Job summary
Taunton Deane West PCN is seeking an experienced and motivated Clinical Pharmacist to join our multidisciplinary team, based in Wellington Medical Centre.
This is an exciting opportunity for a Clinical Pharmacist to play a key role in delivering high-quality, safe, and effective medicines optimisation. You'll provide structured medication reviews, support long-term condition management and contribute to reducing workload pressures through improved prescribing systems.
Asa PCN recognised as a Learning Organisation, we offer a supportive environment with opportunities for development, education and leadership. You'll work closely with GPs, pharmacy technicians and practice teams to support safer prescribing and deliver patient-focused care.
We're looking for someone with strong clinical knowledge, excellent communication skills, and a passion for improving patient outcomes. If you're ready to take the next step in your pharmacy career in a role that offers both challenge and support - apply today!
Main duties of the job
As a Clinical Pharmacist within Taunton Deane West PCN, you'll deliver high-quality, patient-centred medicines optimisation.
Your main duties will include:
- Conducting structured medication reviews, particularly for patients with polypharmacy, complex needs or long-term conditions.
- Supporting long-term condition clinics (e.g. asthma, COPD) and providing face-to-face and remote consultations.
- Managing repeat and acute prescriptions within your scope as an Independent Prescriber.(If qualified)
- Performing medicines reconciliation post-hospital discharge and ensuring safe transitions of care.
- Supporting care homes and undertaking domiciliary reviews where needed.
- Responding to MHRA alerts, prescribing queries and local formulary updates.
- Leading on quality improvement projects and safer prescribing initiatives.
- Contributing to education and training for PCN and practice staff.
- Collaborating with GPs, pharmacy technicians and community services to improve outcomes and reduce workload pressures.
- This is a varied role with scope for clinical leadership, audit and innovation. You'll be part of a supportive PCN committed to professional development and improving patient care.
About us
About Taunton Deane West PCN
Taunton Deane West Primary Care Network is an NHS collaboration between two GP Practices- Wellington Medical Centre and Lister House Partnership. Our surgery teams are working closely with each other, enjoying the ability to share expertise and resources, to develop new services. As an approved PCN Learning Organisation there is a focus on creating a learning culture and enabling both learners and educators to thrive.
Our vision is to continue to improve the quality of care that we provide in alignment with the need of our patient population. Because we are part of a PCN, we are able to take advantage of additional staff roles that are now available to support all of our patients. These additional roles help us to provide the right care at the right time, from the right professional.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post-holder will work as an integral part of the PCN multi-disciplinary team, providing advanced clinical support across practices and working closely with the PCN Pharmacy Team, Pharmacy Technicians, and general practice staff. This role focuses on medicines optimisation, improving prescribing safety, and delivering high-quality structured medication reviews, particularly for patients with complex polypharmacy, those in care homes, and individuals with multiple long-term conditions.
As a Clinical Pharmacist, the post-holder will take a proactive role in managing acute and repeat prescriptions, medicines reconciliation post-discharge, and addressing complex medication-related queries. They will also support care homes, run clinics (both face-to-face and remote), contribute to quality improvement initiatives, and ensure safer prescribing systems. The role includes providing clinical leadership in medicines optimisation and enhancing integration between primary care, community, and hospital pharmacy services to improve patient outcomes and reduce workload pressures.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
The following is not an exhaustive list, and the post holder may at times need to undertake duties as per the needs of the PCN.
Clinical Responsibilities
- Conduct patient-facing long-term condition clinics (e.g., COPD, asthma), ensuring medicine optimisation and ongoing medication monitoring.
- Undertake structured clinical medication reviews for patients with polypharmacy, multiple comorbidities, or specific clinical needs.
- Carry out medication reviews in care homes, working closely with staff to improve safety in medicines ordering and administration.
- Perform domiciliary medication reviews, attending and referring patients to multidisciplinary case conferences when appropriate.
- Manage a caseload of patients presenting with minor, self-limiting conditions, within clinical competence, referring where needed.
- Run face-to-face and telephone clinics to support patients with medicine-related concerns or queries.
Prescribing and Medicines Management
- Act on acute and repeat prescription requests, ensuring appropriate authorisation, monitoring, and safety.
- Reconcile medications following discharge from hospitals, care homes, or intermediate care, identifying discrepancies and ensuring continuity.
- Analyse use of high-risk medicines linked to unplanned admissions and implement prescribing changes to reduce risk.
- Monitor and action prescribing alerts from the MHRA, local medicines optimisation teams, or formulary updates.
- Implement and audit practice compliance with local/national prescribing guidelines and NICE technology appraisals.
Medicines Optimisation and Safety
- Identify patients at risk of medicine-related harm using clinical systems and data analysis tools.
- Carry out clinical audits and quality improvement projects in priority prescribing areas.
- Provide advice and input into practice-level formulary decisions and maintain formulary compliance.
- Develop and implement repeat prescribing policies, including managing reauthorisations and monitoring test requirements.
Communication and Patient Support
- Respond to complex medicine-related queries from GPs, practice staff, community pharmacists, and patients.
- Provide follow-up to patients after medication changes to monitor response and manage concerns.
- Support patients post-discharge to understand and use their medicines effectively.
Leadership and Service Development
- Provide clinical leadership in medicines optimisation across the practice/PCN.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of services involving medicines (e.g., treatment pathways).
- Analyse and present prescribing data to inform decision-making and improve safety.
- Participate in local medicines management groups or committees as needed.
Education and Training
- Deliver education and training sessions to practice staff on therapeutics, prescribing safety, and medicines optimisation.
- Promote a learning culture around prescribing and medicines use within the PCN.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Governance
- Support practices in meeting CQC requirements where medicines and prescribing are involved.
- Ensure adherence to best practice and governance standards related to medicines use and storage.
Public Health and Prevention
- Support national and local public health campaigns (e.g., vaccinations, smoking cessation).
- Provide expert advice on public health initiatives relevant to medicines and therapeutic interventions.
Signposting and Integration
- Ensure patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional or service in a timely and effective manner.
- Foster strong links between general practice, community pharmacy, and hospital pharmacy teams to ensure cohesive care and efficient skill mix utilisation.
Other responsibilities
- To act at all times in an anti-discriminatory manner
- To be able to plan and respond to workload according to operational priorities
- To support the delivery of these functions across wider locality areas where necessary
- To undertake any training required in order to maintain competency including mandatory training
- To contribute to, and work within a safe working environment
- To take responsibility for self-development on a continuous basis, undertaking on the-job training as required.
- To be aware of individual responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and identify and report as necessary any untoward accident, incident or potentially hazardous environment.
Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that employees will respect their privacy and act appropriately
In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, you may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, PCN and practice employees and other healthcare workers. You may also have access to information relating to the PCN and practices as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the PCN or the practices may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health & safety
Equality and Diversity
The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Co-workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Communication
- Recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers
- Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post-holder will work as an integral part of the PCN multi-disciplinary team, providing advanced clinical support across practices and working closely with the PCN Pharmacy Team, Pharmacy Technicians, and general practice staff. This role focuses on medicines optimisation, improving prescribing safety, and delivering high-quality structured medication reviews, particularly for patients with complex polypharmacy, those in care homes, and individuals with multiple long-term conditions.
As a Clinical Pharmacist, the post-holder will take a proactive role in managing acute and repeat prescriptions, medicines reconciliation post-discharge, and addressing complex medication-related queries. They will also support care homes, run clinics (both face-to-face and remote), contribute to quality improvement initiatives, and ensure safer prescribing systems. The role includes providing clinical leadership in medicines optimisation and enhancing integration between primary care, community, and hospital pharmacy services to improve patient outcomes and reduce workload pressures.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
The following is not an exhaustive list, and the post holder may at times need to undertake duties as per the needs of the PCN.
Clinical Responsibilities
- Conduct patient-facing long-term condition clinics (e.g., COPD, asthma), ensuring medicine optimisation and ongoing medication monitoring.
- Undertake structured clinical medication reviews for patients with polypharmacy, multiple comorbidities, or specific clinical needs.
- Carry out medication reviews in care homes, working closely with staff to improve safety in medicines ordering and administration.
- Perform domiciliary medication reviews, attending and referring patients to multidisciplinary case conferences when appropriate.
- Manage a caseload of patients presenting with minor, self-limiting conditions, within clinical competence, referring where needed.
- Run face-to-face and telephone clinics to support patients with medicine-related concerns or queries.
Prescribing and Medicines Management
- Act on acute and repeat prescription requests, ensuring appropriate authorisation, monitoring, and safety.
- Reconcile medications following discharge from hospitals, care homes, or intermediate care, identifying discrepancies and ensuring continuity.
- Analyse use of high-risk medicines linked to unplanned admissions and implement prescribing changes to reduce risk.
- Monitor and action prescribing alerts from the MHRA, local medicines optimisation teams, or formulary updates.
- Implement and audit practice compliance with local/national prescribing guidelines and NICE technology appraisals.
Medicines Optimisation and Safety
- Identify patients at risk of medicine-related harm using clinical systems and data analysis tools.
- Carry out clinical audits and quality improvement projects in priority prescribing areas.
- Provide advice and input into practice-level formulary decisions and maintain formulary compliance.
- Develop and implement repeat prescribing policies, including managing reauthorisations and monitoring test requirements.
Communication and Patient Support
- Respond to complex medicine-related queries from GPs, practice staff, community pharmacists, and patients.
- Provide follow-up to patients after medication changes to monitor response and manage concerns.
- Support patients post-discharge to understand and use their medicines effectively.
Leadership and Service Development
- Provide clinical leadership in medicines optimisation across the practice/PCN.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of services involving medicines (e.g., treatment pathways).
- Analyse and present prescribing data to inform decision-making and improve safety.
- Participate in local medicines management groups or committees as needed.
Education and Training
- Deliver education and training sessions to practice staff on therapeutics, prescribing safety, and medicines optimisation.
- Promote a learning culture around prescribing and medicines use within the PCN.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Governance
- Support practices in meeting CQC requirements where medicines and prescribing are involved.
- Ensure adherence to best practice and governance standards related to medicines use and storage.
Public Health and Prevention
- Support national and local public health campaigns (e.g., vaccinations, smoking cessation).
- Provide expert advice on public health initiatives relevant to medicines and therapeutic interventions.
Signposting and Integration
- Ensure patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional or service in a timely and effective manner.
- Foster strong links between general practice, community pharmacy, and hospital pharmacy teams to ensure cohesive care and efficient skill mix utilisation.
Other responsibilities
- To act at all times in an anti-discriminatory manner
- To be able to plan and respond to workload according to operational priorities
- To support the delivery of these functions across wider locality areas where necessary
- To undertake any training required in order to maintain competency including mandatory training
- To contribute to, and work within a safe working environment
- To take responsibility for self-development on a continuous basis, undertaking on the-job training as required.
- To be aware of individual responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and identify and report as necessary any untoward accident, incident or potentially hazardous environment.
Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that employees will respect their privacy and act appropriately
In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, you may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, PCN and practice employees and other healthcare workers. You may also have access to information relating to the PCN and practices as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the PCN or the practices may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health & safety
Equality and Diversity
The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Co-workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Communication
- Recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers
- Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Is able to plan, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long-term conditions
- Good IT skills
- Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information
- Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate
- Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- Produce timely and informative reports
- Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers
- Work effectively independently and as a team member
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
Desirable
- In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences.
Experience
Desirable
- Minimum of 2 years experience as a pharmacist demonstrated within a practice portfolio.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm or equivalent)
Desirable
- Independent prescribing qualification
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Completed or working towards a Primary Care Pharmacy Education pathway qualification
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Is able to plan, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long-term conditions
- Good IT skills
- Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information
- Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate
- Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines
- Produce timely and informative reports
- Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers
- Work effectively independently and as a team member
- Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision
Desirable
- In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences.
Experience
Desirable
- Minimum of 2 years experience as a pharmacist demonstrated within a practice portfolio.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm or equivalent)
Desirable
- Independent prescribing qualification
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Completed or working towards a Primary Care Pharmacy Education pathway qualification
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
