PCN Clinical Pharmacist - Free Advanced Practitioner Training

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

The PCN has an exciting opportunity for a group of full and/or part time pharmacists to join our new tailored development pathway in partnership with the University of Nottingham. We are looking for motivated and passionate individuals who are looking to gain new skills, develop their careers, and be part of a supportive, growing team. You will join an already established group of clinical pharmacists.

You will be based in Uppingham Surgery, receive in-room supervision, and be a class of Clinical Pharmacists learning and developing together whilst delivering services to the patients of Rutland. Alongside your training, you will be supported to develop your current skills and explore areas of interest / specialty. You will be encouraged to bring suggestions and new ways of working to the PCN and its practices and improve the services we provide our patients.

In partnership with the University of Nottingham (UoN), we’re delighted to be offering an Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship within Clinical Pharmacist roles. During this 2.5-year programme, you’ll gain valuable work experience, work towards a MSc Advanced Clinical Practice and gain an official Level 7 Advanced Clinical Practitioner apprenticeship standard.

Applicants who are interested in a clinical pharmacist position with us but not interested in training to become and advanced clinical practitioner are encouraged to also apply, and we will be happy to discuss other development you are interested in. Any applicants who have legacy costs which they would have to pay back to their current employer are also encouraged to still apply, as we will consider covering these costs for the right applicants.

Advanced Clinical Practice apprentices will develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to demonstrate expertise within the scope of practice, combining expert clinical skills with research, education and clinical leadership. Apprentices will:

• Develop their skills in history taking, physical examination and clinical decision-making
• Develop their skills as an autonomous practitioner to lead, educate and develop the research skills synonymous with working as an advanced clinical practitioner
• Benefit from being taught by expert bio-scientists, anatomists, and clinicians
• Be supported by a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians within the PCN as well as having a designated clinical supervisor in the PCN and support from the university team

Key Objectives

• Complete the tailored training pathways available through the PCN and develop areas of clinical interest
• Provide pro-active leadership on medicines and prescribing systems to the practice multidisciplinary team, patients, and their carers
• Develop and deliver patient facing services and clinics which improve patient outcomes, reflect the needs of the practice population and shift workload from other disciplines
• Improve patient and carer understanding of, confidence in, and compliance with their medicines
• Provide pharmaceutical consultations and home visits to patients with long term conditions as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team
• Deliver high quality medication reviews and develop bespoke medicines treatment plans for patients (particularly the elderly, complex patients, and those at high risk of admission)
• Improve the safety and quality of prescribing following hospital admissions and attendance
• Improve the quality and effectiveness of prescribing through clinical audit and education to improve performance against NICE standards, prescribing guidance, and other clinical standards
• Provide a clear and active link with community pharmacists and other stakeholders in the medicines supply chain to improve patient experience and manage issues
• Deliver training, mentoring and guidance to other clinicians and staff on medicines issues

Job responsibilities

As well as completing the training pathway that we provide, the successful applicants will carry out clinical work for the practices from our Uppingham base. You will work closely with the existing Rutland practices’ pharmacists and other PCN and practice staff.

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

Patient Facing Clinical Services & Care

• Work in a patient facing role to clinically assess and treat patients using their expert knowledge of medicines for specific disease areas
• Conduct face to face and other modes of medication reviews and agree medicines care plans in agreement with patients and carers
• Deliver long term conditions clinics and home visits particularly for patients with complicated medication regimes and prescribe accordingly
• Prescribe acute and repeat medication for patient need within areas of competency
• Provide targeted support and pro-active review for vulnerable, complex patients and those at risk of admission and re-admission to secondary care
• Provide specific advice and support to patients in care homes and support staff
• Provide help and advice on medicines use to patients and their carers

Medicines Optimisation Systems

• Provide leadership on person centred medicines optimisation. Through structured medication reviews, support patients to take their medications to get the best from them, reduce waste and promote self-care
• Oversee system for reconciliation of medicines from outpatient and discharge letters and support safe transfer of care through liaison with hospital and community colleagues
• Liaise with other stakeholders in the supply chain such as community pharmacists and appliance contractors to handle queries and manage supply problems
• Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols, clinical research with medicines, liaison with specialist pharmacists (including mental health and reduction of inappropriate antipsychotic use in people with learning difficulties) and anticoagulation

Safety

• Report medicines related incidents, contribute to investigations and root cause analyses
• Participate in serious incident investigations and multidisciplinary case reviews
• Report Adverse Drug Reactions and promote reporting by MDT
• Action and respond to Drug Safety Alerts and other safety cascades.

Training, Education & Information

• Deliver education and support to individual patients and patient support groups on medicines
• Provide ad-hoc medicines advice to doctors and other clinicians
• Assess emergent clinical evidence and develop strategies for implementation in practice
• Horizon scan for new drugs and provide information to the MDT on their introduction
• Provide advice on cost effective prescribing and supply issues

Quality

• Ensure compliance with CQC and other professional standards
• Promote a culture of constant improvement and excellence
• Conduct regular clinical audits and other improvement activities
• Assess own performance regularly and make suggestions of how to improve personal and team performance

Health & Safety

• Assist in promoting and maintaining your own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health and Safety policy. Ensure that any hazards in your working area are reported immediately to your line manager.

Confidentiality

• Ensure patient and Practice information is always kept confidential and secure, in accordance with the Information Security and Confidentiality protocols.

Performance/Professional Development

Participate in:

• Development pathway offered by the PCN to achieve CPPE, Independent Prescriber and MSc Advanced Clinical Practice
• Training sessions to ensure administrative, clinical and computer skills are kept up to date with current technology and practice.
• Regular appraisal meetings.
• Comply with the General Pharmaceutical Council Re-validation process

Equality & Diversity

• Support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers, and colleagues according to Practice protocol.

Working with Patients

• Work in partnership with our patients to help them achieve better health outcomes.
• Offer a polite, friendly, and efficient level of customer service to all our patients.
• Provide specialist expertise in the use of medicines while helping to address both the public health and social care needs of patients in the network and help in tackling inequalities.

Dignity and Respect

• Treat patients, colleagues and visitors with dignity and respect at all times.

Key Working Relationships

Key working relationships include:

• General Practitioners and other practice clinicians (Frequent/ Daily)
• Patients and carers (Frequent/ Daily)
• Practice Managers
• PCN Clinical Pharmacists and Forum
• Local community Pharmacies

Rutland Health PCN is an equal opportunities employer.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• At least 3 years post registration experience of community, hospital and / or primary care pharmacy practice.

Desirable

• Experience working within a PCN

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent organisational, analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and diplomacy.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Good computer skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using SystmOne.

Desirable

• A working understanding of NHS policies, processes, structures, systems, and clinical practices.
• Knowledge of the Community Pharmacy Contract.

Qualifications

Essential

• A 4 year Master of Pharmacy degree approved by the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Membership as practising pharmacist with The General Pharmaceutical Council .

Desirable

• Already have, or a desire to work towards independent prescribing qualification.
• A desire to gain the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice that we are offering.

If wanting to undertake the Advanced Practitioner Course

Essential

• At least a 2:2 Hons Degree in a relevant subject.
• Level 2 (equivalent to grades 4-9 at GCSE) or above in English and maths.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Rutland Health Primary Care Network

Address

Uppingham Surgery

North Gate

Uppingham

Oakham

Rutland

LE159EG

Employer's website

https://rutlandhealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)