Job responsibilities
Job Summary
To support, promote and implement high quality, evidence-based, cost-effective and safe use of medicines. This is a patient facing clinical role that will include medication reviews, helping practices achieve prescribing targets and supporting the implementation of national and local guidance in order to improve patient care.
To act as a specialist resource to the GP Practice, to answer medicines-related queries, to signpost to other services and to liaise with other healthcare professionals, including secondary care when required.
To contribute to projects within the practice and across the pharmacist team, as required by the Senior Pharmacist and Lead GPs
Clinical Support
Perform face to face medication reviews in practice and in patients homes (including care homes)
Discuss complex and sensitive information with patients during medication review including medical histories, lifestyles and personal circumstances and to refer on to other services as appropriate.
Answer and record complex and potentially sensitive queries about medicines or NHS systems from healthcare professionals and from members of the public using professional judgement where guidance is unavailable.
Deal with queries, or complaints, from patients, who may be distressed or unhappy with changes made to their medication.
Provide expertise in clinical medicines review and address public health and social needs of patients in GP practices.
Reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care homes; identify and rectify unexplained changes; manage changes by referral to the GP within remit; perform clinical medication review; support the production of post-discharge medicines care plans and work with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need.
Work in partnership with hospital clinicians to proactively manage patients at high risk of medicine-related problems before they are discharged to ensure continuity of care and medicines repatriation.
Support the processing of complex repeat prescribing medication requests made by patients or other repeat prescribing queries.
Liaise with the GP and Nurse Practitioner team on prescribing and medication issues, especially around management of long term conditions.
Ensure practice complies with medicines safety alerts.
Contribute to Learning Event Analysis (LEAs) where medicines management is a central factor. Support the investigation of any incidents or near misses where medicines are a central factor including liaison with relevant practice staff and/or external organisations where necessary.
With appropriate training, monitor the effects of medication by checking clinical signs (e.g. BP, pulse monitoring, spirometry, etc).
Develop as an independent prescriber to manage and prescribe for patients within a specific chronic disease area.
To prescribe safely, effectively, and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework.
Support training in current staff, medical students, and training Doctors.
Support on prescribing issues within the Intermediate Care Service(s) as appropriate.
Attend regular clinical supervision sessions to promote a culture of continuous professional development and shared learning.
Attendance at practice level Protected Learning Time sessions (PLTs) and practice away days/development sessions.
Ensure that safety alerts are acted on in a timely manner on MHRA
Ensure the practice staff and clinicians are kept up to date regarding changes in national and local medicines guidance and legislation as appropriate.
Critically appraise clinical evidence and present information to prescribers via prescribing meetings and educational events, as required.
Participate in public campaigns to promote safe and effective use of medicines, including attendance at PPGs and local community groups when required.
Practice Support
Lead on medicines management governance arrangements in order to adhere to CQC standards, including assisting in developing practice policies and SOPs.
Review repeat prescribing protocols and processes and support staff in their implementation.
Perform prescribing audits and direct and supervise the audit activity of others
Be responsible for delivering local prescribing quality initiatives in collaboration with ICB medicine management.
Facilitate good working relationships between the practice and local community pharmacists.
Develop an effective working relationship with other practice pharmacists working within Halton GP practices and attend medicines management meetings where needed.
Develop an effective network and working relationship with individual practice GPs, practice staff, ICB medicines management colleagues, secondary care, and other professionals where appropriate.
PQI and QOF support.
Assist/arrange alternate prescriptions for out-of-stock medications.
Shared care review and agreement.
Assist in vaccination clinics for Covid and Flu.
Formulary adherence.
General responsibilities
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 staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
- In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice 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 practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health & Safety
- The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures.
Equality & Diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
- Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
- Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
- Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Safeguarding Children and Adults
There is a zero tolerance approach to the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All employees are required to promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people and comply with the Local Safeguarding Children Board Procedures and the Children Act (1989, 2004). All staff must ensure the health and wellbeing of vulnerable adults is appropriately safeguarded.
All staff are required to attend training appropriate to their role in safeguarding children and adults, which includes understanding and recognising the signs of abuse and knowing how to raise concerns when those signs of abuse are noticed in a person.
Personal/Professional Development:
The post-holder will participate in any training programme required as part of this employment, such training to include:
Participation in regular individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
Taking responsibility for own CPD, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
To complete mandatory training in line with practice policy.
Attendance at the Clinical Pharmacists in GP Practices national development programme.
Quality
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
- Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
- Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
- Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
- Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
Communication
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers
- Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
This role profile is designed to identify principal responsibilities. The post holder is required to be flexible in developing the role. This Job Description is not exhaustive and may be amended by mutual agreement which should not be unreasonably with held