Merchiston Surgery

Clinical Pharmacist

The closing date is 08 September 2025

Job summary

Are you an enthusiastic Clinical Pharmacist looking to make a real difference in patient care? Join our dynamic Primary Care Network team, where you will play a vital role in optimising medicines use, improving outcomes for patients, and reducing the demand on GPs. In this role, you will utilise your clinical expertise to provide structured medication reviews, manage long-term conditions, and support our pharmacy technicians and administrative staff to deliver safe and effective medicines management. You will also have the opportunity to lead and contribute to innovative, service-driven projects that enhance care pathways and drive improvements across the network. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your clinical practice within a supportive, forward-thinking multidisciplinary team committed to transforming primary care.

Main duties of the job

The Clinical Pharmacist will work as an integral part of the Primary Care Network (PCN) team to optimise medicines use, improve patient outcomes, and reduce demand on GPs through the provision of expert clinical advice, structured medication reviews, and management of long-term conditions.

The post holder will support and supervise pharmacy technicians in delivering safe and effective medicines management processes, as well as work closely with the administrative team to streamline prescribing-related tasks and queries.

In addition, the Clinical Pharmacist will contribute to the development and implementation of service-driven projects that enhance patient care, improve system efficiencies, and align with local and national priorities across the PCN.

About us

Hawthorn & Merchiston PCN supports two practices. The Merchiston practice was established around 1860 in the village of Stratton-St-Margaret. Until the 1950s, Stratton was a small farming community and it still retains its separate identity, despite now being a suburb of Swindon. The Partnership moved from the original Doctors house into new purpose-built premises in 1992.

Merchiston Surgery is the larger Practice with a raw patient list of 13,500 (13,700 weighted list)

We are a teaching practice with 2 Education Supervisors, 1 Clinical Supervisor, supporting 3 Trainee GPs. Rated excellent by the Swindon GP QA Panel for our trainee placement.

Hawthorn Medical Centre has 13000 patients in Swindon, and was this year rated "Good" by CQC. We are a successful training practice with previous trainees staying with us.

We are a friendly, supportive and hardworking team; reflected by our shared values of caring for each other and our patients. We are committed to providing the highest quality of care for our patients and ensuring that our staff feel valued and motivated. There is a strong team ethos across the practice and have a friendly and relaxed working environment.

The Practices are supported by several ARRS roles employed by Hawthorn & Merchiston PCN:

Clinical Pharmacists

Pharmacy Technicians

First Contact Physiotherapists

Shared Care Home nurses

Repeat Prescription Administrators

Details

Date posted

11 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£45,945 to £53,625 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A5777-25-0017

Job locations

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Hawthorn Medical Centre

May Close

Swindon

SN2 1UU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Predominantly involves direct patient contact whether face to face, via telephone or video. May include domiciliary or care home visits as required.

Competently manage and undertake patient clinics, organising workload and processes around this to ensure timely patient follow-ups and medicine optimisation.

Participate in and lead on long-term condition management plans and holistic processes, within your area of competence.

Carry out structured medication reviews (SMRs) for patients.

Ensure that any monitoring that is needed for the review is completed or arrange for this to be done. As competence grows this will involve ordering and then later reviewing blood tests.

Review and manage where appropriate long-term conditions within your area of competence such as blood pressure control and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Being aware of the holistic needs of the patient. Make changes to therapy where needed. This will be in collaboration with colleagues such as healthcare assistants, nurses and GPs.

To educate and support patients in the use of their medicines and optimising their health. This will include referral onto to other services as appropriate. This may also involve supporting colleagues to run groups, and production of health promotional information and materials.

Address day to day issues raised by patients / staff or other HCPs in relation to medicine management. Issues such as alternatives for out of stock items, clinical assessment of need for items not on repeat prescription and overseeing requests for prescribing from other professionals.

Provide support, guidance and assistance as able to other members of the pharmacy team

Ensure clear, concise and appropriate documentation

Identify patients suitable for electronic repeat dispensing (eRD), discuss with them how the scheme works, assess consent, and liaise with community colleagues to ensure appropriate communication to allow smooth continuation of care.

Medicines reconciliation -

To reconcile medicines on the patients, record from discharge letters and outpatient clinic letters. To support the technicians with the more clinically challenging discharges, to provide quality assurance of the process and to follow up any outstanding issues to ensure reconciliation is completed in a safe and timely manner.

Assess patients new to the PCN to review their medicines and their care. Refer into hospital services for ongoing care as appropriate. Arrange future monitoring as needed.

Working with the PCN pharmacy technicians if required to ensure that processes around receiving ongoing medication supplies are understood.

Projects and quality improvement -

Work with the PCN pharmacy teams to collate PCN data for the optimisation of medication in key areas. To conduct audits, searches and prepare reports with the support of the senior clinical pharmacist. Track progress and feedback to senior members of the team as required.

Work with the PCN pharmacy technician and other staff in carrying out audits, identifying areas requiring improvement. Draft action plans and lead on areas of implementation, as necessary.

Play a key role working with colleagues to develop PCN wide policies and protocols. Draft documents and present these to senior colleagues adjusting and reviewing as directed. Contribute to the dissemination and implementation of agreed processes and changes in practice overseeing and supervising within your designated practices.

Medication safety -

To facilitate switches of medication in line with local formulary choices or changes in practice within your area of competence

Work with the PCN pharmacy team to assess and give advice on medication alerts as appropriate. Where required support dissemination and action, following us as required.

Identify areas where new or updated policies and procedures are necessary. Produce such policies and protocols for the practices within your scope of competence. Work with senior colleagues in implementation of these and later assessing impact. Help with keeping a database of when reviews of current documents are required and ensuring the cycle of review is kept active.

Construct or use existing searches to identify patients on high-risk medicines and ensure that monitoring and review is carried out in line with guidelines. Flag up any deviations or concerns with clinical colleagues.

To report Significant Events and complaints in a timely manner to the practice leads as appropriate.

To access Eclipse and work with colleagues to ensure that this is used appropriately to optimise outcomes for patients and the practices.

Carry out searches for people on medicines that require a shared care agreement (SCA). Ensure that this agreement is documented and that the actions allocated to the GP practice are carried out. Highlight any concerns to senior clinical colleagues as applicable.

Evidence based medicines and medicines information -

To provide information to colleagues in response to formal and informal enquiries. As appropriate log information given. Access local and regional medicines information sources as appropriate and refer to senior clinical colleagues for advice or handover as needed.

Promote evidence-based medicine, use of licensed medicines and clear documentation of discussions, reasoning, and consent where medicines are used outside of usual practice. Ensure that alternatives have been considered and therapy is appropriate. Raise any issues with the senior clinical pharmacists or prescriber.

Training and development -

Develop and deliver training for other staff such as doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals on medicine related themes. Invite feedback to improve training in the practice and disseminate good practice in all the surgeries.

Collaborate with colleagues to develop and deliver training to non-clinical staff and patients.

Complete or have completed the 18 months CPPE PCPEP pathway (or equivalent)

To be or be willing to become an Independent Prescriber

Complete all statutory and mandatory training as required.

Provide support and supervision to less experienced pharmacy staff. Aid development and facilitate competency assessments of staff within your area of competence.

Relationships and networks-

Develop mutual working relationships with colleagues.

Liaise with community pharmacy colleagues as appropriate. Develop working relationships to promote communication and cooperation. Signpost patients to the community pharmacy New Medicines Service and Community Pharmacy Consultation Service, or other services that may be of benefit to them.

Liaise with Integrated Care Board (ICB) colleagues where appropriate including colleagues in the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) hub.

Liaise with hospital and mental health pharmacy colleagues as well as community colleagues such as district nurses and care home staff for advice and discussion on individual patient care.

Participate in meetings such as practice meetings, patient meetings and informal meetings to raise the role of the pharmacist and promote medicines optimization.

Strategic -

Work with colleagues to determine important outcomes and track progress towards these. Contribute to spreadsheets or dashboards to demonstrate the work of the pharmacy team.

Help ensure that evidence is available to facilitate regulatory oversight such as Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections and audits. Help with any concerns raised around medication storage or processes relating to surgery held medicines in a timely manner.

Work with colleagues in promoting public health schemes and promoting health equity across the PCN. Lead on aspects of this as required by the senior team.

Work with colleagues in promoting consistent ways of working and introducing new ways of working. Lead on aspects of these as required by the senior team.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Predominantly involves direct patient contact whether face to face, via telephone or video. May include domiciliary or care home visits as required.

Competently manage and undertake patient clinics, organising workload and processes around this to ensure timely patient follow-ups and medicine optimisation.

Participate in and lead on long-term condition management plans and holistic processes, within your area of competence.

Carry out structured medication reviews (SMRs) for patients.

Ensure that any monitoring that is needed for the review is completed or arrange for this to be done. As competence grows this will involve ordering and then later reviewing blood tests.

Review and manage where appropriate long-term conditions within your area of competence such as blood pressure control and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Being aware of the holistic needs of the patient. Make changes to therapy where needed. This will be in collaboration with colleagues such as healthcare assistants, nurses and GPs.

To educate and support patients in the use of their medicines and optimising their health. This will include referral onto to other services as appropriate. This may also involve supporting colleagues to run groups, and production of health promotional information and materials.

Address day to day issues raised by patients / staff or other HCPs in relation to medicine management. Issues such as alternatives for out of stock items, clinical assessment of need for items not on repeat prescription and overseeing requests for prescribing from other professionals.

Provide support, guidance and assistance as able to other members of the pharmacy team

Ensure clear, concise and appropriate documentation

Identify patients suitable for electronic repeat dispensing (eRD), discuss with them how the scheme works, assess consent, and liaise with community colleagues to ensure appropriate communication to allow smooth continuation of care.

Medicines reconciliation -

To reconcile medicines on the patients, record from discharge letters and outpatient clinic letters. To support the technicians with the more clinically challenging discharges, to provide quality assurance of the process and to follow up any outstanding issues to ensure reconciliation is completed in a safe and timely manner.

Assess patients new to the PCN to review their medicines and their care. Refer into hospital services for ongoing care as appropriate. Arrange future monitoring as needed.

Working with the PCN pharmacy technicians if required to ensure that processes around receiving ongoing medication supplies are understood.

Projects and quality improvement -

Work with the PCN pharmacy teams to collate PCN data for the optimisation of medication in key areas. To conduct audits, searches and prepare reports with the support of the senior clinical pharmacist. Track progress and feedback to senior members of the team as required.

Work with the PCN pharmacy technician and other staff in carrying out audits, identifying areas requiring improvement. Draft action plans and lead on areas of implementation, as necessary.

Play a key role working with colleagues to develop PCN wide policies and protocols. Draft documents and present these to senior colleagues adjusting and reviewing as directed. Contribute to the dissemination and implementation of agreed processes and changes in practice overseeing and supervising within your designated practices.

Medication safety -

To facilitate switches of medication in line with local formulary choices or changes in practice within your area of competence

Work with the PCN pharmacy team to assess and give advice on medication alerts as appropriate. Where required support dissemination and action, following us as required.

Identify areas where new or updated policies and procedures are necessary. Produce such policies and protocols for the practices within your scope of competence. Work with senior colleagues in implementation of these and later assessing impact. Help with keeping a database of when reviews of current documents are required and ensuring the cycle of review is kept active.

Construct or use existing searches to identify patients on high-risk medicines and ensure that monitoring and review is carried out in line with guidelines. Flag up any deviations or concerns with clinical colleagues.

To report Significant Events and complaints in a timely manner to the practice leads as appropriate.

To access Eclipse and work with colleagues to ensure that this is used appropriately to optimise outcomes for patients and the practices.

Carry out searches for people on medicines that require a shared care agreement (SCA). Ensure that this agreement is documented and that the actions allocated to the GP practice are carried out. Highlight any concerns to senior clinical colleagues as applicable.

Evidence based medicines and medicines information -

To provide information to colleagues in response to formal and informal enquiries. As appropriate log information given. Access local and regional medicines information sources as appropriate and refer to senior clinical colleagues for advice or handover as needed.

Promote evidence-based medicine, use of licensed medicines and clear documentation of discussions, reasoning, and consent where medicines are used outside of usual practice. Ensure that alternatives have been considered and therapy is appropriate. Raise any issues with the senior clinical pharmacists or prescriber.

Training and development -

Develop and deliver training for other staff such as doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals on medicine related themes. Invite feedback to improve training in the practice and disseminate good practice in all the surgeries.

Collaborate with colleagues to develop and deliver training to non-clinical staff and patients.

Complete or have completed the 18 months CPPE PCPEP pathway (or equivalent)

To be or be willing to become an Independent Prescriber

Complete all statutory and mandatory training as required.

Provide support and supervision to less experienced pharmacy staff. Aid development and facilitate competency assessments of staff within your area of competence.

Relationships and networks-

Develop mutual working relationships with colleagues.

Liaise with community pharmacy colleagues as appropriate. Develop working relationships to promote communication and cooperation. Signpost patients to the community pharmacy New Medicines Service and Community Pharmacy Consultation Service, or other services that may be of benefit to them.

Liaise with Integrated Care Board (ICB) colleagues where appropriate including colleagues in the Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) hub.

Liaise with hospital and mental health pharmacy colleagues as well as community colleagues such as district nurses and care home staff for advice and discussion on individual patient care.

Participate in meetings such as practice meetings, patient meetings and informal meetings to raise the role of the pharmacist and promote medicines optimization.

Strategic -

Work with colleagues to determine important outcomes and track progress towards these. Contribute to spreadsheets or dashboards to demonstrate the work of the pharmacy team.

Help ensure that evidence is available to facilitate regulatory oversight such as Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections and audits. Help with any concerns raised around medication storage or processes relating to surgery held medicines in a timely manner.

Work with colleagues in promoting public health schemes and promoting health equity across the PCN. Lead on aspects of this as required by the senior team.

Work with colleagues in promoting consistent ways of working and introducing new ways of working. Lead on aspects of these as required by the senior team.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence- based healthcare.
  • An appreciation of the nature of GPs and general practices
  • 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
  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g., patients)
  • Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions.
  • Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.

Desirable

  • Experience of working within a PCN

Qualifications

Essential

  • Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
  • Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent)
  • Specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate diploma level or equivalent training/experience.
  • Completion of CPPE PCPEP (or equivalent)

Desirable

  • Independent prescriber or working towards/intent of gaining an independent prescribing qualification

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Computer literate with an ability to use the required GP clinical systems (desirable) and Microsoft office packages (essential)
  • Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data.
  • Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily.
  • Able to effectively manage allocated resources.
  • Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines.
  • Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems.
  • Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Influencing and negotiating skills
  • An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence- based healthcare.
  • An appreciation of the nature of GPs and general practices
  • 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
  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g., patients)
  • Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions.
  • Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.

Desirable

  • Experience of working within a PCN

Qualifications

Essential

  • Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
  • Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent)
  • Specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate diploma level or equivalent training/experience.
  • Completion of CPPE PCPEP (or equivalent)

Desirable

  • Independent prescriber or working towards/intent of gaining an independent prescribing qualification

Skills & Competencies

Essential

  • Computer literate with an ability to use the required GP clinical systems (desirable) and Microsoft office packages (essential)
  • Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data.
  • Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily.
  • Able to effectively manage allocated resources.
  • Has a planned and organised approach with an ability to prioritise their own workload to meet strict deadlines.
  • Able to think analytically; anticipating obstacles and thinking ahead; using analytical techniques to draw logical solutions to problems.
  • Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit the audience.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Influencing and negotiating skills
  • An excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Merchiston Surgery

Address

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Merchiston Surgery

Address

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

PCN Manager

Kerry Beckhelling

kerry.beckhelling1@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

11 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£45,945 to £53,625 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

A5777-25-0017

Job locations

Merchiston Surgery

Highworth Road

Swindon

Wiltshire

SN3 4BF


Hawthorn Medical Centre

May Close

Swindon

SN2 1UU


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Merchiston Surgery's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)