Job summary
We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for an Advanced Specialist Pharmacistto play a key role within our expanding pharmacy service. This post sits at the heart of medicines safety, and our specialist forensic pathways, supporting some of the most complex and rewarding areas of mental health care within North London NHS Foundation Trust.
As we continue our trust-wide transformation programme, we are strengthening our approach to medicines safety, governance, and digital innovation.In this specialist role, you will have the opportunity to:
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Provide expert pharmaceutical leadership within forensic mental health services;
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Lead and support medicines safety initiatives trust-wide, ensuring high standards of governance and learning;
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Contribute to the development of safer systems of care, aligned with national strategy and the NHS Long Term Plan;
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Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, consultants, operational leaders, and quality improvement groups;
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Influence policy, clinical pathways, and risk management related to medicines use;
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Advance your specialist expertise within a supportive, forward-thinking environment.
We are a friendly, inclusive, and motivated pharmacy team working across multiple sites. We are seeking a dynamic, confident, and proactive pharmacist who is passionate about medicines safety and forensic mental health, and who is committed to driving safer, more effective medicines optimisation across our services.
Main duties of the job
The Advanced Specialist Pharmacist for Forensics and Medicines Safety will provide strong leadership to the pharmacy workforce and ensure effective and safe provision of pharmacy services. They will support the Senior Lead Pharmacists with the operational delivery of the Medicines Safety Programme and Medicines Optimisation Programme for North London Foundation Trust (NLFT) and deputise when required. The Advanced Specialist Pharmacist will also provide a pharmacy service to forensic mental health wards and teams served by NLFT and act as the pharmacy forensic specialist. This includes provision of clinical pharmacy services, medicines information, patient counselling, and ensuring compliance with trust policies and guidelines as well as Medicines legislation. The role also requires management and supervision of team members. Attendance at trust wide meetings and reporting through local clinical governance structures is also required.
About us
North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.
Our Five-Year Strategy:
- We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
- With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all
- We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care
Why NLFT?
- We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
- We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
- NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme
- Excellent internal staff network
In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.
Job description
Job responsibilities
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To support the Deputy Chief Pharmacist in leading, developing, delivering, and evaluating pharmacy services and medicines optimisation in their allocated area as delegated by the Chief Pharmacist.
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Provide leadership, maintain and improve standards of clinical pharmacy practice, quality assurance, risk management and other issues of clinical governance related to medicines optimisation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
-
To support the Deputy Chief Pharmacist in leading, developing, delivering, and evaluating pharmacy services and medicines optimisation in their allocated area as delegated by the Chief Pharmacist.
-
Provide leadership, maintain and improve standards of clinical pharmacy practice, quality assurance, risk management and other issues of clinical governance related to medicines optimisation.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Registrations
Essential
- Master's degree in pharmacy or equivalent
- General Pharmaceutical Council registered pharmacist
Desirable
- Higher Degree/Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy / Diploma in Psychiatry
- Educational Supervisor or Practice Supervisor Accreditation
- Non-medical prescribing qualification
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Excellent leadership skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills. Able to communicate with patients and all grades of health care staff (verbally and in writing)
- Good interpersonal skills, confident and assertive when dealing with other professionals
- Ability to influence medical staff, the multidisciplinary team and management
- Ability to establish recording systems and to provide necessary reports
- Ability to work both independently/autonomously and as part of the multidisciplinary team
- Ability to prioritise and respond to urgent requests for advice.
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Minimum of 18 months post-registration experience
- Significant and demonstrable experience of working as a clinical pharmacist practitioner in mental health. Must have highly specialised knowledge of psychopharmacology and mental health pharmacy services
- Up to date knowledge of legislation relevant to pharmacy practice, e.g. controlled drugs, Health and Safety at work
- Experience of supervising and managing staff
- Experience of training and educating healthcare staff from a variety of professions
Desirable
- Knowledge of CMM ePMA system
- Involvement in project work
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Excellent team player
- Must have a positive "can do" attitude
Person Specification
Qualifications/Registrations
Essential
- Master's degree in pharmacy or equivalent
- General Pharmaceutical Council registered pharmacist
Desirable
- Higher Degree/Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy / Diploma in Psychiatry
- Educational Supervisor or Practice Supervisor Accreditation
- Non-medical prescribing qualification
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Excellent leadership skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills. Able to communicate with patients and all grades of health care staff (verbally and in writing)
- Good interpersonal skills, confident and assertive when dealing with other professionals
- Ability to influence medical staff, the multidisciplinary team and management
- Ability to establish recording systems and to provide necessary reports
- Ability to work both independently/autonomously and as part of the multidisciplinary team
- Ability to prioritise and respond to urgent requests for advice.
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Minimum of 18 months post-registration experience
- Significant and demonstrable experience of working as a clinical pharmacist practitioner in mental health. Must have highly specialised knowledge of psychopharmacology and mental health pharmacy services
- Up to date knowledge of legislation relevant to pharmacy practice, e.g. controlled drugs, Health and Safety at work
- Experience of supervising and managing staff
- Experience of training and educating healthcare staff from a variety of professions
Desirable
- Knowledge of CMM ePMA system
- Involvement in project work
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Excellent team player
- Must have a positive "can do" attitude
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
