Job responsibilities
*To deliver a clinical pharmacy and medicine management service to designated physical and mental health wards and ensure patients receive a high standard of pharmaceutical care.
*Ensure safe and appropriate use of medicines in order to maximise benefit and minimise risk to patients.
*Undertake medicines reconciliation and to support Medicines Management (MM) technicians in medicines reconciliation.
*Ensure the effective supply of medicines suitable for use as an inpatient and appropriately labelled for discharge.
*Monitor patients for potential and actual adverse effects of their medicines.
*Take steps to ensure patients understand the purpose of their medicines and deal with any practical issues that may prevent the optimal use of their medicines.
*Support the planning of patient discharge with respect to medicines.
*Facilitate seamless transfer of care for patients in respect of their medicines across all interfaces.
*Actively promote self-medication on the rehabilitation wards in alignment with Trust policy.
*Reduce risk associated with medicines use by contributing to the safe medication practice agenda.
*Develop and demonstrate expert clinical knowledge in appropriate areas.
*Act as a clinical role model and demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective, and cost-efficient use of medicines.
*Provide advice to health care professionals or patients who have been so far unable to access either information/advice, or require help where information is conflicting or difficult to interpret in the management of either individual patients, or groups of patients.
*Ensure advice is accurate, evaluated, impartial and up to date to ensure the safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of medicines.
*Assess medicine regimens both during enquiry answering and/or routine ward visits providing highly specific advice to other clinical teams' members on the management of often complex medicine related issues, such as complex drug interactions, medicine use in pregnancy, unlicensed use of medicines etc.
*Facilitate the implementation of specified standards and policies, within current legal frameworks, regulations and best practice.
*Support the implementation of local and national recommendations, including local formularies, Medicines Management Group, NICE, MHRA and NHS England actions.
*Provide advice to ensure the safe and cost-effective use of medicines.
*Act as an authorised witness for the disposal of controlled drugs in accordance with relevant legislation and Trust policy, regulations and guidance when required.
*To provide representation at relevant committees and groups where and when appropriate.
*To participate in training and supervision of undergraduate pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists, junior pharmacists, medicines management technicians and induction of new staff including nurses and doctors as required.
*To provide co-ordinated medicines information to patients during their inpatient stay and as part of the discharge-planning process.
*To liaise with members of clinical team and external agencies as part of discharge planning and to undertake needs assessment for individual patients e.g. compliance aid requirement.
*To document clinical pharmacy contacts, interventions, and records such as drug histories and treatment plans in the patient's record.
*Ensure medicines related incidents are reported through the appropriate incident reporting systems and that any learning from incidents is shared and implemented.
*Assist the Principal Pharmacist in planning and delivery of medicines education and training to practitioners.
*Participate in clinical audit through data collection, setting objectives, analysing results, and report writing to ensure guidelines are implemented.
*Provide support to the Principal Pharmacist in reviewing and monitoring medicines related incidents; provide support in reporting back trends to clinical teams.
*Provide support to the Principal Pharmacist with ensuring that appropriate Trust policies, guidelines, PGDs and SOPs are kept up to date, safe and relevant.
*Be able to provide support to colleagues in the wider Medicines Management Team as needed, for example by being able to help provide cover to other wards, advice and support if required.
*To act as second professional for patients requiring assessment under the Mental Health Act 1983 (post section 118).
*The post holder will take responsibility for identifying own training and development needs and continually update their skills and knowledge as part of Continuing Professional Development.
*As applicable, to undertake duties as a non-medical, independent prescriber within competencies and as agreed within the Division.
Education
*Undertake training and mentoring of staff and other groups as needed.
*To make suggestions for improvements to the service and policy changes to the Principal Pharmacist.
*To provide support to Senior Pharmacists in delivering Medicines Management support and training to other areas of the community services.
Research and Development and quality improvement:
*To participate in quality improvement initiatives.
*To participate in the Trust wide medicines clinical audit programme.
*Promote and facilitate pharmacy practice related research within pharmacy services.
*To support the Principal Pharmacist for research and development as needed.
People Management
*Be responsible for cascading highly complex and sensitive information to staff using highly developed interpersonal skills to manage anxiety or hostility.
*Be involved in the recruitment process for staff as required.
Administrative
*To maintain up to date, accurate and complete patient records which reflect the work carried out by the post holder.
*To maintain records of work carried out in this post to provide feedback for commissioners and to support future development of services.
*To contribute to clinical audits.
*To participate in the assessment of patient experience of the Medicines Management Service.
Non-medical prescribing
*To work as an independent non-medical prescriber within areas of work as required, taking responsibility for the clinical assessment of the patient, establishing a diagnosis and the clinical management required, as well as responsibility for prescribing where necessary and the appropriateness of any prescription issued.
*Independent prescribers will be responsible for prescribing a range of drugs within their competence in accordance with Trust protocols and British National Formulary.
*To write prescriptions in accordance with Trust policy, taking full responsibility for the patient as well as for the medicines prescribed
*Ensure the appropriate records are made in the patient's case notes which identify the post holder as the independent prescriber.
*To ensure that contemporaneous records which are unambiguous and legible are maintained and kept in accordance with Trust policy and professional codes of Conduct.
*To ensure that the GP is notified when a patient is seen as an outpatient, following discharge from hospital or in the event that the prescription is changed.
*To take responsibility for ensuring that the non-medical prescribing is recorded on the Trust Patient Administration system for outpatients.
*To communicate fully with those patients who are unable to communicate or give consent ensuring that the benefits of non-medical prescribing are documented fully, and to provide reassurance to both the patient and the carer that you are fulfilling the role of the doctor.
*Where it is recognised that a patient's needs are outside the post holder's clinical and professional experience, to take responsibility and make referrals to a specialist doctor, the multidisciplinary team or other agency.
*Assist with the development of policies and inform development of non-medical prescribing across the Trust.
*Take the lead on policy, procedural development and patient information relating to non-medical prescribing in designated areas of practice.
*In accordance with Trust policy, submit monthly records of drugs prescribed to the Trust's Education and Training department non-medical prescribing lead.
*To undertake auditing and monitoring of prescribing in the post holder's own designated areas of practice.
*To be responsible for ensuring the security and safe handling of inpatient, out-patient and FP10 prescription forms and to report any loss or theft accordingly.
*In the event of adverse drug reaction, to be accountable for ensuring that the
*GP/Consultant is advised accordingly and that the incident reporting process is followed
*To participate in patient satisfaction survey design and obtain feedback on patient views of non-medical prescribing
*Act as a mentor and guide for supplementary non-medical prescribers and to provide clinical supervision, ensuring that any shortfalls form part of the CPD
*To access regular clinical supervision from a doctor in the team
*To be accountable for ensuring that training, CPD and clinical supervision sustains the post holder's independent prescribing status
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.