Specialist Pharmacist Critical Care & Anaesthetics

Job responsibilities

The postholder will be a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist providing clinical pharmacy service to the Critical Care, Anaesthetics, Pain, Pre-op Assessment & Resuscitation (CAPPRO) Directorate.

They will support the Highly Specialist Pharmacists and the Consultant Pharmacist Critical Care and work alongside other Specialist Pharmacists in delivering safe, effective and efficient clinical pharmacy services to patients on the Adult Critical Care Units in Oxford University Hospitals. This will include reviewing and optimising of prescriptions, attendance at and contribution to MDT ward rounds, as well as providing advice and teaching for junior pharmacy staff and other critical care healthcare professionals, appropriate to the postholders level of experience.

The postholder will assist the CAPPR Lead Directorate Pharmacist is providing clinical pharmacy services to other specialities in the directorate, e.g. Anaesthetics, within their level of skills or following appropriate training. They will, with appropriate support, deputise for the Highly Specialist Pharmacist Critical Care or the Consultant Pharmacist Critical Care at medicines or governance related unit level meetings, e.g. the OCC Quality & Safety Meeting. They will be involved in producing medicines evaluation, medicines protocols and treatment guidelines as well as participating in medicines-related audits or other projects related to the directorate specialities.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

Direct Patient Care

1. Deliver compassionate excellence via a patient focused clinical pharmacy service, in accordance with national medicines optimisation principles and local clinical pharmacy procedures.

2. Analyse prescriptions, alongside technical resources, patient records and information from patient consults to form an opinion on the most appropriate course of action.

3. Accurately and sensitively communicate medicines related information to a variety of healthcare professionals and patients including those with language difficulties, physical or mental disabilities, in a way that facilitates shared decision making.

4. Optimise transfer of patient care, though timely completion of medicines reconciliation and communication with GPs and community pharmacy teams.

5. Participate in and promote antimicrobial stewardship, medicines safety, and medicines effectiveness initiatives.

6. Where relevant to a rotation complete training in clinical trials and support the supply of investigational medicinal products.

7. Where a scope of practice has been identified within a rotation, train to become a NMP and when registered with the GPhC and the OUH to prescribe within the Trusts policy for Non-medical Prescribing.

8. Support OUH dispensaries, and liaise with external agencies (Such as aseptic production services or homecare providers) to ensure safe, timely and appropriate supply of medications to patients.

Supporting Professional Activities

9. Complete a local induction programme, including core training and maintain core skills throughout employment.

10. Act as a role model for pharmacy within the Trust, demonstrating the GPhC Standards for Pharmacy Professionals and our Trust values.

11. Support and promote the Trusts equality, diversity and inclusion principles and our sustainability model.

12. Plan and organise your own workload in alignment with professional and organisational priorities.

13. Delegate and escalate appropriately.

14. Report any unexpected or untoward events via the Trusts incident reporting system.

15. Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team, and the support of your team lead, in developing the pharmacy service in line with the department and Trust strategies in response to changing service needs

16. Support compliance with medicines related legislative and regulatory requirements, including maintaining the security and quality of medicines stock and be able to develop an action plan for improvements in a designated area.

17. Support the development and implementation of treatment protocols and guidelines for use of medicines within the clinical area

18. Contribute to and implement the clinical governance plans of the clinical area and the pharmacy clinical governance plans.

19. Participate in, support and lead on Audits, Service evaluation and Quality/Cost Improvement Projects that align to our strategy and support our culture of continuous improvement.

20. Provide specialised professional and technical education at a professional or under-graduate level and at a level that patient/carers can understand in both inpatient and outpatient clinical environments across the primary and secondary care settings.

21. Tutor and support the training of trainee foundation pharmacists and technicians.

22. Any other reasonable duties as requested by the Clinical Director of Pharmacy, or Associate Director of Pharmacy Clinical Service.

General Conditions

Effort and Environment

High levels of concentration may need to be maintained for extended period

Precision and accuracy are essential in pharmacy professionals' work.

Physical effort may be necessary to stand for prolonged periods, move between departments, lifting & handling equipment or medicines.

Emotional effort may be required to maintain a calm and compassionate disposition when dealing with distressed patients or relatives. Duties may on occasion be considered to be distressing and/or emotionally demanding.

Volume of work may occasionally lead to feeling under pressure.

There is potential for exposure to cytotoxic or cytostatic medicines and bodily fluids.

Risk Management

The management of risk is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest and open environment.

Staff will be provided with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.

Staff should be familiar with the

• Major Incident Policy
• Fire Policy
• Information governance

and should make themselves familiar with the local response plan and their role within that response.

Responsibilities for Health and Safety

The post holder is responsible for ensuring that all duties and responsibilities of this post are carried out in compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Statutory Regulations and Trust Policies and Procedures. This will be supported by the provision of training and specialist advice where required.

Infection Control

Infection Control is everyones responsibility. All staff, both clinical and non-clinical, are required to adhere to the Trusts Infection Prevention and Control Policies and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection control at all times thereby reducing the burden of Healthcare Associated Infections including MRSA.

All staff employed by OUH have the following key responsibilities:

• Staff must wash their hands or use alcohol gel on entry and exit from all clinical areas and/or between each patient contact.
• Staff members have a duty to attend mandatory infection control training provided for them by the Trust.
• Staff members who develop an infection (other than common colds and illness) that may be transmittable to patients have a duty to contact Occupational Health.

Child Protection

The post holder will endeavour at all times to uphold the rights of children and young people in accordance with the UN Convention Rights of the Child.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

The Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults throughout the organisation. As a member of the trust there is a duty to assist in protecting patients and their families from any form of harm when they are vulnerable.

Information Governance

All staff must complete annual information governance training. If you have a Trust email account this can be completed on-line, otherwise you must attend a classroom session. For further details, go to the Information Governance intranet site.

Data Quality

Data quality is a vital element of every member of staffs job role. Oxford University Hospitals recognises the importance of information in the provision of patient care and in reporting on its performance. Data quality is therefore crucial in ensuring complete, timely and accurate information is available in support of patient care, clinical governance, performance management, service planning, and financial and resource planning and performance.

All staff should ensure that they have read and understood the Trusts Data Quality Policy.

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters Degree (4 year MPharm or equivalent) in Pharmacy
• Registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Post Graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice and due to complete the diploma, or equivalent external credentialling via CPPE/ RPS

Desirable

• Post Graduate Diploma/MSc in Pharmacy Practice or experience/ qualification/ credentialling deemed equivalent.
• Independent Prescriber
• Edward Jenner Leadership programme or equivalent.

Technical Skills

Essential

• Working knowledge of Office 365 applications

Desirable

• Experience using Electronic prescribing systems

Experience

Essential

• Direct patient care in more than one one setting or clinical area.
• Working with other health care professionals
• Communicating complex information via multiple methods to a variety of recipients.
• Quality improvement, service evaluation or audit
• Mentoring and training others in a healthcare setting
• Taking the lead in a team or project

Desirable

• Hospital experience in more than one setting or clinical area
• Experience in Pharmaceutical care of patients in critical care or enhanced care setting
• Appreciation of funding streams for medicines budgets.
• Demonstrating measurable outcomes from quality or service improvement
• Preparation of protocols or guidelines

Personal Skills

Essential

• Organised and able to manage own time.
• Evidence based, methodical approach
• Puzzle/Problem solver
• Autonomous with awareness of own limitations and knowing when to escalate
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Accountable and responsible for own decisions

Desirable

• Excellent Clinical Prioritisation
• Evidence of balancing conflicting priorities
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
• Member of relevant professional group e.g. UKCPA
• Ability to travel to all sites including the use of public transport

Behavioural Skills

Essential

• Acts in accordance with the Trust values
• Adaptable and resilient
• Professional at all times
• Growth mindset, and continuing professional development.
• Appreciation of the value of equality diversity and inclusion

Desirable

• Leadership
• Enthusiastic and positive approach

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).