Job summary
Specialist Clinical Pharmacist Antimicrobial and clinical
Pharmacy services at Northampton General Hospital are delighted to offer a specialist pharmacist post joining our team supporting the clinical team.
The post holder will specialise in antimicrobials, developing their skills and knowledge while working in a multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team. This senior role is also a vital part of our clinical service across various wards and specialities.
Ideally you would be an independent prescriber, however we provide opportunities to staff to undertake the qualification and there are various learning opportunities in antimicrobial stewardship to develop these skills.
As a rough guide the split of the post is expected to be:
Antimicrobial 0.5WTE
Clinical 0.5WTE
If you do not meet all the essential criteria for this band 7 post, we may be able to offer a band 6 to 7 progression with a supported training program.
We welcome applications from innovative, proactive pharmacists who would want to become part of our dynamic team, contributing to our pharmacy ethos, acting as an advocate for pharmacy and a guardian of medicine safety.
Main duties of the job
Main duties of the job
The role involves working closely with the Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist and with the Consultant Microbiologists, Sepsis Team, and Infection Prevention Team to implement the Trust's Antimicrobial Stewardship Plan.
In antimicrobials you will be providing antimicrobial stewardship across the Trust, supporting Root Cause Analysis and Multi-Disciplinary Teams reviews, join ward rounds with microbiology consultants and infection control nurses, such as C. diff and antibiotic rounds. You will also be involved in service and guideline development and reviews.
The role includes motivating and inspiring other pharmacists and healthcare professionals to adopt ownership of responsibility for prudent use of antimicrobials.
As a rough guide the split of the post is expected to be:
Antimicrobial 0.5WTE
Clinical 0.5WTE
As part of your clinical role, you will provide a patient focused Clinical Pharmacy Ward Service and contribute to the delivery of the Trust's Medicines Optimisation Strategy.
The position includes:
Managing (planning, organising, monitoring, controlling, developing staff etc)
Training of pharmacy staff and the wider multidisciplinary team
Service development including Quality Improvement projects, preparation of guidelines, CQUINS
Other duties/functions
For further information, please see the attached trust job description and person specification for a list of duties and responsibilities.
About us
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
- Compassion
- Accountability
- Respect
- Integrity
- Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical Services
To provide information, advice and guidance on the safe, effective and economical use of medicines and to challenge poor practice.
To maintain appropriate standards of service and safety; to enforce guidelines, policies and procedures to ensure standards are met.
To fulfil the requirements of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Good Professional Practice.
To optimise medicines management by reconciling drug histories, performing medication reviews, using patients own medicines, counselling and ensuring continuity of care on discharge.
To detect, record and report adverse drug reactions to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and via Datix as per Trust Policy.
To implement countywide and local prescribing strategies within the Trust.
Facilitate the expansion of the tools within EPMA (when available)
To undertake validation duties in the dispensary.
To supervise, check and, if necessary, undertake the supply of medicines. Technical checking is in place; pharmacists make initial validations and have a professional responsibility to decide on the need for their further involvement in the supply process.
Speciality Clinical Pharmacy Role
Support the development and implementations of antimicrobial guidance, policies and procedures.
To manage the introduction of new antimicrobials into the Trust Formulary in conjunction with the Lead Pharmacist, Antimicrobials.
To work with Divisions, Infection Prevention and Microbiologists to identify the need for and contribute to new and revised antimicrobial protocols, guidelines and patient group directions.
To facilitate implementation of guidelines and their impact.
To support restrictive prescribing policies/mechanisms for certain antibiotics and to monitor their impact.
To deputise for Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist.
Have a working knowledge of current practice and protocols within antimicrobials and how these relate to national and other guidance.
Support the Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist to implement the Trusts Antimicrobial Stewardship Plan.
To participate in CQUINs and QIPPs with Antimicrobials.
To monitor pharmacy interventions and Datix reports to identify training and information needs within antimicrobials.
To identify and implement service improvements within Antimicrobials.
To lead and support on the auditing of antimicrobial prescribing.
Support the process for new antimicrobials being integrated into the Trust by Formulary submissions.
Attend clinical pharmacy meetings and education/training schemes relevant to post.
To audit adherence to the Trusts Antibiotic Guidelines for Adults and Antibiotics and participate in National audits on antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship activities as required, using nationally recommended toolkits.
To undertake other relevant audits, related to Clostridium Difficile and MRSA risks, such as IV to oral switch times, total durations of antibiotic treatment, allergy documentation, clinical indication etc.
Education, Training and Supervision
Attend clinical pharmacy meetings and education/training schemes relevant to post.
To take part in formal and informal education of pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals in antimicrobials as well as the wider pharmacy team.
To supervise aspects of pre-registration training.
To line manage and lead those staff allocated, undertaking appraisals, supervision and identification of training and development of their skills and knowledge.
To assist in the induction of staff into the service; to help identify training and development needs.
To provide information to patients, parents, and carers on admission and at discharge regarding treatment and medication to optimise patient concordance, particularly if there is a need to overcome language or communication barriers.
To maintain up-to-date clinical knowledge in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice to ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge, clinical reasoning and judgement.
To take responsibility for own personal CPD by participating in education and training programmes to improve competence and to develop specialist expertise in antimicrobials area.
To obtain/maintain prescribing qualification and support services and ward rounds as appropriate.
To help provide the training for Technicians enhanced patient counselling skills and Medicines Management Technician training.
Other Duties
To undertake duties elsewhere in the locality, if required.
To undertake on call duties
To provide a pharmacy service at weekends
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical Services
To provide information, advice and guidance on the safe, effective and economical use of medicines and to challenge poor practice.
To maintain appropriate standards of service and safety; to enforce guidelines, policies and procedures to ensure standards are met.
To fulfil the requirements of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Good Professional Practice.
To optimise medicines management by reconciling drug histories, performing medication reviews, using patients own medicines, counselling and ensuring continuity of care on discharge.
To detect, record and report adverse drug reactions to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and via Datix as per Trust Policy.
To implement countywide and local prescribing strategies within the Trust.
Facilitate the expansion of the tools within EPMA (when available)
To undertake validation duties in the dispensary.
To supervise, check and, if necessary, undertake the supply of medicines. Technical checking is in place; pharmacists make initial validations and have a professional responsibility to decide on the need for their further involvement in the supply process.
Speciality Clinical Pharmacy Role
Support the development and implementations of antimicrobial guidance, policies and procedures.
To manage the introduction of new antimicrobials into the Trust Formulary in conjunction with the Lead Pharmacist, Antimicrobials.
To work with Divisions, Infection Prevention and Microbiologists to identify the need for and contribute to new and revised antimicrobial protocols, guidelines and patient group directions.
To facilitate implementation of guidelines and their impact.
To support restrictive prescribing policies/mechanisms for certain antibiotics and to monitor their impact.
To deputise for Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist.
Have a working knowledge of current practice and protocols within antimicrobials and how these relate to national and other guidance.
Support the Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist to implement the Trusts Antimicrobial Stewardship Plan.
To participate in CQUINs and QIPPs with Antimicrobials.
To monitor pharmacy interventions and Datix reports to identify training and information needs within antimicrobials.
To identify and implement service improvements within Antimicrobials.
To lead and support on the auditing of antimicrobial prescribing.
Support the process for new antimicrobials being integrated into the Trust by Formulary submissions.
Attend clinical pharmacy meetings and education/training schemes relevant to post.
To audit adherence to the Trusts Antibiotic Guidelines for Adults and Antibiotics and participate in National audits on antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship activities as required, using nationally recommended toolkits.
To undertake other relevant audits, related to Clostridium Difficile and MRSA risks, such as IV to oral switch times, total durations of antibiotic treatment, allergy documentation, clinical indication etc.
Education, Training and Supervision
Attend clinical pharmacy meetings and education/training schemes relevant to post.
To take part in formal and informal education of pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals in antimicrobials as well as the wider pharmacy team.
To supervise aspects of pre-registration training.
To line manage and lead those staff allocated, undertaking appraisals, supervision and identification of training and development of their skills and knowledge.
To assist in the induction of staff into the service; to help identify training and development needs.
To provide information to patients, parents, and carers on admission and at discharge regarding treatment and medication to optimise patient concordance, particularly if there is a need to overcome language or communication barriers.
To maintain up-to-date clinical knowledge in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice to ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge, clinical reasoning and judgement.
To take responsibility for own personal CPD by participating in education and training programmes to improve competence and to develop specialist expertise in antimicrobials area.
To obtain/maintain prescribing qualification and support services and ward rounds as appropriate.
To help provide the training for Technicians enhanced patient counselling skills and Medicines Management Technician training.
Other Duties
To undertake duties elsewhere in the locality, if required.
To undertake on call duties
To provide a pharmacy service at weekends
Person Specification
Education, Training and Qualifications
Essential
- MPharm degree.
- Member of GPhC.
- Achieved or working towards Clinical Diploma.
- CPD portfolio.
Desirable
- Member of RPS.
- Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing.
- Member of UKCPA other relevant specialist body.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Post-registration clinical pharmacy experience within hospital, PCN or community including some of the following specialities: Medicine (or medical specialities), Care of the Older Person, Surgery (or surgical specialities), Paediatrics, Medicines Information, Oncology/Haematology, Aseptics (this would normally be achieved over at least a 2 year period.
- Good clinical knowledge.
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Skill mix /role of Technicians in Clinical Services.
- Teaching, supervising and training staff.
- Undertaken service improvement / quality improvement projects / audits
- Awareness of interface issues/ NHS arrangements
Desirable
- Attendance on Consultant-led ward rounds.
- Experience of prescribing within a speciality to optimise medicines for specific patient groups.
- Specialist knowledge of antimicrobials.
- Staff supervision
Skills
Essential
- Good Interpersonal skills/excellent communication.
- Computer skills, eg databases.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
- Time management./prioritisation/delegation
Key competencies/personal qualities and attributes
Essential
- Enthusiasm
- Willingness to learn and develop personally
- Both full time and part time candidates should have the ability to work shifts that will cover 7 days of the week as the NHS moves towards 7 day service provision.
- Smart appearance
- Influential
Desirable
- Effective leadership qualities.
- Ability to be flexible and respond to the needs of the organisation
- Proactive and solution focused.
Person Specification
Education, Training and Qualifications
Essential
- MPharm degree.
- Member of GPhC.
- Achieved or working towards Clinical Diploma.
- CPD portfolio.
Desirable
- Member of RPS.
- Practice Certificate in Independent Prescribing.
- Member of UKCPA other relevant specialist body.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Post-registration clinical pharmacy experience within hospital, PCN or community including some of the following specialities: Medicine (or medical specialities), Care of the Older Person, Surgery (or surgical specialities), Paediatrics, Medicines Information, Oncology/Haematology, Aseptics (this would normally be achieved over at least a 2 year period.
- Good clinical knowledge.
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Skill mix /role of Technicians in Clinical Services.
- Teaching, supervising and training staff.
- Undertaken service improvement / quality improvement projects / audits
- Awareness of interface issues/ NHS arrangements
Desirable
- Attendance on Consultant-led ward rounds.
- Experience of prescribing within a speciality to optimise medicines for specific patient groups.
- Specialist knowledge of antimicrobials.
- Staff supervision
Skills
Essential
- Good Interpersonal skills/excellent communication.
- Computer skills, eg databases.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
- Time management./prioritisation/delegation
Key competencies/personal qualities and attributes
Essential
- Enthusiasm
- Willingness to learn and develop personally
- Both full time and part time candidates should have the ability to work shifts that will cover 7 days of the week as the NHS moves towards 7 day service provision.
- Smart appearance
- Influential
Desirable
- Effective leadership qualities.
- Ability to be flexible and respond to the needs of the organisation
- Proactive and solution focused.
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.
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).
Additional information
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).
