Clinical Pharmacist - Oncology & Haematology

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

All Roles:

To provide a high level, responsive, and developing clinical pharmacyservice to individual patients on allocated wards, and assist juniorpharmacists in such roles, and ward based Medicines Managementtechnicians in their duties.

To be actively involved in efficient discharge planning on the allocatedwards by reviewing and transcribing patients discharge treatment (asappropriate) facilitating timely dispensing of discharge medication and,where necessary, liaising and communicating with relevant healthcarepractitioners in intermediate or primary care to ensure safe transfer andcontinuity of care.

If agreed, to undertake prescribing as a Pharmacist independentPrescriber, in the clinical area for which Prescriber accreditation wasgained, and in a wider sense within the limits of competency.

To lead the efficient organisation and smooth running of a dispensary,including assuring that the environment is ready and safe for the days work

To monitor service delivery

From Main Dispensary provide cover and support to the Outpatientsdispensary operated by SWFT Clinical Services Ltd. on demand

To train and support staff to maintain formulary control, and adherence toprescribing and dispensing policies, and to collect prescription charges

To assist the Lead and Senior Technician in policies, procedures and theframework for dispensing, and the planning and development of theservice, including automation, and stock control

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about theirtherapy, and to provide tailored counselling around complex regimes

To advise and support ward and clinic staff, not least regarding controlledstationery, service hours, late prescribing, e-prescribing, and use of thetracker to monitor prescription progress

To undertake clinical checks of the treatment regimens in care pathways,and raise and resolve anomalies with prescribers

To contribute to dispensing

To ensure that staff log errors and near misses and that the team and theindividual learn from these

To pick up issues arising during weekend service hours and address theseon the next full working day

To contribute to the Emergency Duty Commitment of pharmacists providingan out-of-hours emergency Pharmacy service. To undertake routine dutieswithin the dispensary as required, supervising the work of junior pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and (senior) ATOs.

To contribute to the late night, weekend, Bank Holiday and Statutory Dayworking rota.

If requested, to be an authorised signatory for drug purchase orders andfor drug invoice payments.

To demonstrate and maintain a commitment to continuing professionaldevelopment and encourage other members of the team to do likewise.

In the specialist pharmacy service of Surgical Specialties, MedicalSpecialties, Medical Admissions, Frailty, Family Health, Neurology andneuro-rehabilitation, and Elective Care:

To provide a specialist level of clinical pharmacy services to the patients onthe allocated wards, and assist the medical and nursing teams on the wardswith pharmaceutical and therapeutic advice

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about theirtherapy

To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss therapy regimens

To deputise for the Lead Pharmacist

To advise the Principal Pharmacist and Lead Pharmacists on developmentneeds and opportunities for this service area

To supervise and mentor more junior staff in the provision of services tothese areas

To develop or contribute to a training programme for clinical pharmacistsallocated to the specialty areas and to administer any competencyassessment process that is in place to ensure the appropriate standardsare achieved.

To assist with Foundation student pharmacist training within the Trust forour own Foundation student pharmacists and community Foundationstudent pharmacists allocated to Warwick Hospital.

To provide clinical pharmacy training for undergraduate pharmacystudents, vacation students, Foundation Student pharmacists (hospital andcommunity-based) and hospital clinical pharmacists.

To contribute as required to the induction and in-service training of nursing,midwifery and medical staff as appropriate

To assist and supervise as necessary, wardbased MedicinesManagement technicians in the clinical aspects of their work

To maintain an awareness of current developments in pharmacy practicepertinent to the specialist pharmacy area

To coordinate the out of hours on call service, providing reports, evaluatingresponses to calls, sharing lessons learned, and ensuring consistency anda good standard of service

To lead on opportunities to improve the efficiency or cost of drugs use(QIPP)

To act as Pharmacys representative to the Audit and OperationalGovernance Group AOGG for a Division when required

When required, to advise/ comment on clinical treatment guidelines for usein the specialty area that have been produced locally or by national bodiese.g. NICE, NSFs, National Prescribing Centre guidelines etc.

To contribute to and/ or undertake audit projects in the specialty areasparticularly those concerned with the clinical and cost effective use of drugs, compliance with safer prescribing and drug administration policies,procedures and guidelines, and implementation of pharmacy servicedevelopments. To provide reports and present the audit findings within theTrust.

To be involved in the work of clinical drug trials including, where necessary,initial clinical discussions with the investigator / sponsor, review of the trialprotocol, initiation/ implementation, supply of study material to patients,record keeping, problem solving and liaison with the study investigators andco-ordinators when necessary.

To undertake duties as a clinical pharmacist to other wards in the Trustwhen necessary, including occasional work at other pharmacies from whicha pharmacy service is provided.

In the specialist pharmacy service of Clinical Haematology andOncology, with Aseptics and Clinical Trials:

To assist the Principal Pharmacist in their role of providing highly specialistclinical pharmacy advice to consultant clinicians, clinical nurse specialists,ward and clinic staff

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about theirtherapy

To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss therapy regimens

To advise dispensary staff (SWFT CS and inpatient dispensary) in thedispensing of chemotherapy and adjuvants

To contribute with the Cancer Unit lead, to the development of thechemotherapy management system Mosaiq (software)

To contribute to the preparation of cancer treatment regimens

To check the treatment regimens in care pathways and resolve anyanomalies

To be responsible for the clinical and final checks of products prepared inthe Aseptics Unit

To provide clinical and final checks of bought-in specials

To ensure that staff are trained in risk management processes relating tothe therapy area (this will include cancer and non-cancer intrathecaladministration for non-rotational posts)

To attend clinical meetings, when required, of the relevant clinical Network

To assist the Principal Pharmacist Cancer and Aseptic Services inensuring all chemotherapy prescribed has appropriate funding and PatientAccess Schemes are followed

To assist with the training of junior pharmacists, Foundation StudentPharmacists , technicians and student technicians in this area ofspecialised practice

To act as Pharmacys link to the Nutrition Team, advise and support onClinical Nutrition, assist dietitians in converting patients nutrition needs intoa formulation (where other forms of feeding are inappropriate) forparenteral nutrition when require

To support the Lead pharmacists in the implementation and running ofclinical trials as directed

To support the clinical ward service, as outlined above, as per the teamsrota commitments

Other Duties

Any other duties considered appropriate to the post and grade by the linemanager

To adhere to and perpetuate Trust Policies and Procedures, e.g. EqualOpportunities, Health & Safety etc.

Special Requirements of the Postholder

The post holder will have Warwick Hospital as their main base but will berequired to work at and/or visit other hospitals in the Trusts we serve.

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, isnot exhaustive and serves as a guide to the main tasks, envisaged at thetime of drafting. As such this job description will change and evolve inaccordance with the Pharmacy Services needs.

Qualifications

Essential

• Master's Degree in Pharmacy (or equivalent)
• Professional registration as a Pharmacist in the UK, through practitioner Membership of The General Pharmaceutical Council
• Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy diploma OR postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate completed and working towards postgraduate Clinical Diploma (to be completed within 12 months of appointment) OR at least 12 months of appointment) OR at least 2 years post qualification experience with at least 6 months of those within specialist area
• (if this is an agreed part of the role) Pharmacist independent Prescribing national accreditation and registration

Experience

Essential

• Sufficient hospital pharmacy experience (as a registered pharmacist) to have acquired the competencies needed for the job
• Recent clinical practitioner ward experience in a general hospital setting
• Specialist services relevant to the post (e.g. aseptics)

Desirable

• Undertaken audit work.
• Lectures, talks, training given (Medical/Nursing/Pharmacy staff and patients)
• Experience of managing a clinical pharmacy service to a specialty on a day to day basis (e.g. whilst covering a senior colleague)

Skills

Essential

• Good understanding of recent NHS and pharmacy and medicines management reports and how they relate to pharmacy practice
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of specialist knowledge in the relevant area for the post
• Ability to advise and influence all grades of medical and nursing staff on therapeutic aspects of patient care
• An understanding of the relevance of clinical governance and risk management
• Able to understand clinical research data
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Able to clearly communicate complex clinical information to all grades of medical, nursing and pharmacy staff.
• Able to sensitively question patients on their drug treatment and to communicate clearly with them
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good presentation skills
• Able to create a rapport with people
• Ability to prioritise own work and assist others to do so
• Able to use initiative and work without supervision
• Ability to manage pharmacy staff allocated to the specialty
• Able to give credible representation of the Pharmacy at a senior medical and management levels
• Ability to work in teams - pharmacy teams and multidisciplinary teams.
• Sound judgement on clinical, pharmaceutical and ethical issues
• Able to advise other pharmacists of all grades in the post holder's expert area of knowledge
• Assertiveness skills- able to respond to challenge at senior medical or nursing levels
• Able to deal with concerned/anxious patients or relatives particularly in relation to their drug treatment
• Able to meet deadlines
• High standards of work presentation

Personal Qualitites

Essential

• Professional appearance
• A positive "can do", enthusiastic approach to work
• Self-motivating and able to motivate a pharmacy team
• Wants to "make a difference". Can enthuse about the potential of the post

Other

Essential

• Prepared to contribute to routine, clinical pharmacy and dispensary duties
• Accurate clinical, dispensing and checking abilities
• Able to undertake weekend, Bank Holiday and Statutory Day working and Emergency Duty Commitment on a rota
• Ability to use VDUs
• Able to demonstrate a satisfactory level of continuing professional development
• Satisfactory computer keyboard skills
• Use of motorised transport and insured for business use (or willingness to stay on site at own expense whilst on call).
• Competent in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook
• Competent in Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint

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).