Specialist Pharmacist - Medicine

Job description

Job responsibilities

General Clinical Practice

• Liaise and work closely with the senior clinical pharmacy team to develop clinical pharmacy services to the Division including ward pharmacy and medicines management.
• Aim to provide safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in the patients as allocated.
• Make appropriate referrals where necessary; ensure the clear and effective communication of patients pharmaceutical needs to other pharmacists and health care professionals both within the trust and in other health care environments.
• Demonstrate and apply general pharmaceutical knowledge, and where applicable, specialist clinical pharmacy knowledge in core areas in order to plan, manage, monitor and review therapeutic programmes for patients allocated, thereby ensuring the quality of patient care.
• Participate in ward rounds to integrate into the multidisciplinary team and raise the pharmacy profile via contributions at consultant level.
• Demonstrate appropriate clinical reasoning and judgement.
• Work across traditional boundaries, including the transcription of discharge medication.
• Be readily available and keen to answer any general medicine related pharmaceutical queries from patients, pharmacists and other members of staff within pharmacy as well as from other health care professionals including medical staff.
• Proactively provide advice and information on any pharmaceutical issues within the directorate to pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals as needed.
• Demonstrate awareness and commitment to the Trusts Clinical Governance Agenda.
• Support the maintenance and development of the Medicines Management Initiatives including use of patients own medicines and self-medication.
• Facilitate writing of discharge prescriptions according to prescribing or approved transcribing systems and develop accreditation schemes for this purpose.

• Act as a role model for junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students on placement in the rotation.
• Promote best practice e.g. evidence-based practice through prescription monitoring.
• Implement and/or follow agreed clinical governance initiatives such as incident/error reporting and investigation.
• Develop clinical pharmacy services in line with local and national objectives and contribute to pharmacy research initiatives being undertaken within the department.
• Be involved in the process of recruitment and selection of staff.

• Ensure national and local agendas are delivered.
• Follow and conform to relevant standards of care.
• Identify and manage risks in relation to medicines use according to policy/protocol.
• Delegate duties / responsibilities appropriately to junior staff.
• Evaluate the performance of junior staff against identified criteria using departmental/Trust IPR tools and General Level Competence Framework.
• Provide evaluated pharmaceutical and financial information in accordance with the needs of the directorate.
• Identify changes in prescribing practices that may impact on the drugs budget, thereby providing information on drug usage and expenditure to the Division.
• Deputize for the Advanced Pharmacist AMU/AEC and other senior clinical pharmacists as required and represent pharmacy at acute medicine specialty meetings.

• Monitor clinical pharmacy in order to ensure safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in these patients.
• Document the workload and quality of pharmacy services in line with departmental and corporate objectives.
• Perform audits of drug usage within the Directorate as part of the multi-disciplinary audit process, based on national and service priorities e.g. NICE, CLAHRC research and locally agreed requirements.
• Undertake assessments/evaluations as required e.g. of new products within the allocated speciality.

• Demonstrate a critical approach towards pharmacy practice.
• Integrate research evidence into practice.
• Develop clinical pathways within the specialty area.
• Actively seek to improve the ward and clinical services provided.
• Undertake and participate in pharmacy practice research in accordance with the Collaboration for Leadership and Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) agenda and other relevant studies.
• Assist with the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate projects.
• Adopt continuous improvement methodology and support Pharmacy in becoming a continuous improvement department.

• Participate in the training and supervision of junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students on placement in providing a clinical pharmacy service.
• Identify training needs of junior staff in order to undertake their required roles.
• Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff.
• Provide education and training to pharmacy and other staff.
• Evaluate the training provided.
• Participate in the clinical training of medical and nursing staff.
• Identify own training needs and maintain a portfolio of practice.
• Participate in the Departmental Education and Training Programme and ensure that a written record of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is maintained for review at appraisal.
• Participate in in-service clinical pharmacy teaching and multi-disciplinary teaching as appropriate.
• Act as a GPhC trainee pharmacist Practice Supervisor/ Designated Supervisor (depending on experience).
• Actively participate in the development of current and future pharmacy workforce
• Participate in and help co-ordinate pharmacy department clinical meetings and lunch time teaching sessions.

• To provide dispensary cover to inpatient and outpatient pharmacy in accordance to the pharmacy standards, as per rota
• To be responsible for the clinical pharmacist oversight and management of Patient Services in the absence of the Dispensing Services manager.
• To be responsible for the accurate clinically screening and final checking of medicines including oral chemotherapy, HIV and clinical trials.
• To ensure appropriate and effective use of the local formulary and prescribing policies as necessary.
• Maintain a broad level of pharmacy practice through ensuring a sound base of pharmaceutical knowledge.
• Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.
• Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.
• Participate in education and training programmes to develop skills as part of a commitment to continuing education and the concept of lifelong learning.
• Be aware of, and apply, relevant legislation such as the H & SAWA, COSHH, Medicines Act, GMP etc.
• At all times practice in accordance with the Standards for Pharmacy Professionals of the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Follow legal, ethical, professional and employers codes of conduct.
• Any other duties as reasonably required within the band and overall scope of role
• To participate in on-call, weekend/bank holiday and shift working as well as 7 day working when required on a rotational basis.
• To participate in Practice Research as required

This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and their manager.

All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications

Essential

• Vocational Master's Degree in Pharmacy (+ completion of pre-registration training) (E)
• Registered as a practicing pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (E)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or equivalent relevant general experience (E)

Desirable

• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or equivalent relevant general experience (D)
• Registered independent prescriber ( D)
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) membership (D)

Experience

Essential

• Experience as a clinical pharmacist practitioner, demonstrating appropriate levels of competency e.g. able to show consistent achievement in all areas outlined in the General Level Competency Framework / RPS Foundation Level Framework
• Variety of clinical practice to include the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients on a medical and surgical wards and clinics
• Experience writing policies, procedures and guidelines
• Education and training of staff
• Supervision of others
• Experience in carrying out audit and/ or service evaluation /improvement

Desirable

• Experience designing and delivering training in a multidisciplinary (MDT) environment
• Meets the necessary GPhC requirements in order to undertake role of GPhC Trainee Pharmacist Designated Supervisor (Tutor)

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Meets set targets and objectives
• Meets expected levels of practice as defined by RPS Foundation Pharmacy Framework
• Influence junior medical staff
• Problem solving and risk assessment
• Autonomous working
• General clinical knowledge and skills assessed through competency framework
• Good interpersonal skills
• Identify and meets own training needs
• Ability to supervise the work of junior pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, assistants, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students on placement

Desirable

• Ensures other training needs are identified and met
• Can delegate appropriately

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Flexible and enthusiastic approach
• Friendly, empathetic and reliable team worker able to relate to all grades of staff
• Reliable and hard working

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

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Middlesex Hospital

Twickenham Road

TW7 6AF

Employer's website

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