach
• Methodical with attention to detail
• Ability to cope well within a busy environment
• Reliable team worker; able to relate to all grades of staff

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Middlesex Hospital

Twickenham Road

Isleworth

TW7 6AF

Employer's website

https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)