Senior Clinical Interface Pharmacist - LIMOS

Job description

Job responsibilities

Post Title: Senior Clinical Interface Pharmacist Lewisham Integrated Medicines Optimisation Service (LIMOS)

Base Location: Working in community settings in Lewisham and at University Hospital Lewisham and if required in any designated GP practices

Department: Pharmacy

Responsible to: Lead and Principal Pharmacists, CHS/LIMOS (LGT), Nominated GP supervisor (GP practice if split post)

Supervises: Band 7 LIMOS and GP practice pharmacists, Community Health Service / LIMOS technicians

Accountable to: Director of Pharmacy

Grade: 8a

Hours: 37.5

Job Purpose:

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, along with Lewisham CCG, are continuing to develop an integrated approach to the community management of chronic diseases/long term conditions. The post-holder will support the medicines management aspects of this initiative through working within the LIMOS service within primary care or interface setting and also within the general practice setting. This role may involve sessions within GP practice settings to provide specialist advice to patients and undertake full patient -centred medication reviews to manage people with complex polypharmacy, particularly the elderly and those with multiple conditions. The role will also involve partnership working across health and social care interfaces conducting full medication reviews in the following patient groups housebound patients including those receiving social care packages, patients on complex multiple medications and patients with mental health issues or learning disabilities. Key objectives are to minimise unnecessary medicines-related hospital admissions, encourage self- management, improve the quality of life and care for these patients and to promote clinically and cost-effective prescribing resulting in better patient outcomes and maximise the gain from medicines.

Appropriate use of medicines is integral to effective chronic disease management and falls prevention and this position will provide medicines management support and expertise to patients in these groups. In addition to supporting targeted medication review in the most complex groups including following hospital discharge, this role will involve the provision of line management of, and support to, nominated band 7 pharmacists within the domiciliary and GP practice setting, and the provision of education/training to GP Practice and Community Pharmacy staff and patients and carers.

This is a highly specialised post, which involves analysing and interpreting highly complex clinical situations to develop, provide and communicate effective medicines management solutions. They will lead the development of this highly specialist service and provide expert advice in this area.

Key Result Areas & Performance:

1. Provide medicine management reviews for identified and targeted patients including those who have medication issues or adherence related problems or are on multiple medication in the general practice, care home, and primary care or interface settings.

1. To supervise the role of nominated practice pharmacists to ensure the delivery of quality improvement and quality and outcomes framework or designated prescribing workstreams within the general practice setting

1. To review discharge summaries and reconcile medicines at transfer of care for identified and targeted patients.

1. Provide medicines management support to vulnerable patients following hospital discharge.

1. To work with general practice colleagues, junior LIMOS pharmacists and local Community Pharmacy colleagues to support implementation of safe systems for repeat prescribing and reduction of waste across the healthcare environment and develop the MUR /NMS process to support Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and Lewisham CCG medicines initiatives.

1. Participate in clinical audit and collect appropriate management data.

1. To work in conjunction with primary care healthcare professionals and Social Services to ensure agreed changes in medication are implemented and sustained.

1. Provide medicines management expertise and support to patients in the full range of intermediate care and service settings which may include general practice.

1. Provide support to improve concordance and helping patients get the best from their medicines, reducing medicines related admissions (including falls), and promoting appropriate evidence-based and cost effective prescribing. This will involve advice on de-prescribing where appropriate.

1. Liaise with the patients community pharmacist, relatives and formal carers, and colleagues across health and social care where necessary, to support patient- centred and seamless care in respect of medicines, signposting or referring to other services as appropriate.

1. Provide highly specialist medicines management support to, and training for, GPs, nurses and other members of the multi-disciplinary primary care team caring for patients with chronic diseases/long term conditions in the GP practice, community and hospital setting where necessary, including specialist and community nurses.

1. Provide highly specialist medicines advice and training to patients, carers, and care home staff on medicines related issues in older people.

1. To lead on the development of protocols in collaboration with key stakeholders as necessary to support prescribing initiatives.

1. Provide support to patients within the intermediate care or care home setting in preparation for independence in taking their medicines. This may involve development of self-medication schemes and domiciliary visits after discharge.

1. Liaise with GPs, community pharmacists, community nurses, hospital pharmacists and other health and social care providers to ensure seamless pharmaceutical care for patients.

1. Liaise with social service carers on issues relating to medicines for their clients.

1. To provide medicines advice and input into community health services workstreams when required to support senior pharmacists as appropriate

Service Development

1. To contribute to developing, implementing and monitoring systems for Lewisham Integrated Medicines Optimisation Services across general medical and elderly care wards and on discharge from hospital, with the desired outcome of improving medicines management for vulnerable (and older) patients with complex medicines management needs to contribute to reducing medicines related readmissions.

1. To work with the admitting teams and colleagues from primary care to determine previous medication issues and therefore plan patient requirements to optimise medicines management in all care settings.

1. To work closely with band 7 practice pharmacists where needed to promote and embed the role of a GP practice pharmacist within identified GP practices.

1. To proactively introduce and implement new/revised policies and guidelines to improve medicines optimisation across primary/ secondary care interface and into the general practice setting.

1. To proactively plan and initiate action related to improving the use of medicines for better outcomes and reducing medicines waste across the primary/ secondary care interface and if needed, within the GP practice setting.

1. To provide operational and clinical support to medicines optimisation developments and prescribing initiatives as dictated by the CCG, Hospital Trust and where required, GP practice.

1. To obtain and evaluate feedback on electronic discharge related information to ensure continuing improvement of the hospital computerised discharge letter and process of communication.

1. To plan action to continuously improve the quality of services provided within the Pharmacy department and to ensure a quality improvement approach is taken to medication optimisation throughout the Trust.

1. To facilitate the expansion and continual promotion of the use of patients own drugs in collaboration with the primary care.

1. To evaluate with the Lead Pharmacist for Community Services outcome measures associated with identified service arms of the Lewisham Integrated Medicines Optimisation Service and the resource requirements for extending the service to other practices, clinical areas or patient cohorts as dictated by service objectives.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential

• B. Pharm / M. Pharm / BSc (Pharmacy)
• Postgraduate Diploma in either Clinical Pharmacy or General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent)
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Desirable

• Other postgraduate qualifications relevant to pharmacy practice, such as management, leadership or education & training qualifications.
• Registered pharmacist independent prescriber or working towards qualification.
• RPS faculty member

Experience

Essential

• A minimum of 5 years post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy in an acute NHS healthcare setting or equivalent clinical experience.
• Experience in working with GP Practices and / or community pharmacy.
• Experience of multi-professional and interface working across organisations
• Demonstrable experience managing and developing pharmacy services.
• Evidence of change management.
• Experience in supervising others
• Practical experience in co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit.

Desirable

• Experience of design and delivery of training programmes.
• Experience in working with intermediate care or in care homes

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team both within pharmacy and a multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to delegate appropriately.
• Ability to manage difficult and complex issues or refer appropriately
• Ability to prioritise and plan work effectively alone and for a team.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information effectively using clear written and spoken English and overcome barriers to understanding
• Ability to work positively and calmly under pressure
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills
• Demonstrated ability to conduct teaching and assessment in accordance with a learning plan
• Knowledge of the mentorship process

Desirable

• In depth specialist knowledge of NHS clinical governance strategy, policy and current issues
• Evidence of publications.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Lewisham

Lewisham High Street

Lewisham

SE13 6LH

Employer's website

https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)