Clinical Pharmacist

Job responsibilities

Management of Medicines at Discharge from Hospital.

To reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post discharge.

Repeat prescribing

To help the practice in the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing patient requests for changes in repeat prescriptions or repeat acute medication.

Telephone and patient facing medicines support

Provide a telephone help line for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines.

Medication review

Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients

Long-term condition clinics

You may be asked to see patients with single medical problems where medicine optimisation is required (e.g. COPD, asthma).

Service development

Contribute pharmaceutical advice for the development and implementation of this service that have medicinal components (e.g. advise on treatment pathways and patient information leaflets).

Care Quality Commission

Work with the practice manager and GPs to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved.

Public health

To contribute to public health campaigns, including flu vaccinations, and adult immunisation programmes as per Public health England campaigns

Medicine information to practice staff and patients

Answers all medicine-related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff and patients with queries about medicines.

Information management

Analyse, interpret and present medicines data to highlight issues and risks to support decision making.

Medicines quality improvement

Undertake simple audits of prescribing in areas directed by the GPs, feedback the results and implement changes in conjunction with the practice team.

Implementation of local medicines management and national guidelines and formulary recommendations

Auditing practice's compliance against NICE technology assessment guidance.

Provide newsletters or bulletins on important prescribing messages.

Medicines safety

Implement changes to medicines that result from MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local and national guidance.

Key working relationships

Patients

GP, nurses and other practice staff

Primary Care Networks

Other members of the medicines optimisation team including the head

of medicines optimisation, pharmacists, technicians

dieticians

Locality / GP prescribing lead

Locality managers

Community nurses and other allied health professionals

Community pharmacists and support staff

Hospital staff with responsibilities for prescribing and medicines

optimisation

Responsibilities underpinning the role

To ensure patient questions and requests are dealt with promptly. To work alongside the dispensary staff to help them in their questions. To plan and organise the post holder's own workload, including audit and project work, and training sessions for members of the practice team and other partners are required

To record personally generated information and maintain a database of information relating to the work done in the practice

To maintain registration as a pharmacist and comply with appropriate professional codes

As appropriate to the post, to maintain and develop professional competence and expertise, keep up to date with medical/therapeutic evidence and opinion, and local and national service, legislation and policy developments, agree objectives and a personal development plan and participate in the appraisal process

To attend local, regional and national meetings of relevance

All employees should understand that it is their personal responsibility to comply with all organisational and statutory requirements (e.g. health and safety, equal treatment and diversity, confidentiality and clinical governance)

Experience

Essential

• At least 3 years post registration experience

Desirable

• Experience working in both primary and secondary care

Knowledge

Essential

• Awareness of current issues from a primary and secondary perspective.
• Knowledge of NICE guidance relating to medicines optimisation.
• Good working knowledge of drug therapies.

Desirable

• Familiarity with GP computer systems

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered pharmacist, i.e.: Master of Pharmacy Degree or equivalent, plus current registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Willingness to work towards independent prescribing qualification
• Commitment to personal development

Desirable

• Postgraduate clinical pharmacy qualification (e.g. Diploma, MSc.) or
• equivalent experience
• Evidence of ongoing education/training
• Independent prescribing qualification

Personal Skills and Attributes

Essential

• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Organisational skills.
• Decision making skills.
• Calm and objective under pressure.
• Able to maintain and develop professional relationships.
• Able to work alone.
• Able to work in a team.
• Able to listen to others.
• Able to influence others.
• Able to identify when advice needs to be sought.
• Recognises personal limitations.

Desirable

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office packages.

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).