Job summary
To lead and manage clinical pharmacy services to paediatrics.
To provide a high-quality specialist clinical pharmacy service to the paediatrics wards (Dolphin and NICU) including attendance at ward rounds
To support patient flow within hospital by working with the paediatrics team to manage patient discharge, including prescribing of TTA medicines.
To lead work in managing the high-risk and high cost drugs within paediatrics by setting up monitoring systems and implementing shared care.
To lead, manage and develop medicines management initiatives for paediatric patients in the trust.
To develop protocols, pathways and shared cared guidelines within paediatrics
To provide evaluated pharmaceutical and financial information in accordance with the needs of the paediatric department, including horizon scanning, prescribing practices and cost saving opportunities
To train, supervise and develop junior and trainee pharmacy and other staff working within the team
Main duties of the job
Be the departmental lead in managing medicines in children and neonates
Work as part of ward based multidisciplinary teams to manage medicine related issues and improve patient flow including writing of TTAs on Dolphin and NICU
Work directly and regularly with consultants, senior nursing staff and managers within the paediatrics department and with parents of patients in resolving medicines related issues including prescribing, supply and administration.
Cross cover, when needed, the pharmaceutical service to other clinical specialities to maintain a safe service
Lead and manage high cost medication within the paediatrics department
Lead work with the specialist nurses & consultants in the paediatric department in managing high risk drugs within the speciality, developing pathways and implementing shared care.
Ensure medicines are used appropriately, safely, and cost-effectively in accordance with local and national guidelines, the Trust formulary, local policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieved in specific circumstances.
Monitor and interpret expenditure on medicines within paediatrics. Provide the health care division with regular reports to assist in the safe use of medicines, the management of the drug budgets and clinical governance issues. The report also includes risk management such as the recording of significant clinical interventions and near misses.
About us
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave; a national programme thats changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.
This means were working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.
Were a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.
Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
1. Service Provision
General
- Develop and maintain close professional relationships with paediatric medical and nursing teams so as to be recognised as the specialist role model and expert in medicine management within the paediatrics department
- Provide specialist clinical pharmacy input to the care of patients on the paediatric wards, attending and participating in multidisciplinary ward rounds.
- Providing interface and discharge liaison and support.
- Support patient flow within hospital, by working with discharge teams supporting with TTA writing.
- Ensure the smooth running, day to day management of the pharmacy clinical service on the paediatric wards, ensuring that service provision is flexible and responsive to patient and service needs
- Prescribe medication for individual patients, as needed, within the agreed scope of practice
- Ensure the safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of drugs within paediatrics
- Meet any medication-related needs of paediatric patients, including counselling carers and answering concerns on their medication.
- Support consultant paediatricians with prescribing, prescription validation and medicines supply for specialist areas within paediatrics (eg Growth hormone, sickle cell, juvenile idiopathic arthritis)
- Act as the lead pharmacist in the provision of pharmaceutical care for paediatric oncology patients, This includes attendance at the oncology MDT, assistance with Chemocare protocol building, liaison with Pharmacy chemotherapy production teams, and advising medical teams on management of symptoms.
High Cost and Shared Care Medicines
- Lead on management of high cost medicines in paediatrics (eg RSV medications) including ordering, supply, and management of funding.
- Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place with GPs to manage shared care medicines
Reports/Audits/Service Development
- Pharmacy lead in the achievement of short- and long-term objectives within paediatrics in relation to medicine optimisation
- To implement NICE guidance
- To actively undertake projects and audits to continually review and improve the quality of service provision
- Responsible for self-audit and data collection to evaluate the on-going effectiveness of the role of the paediatric specialist pharmacist
- To analyse drug expenditure reports and EPACT data and identify potential cost savings within the service as requested
- Write or respond to business cases for service development to secure additional funding
- To develop protocol, pathways and shared care guidelines for paediatrics
- Co-ordinate Medicines Use Cost Savings Projects
- Review prescribing data from out-patient clinics
- The post holder will be expected to identify, where necessary, areas that require service changes and develop a strategy to carry out the change through consultation with senior colleagues within and outside the pharmacy including commissioners.
Risk/Incidents
- Undertake risk management, including investigating clinical incidents within paediatrics and ensuring compliance with medicine legislation.
- Provides the health care division with regular reports to assist in the safe use of medicines, the management of the drug budgets and clinical governance issues. The report also includes risk management such as the recording of significant clinical interventions and near misses
- Attend and proactively contribute to meetings and forums to promote governance and reduce risk around medication in paediatrics
External Partners
- Liaise with tertiary centres contributing to the care of our patients to ensure medicines advice is correctly interpreted and medicines available promptly for our patients
- Liaise with local external providers of community services to paediatric patients to facilitate continuity of care across boundaries
- Liaise with GPs to facilitate shared care for paediatric patients
- Communication with external bodies eg ICB regarding medicines policies or guidelines specific for paediatrics and for funding requests
- Review and deal with high cost drug challenges related to paediatrics from the ICB
2. Clinical Practice
- To act as a clinical role model in paediatrics to all pharmacists and ensure the safe clinically effective/evidence based and cost-efficient use of drugs.
- To work as an Independent Prescriber according to Trust Policies, with a scope of practice appropriate to this role.
- To professionally screen/check prescriptions, thus taking professional responsibility, as required by legislation.
- To integrate research evidence into practice
- To plan, monitor and review drug treatment protocols dosing including implementation of new drugs and treatment strategies
- To optimise patient/carer knowledge of their drugs including counselling patients/carers on the use of their drugs.
- To ensure that in-patients reviewed have accurate drug histories documented, any supplies of their own medication checked, and any medication required supplied as soon as possible. To ensure that all changes to medication are communicated to the GP.
- To demonstrate expert clinical knowledge
- To influence prescribers and recommend changes to patient’s treatment where appropriate
- To make decisions with limited information
- To work with a whole-system patient focused approach
- To communicate with patients/carers and health care professionals
- To prioritise clinical interventions according to individual patient needs
- To help with the monitoring and implementation of Clinical Management Guidelines and Formulary adherence
- Attend regional and national neonatal or paediatric meetings to promote an advanced level of clinical practice
3. General Service Provision
- To provide a high quality, patient focused pharmaceutical service to in-patients, outpatients, discharge patients and other patients as required by the paediatrics and pharmacy departments
- To input prescription information using the Pharmacy Computer system
- To be able to use the computerised e-prescribing & medical notes system used in the Trust
- To dispense and supply drugs to patients (including using the automated dispensing system (‘Robot’)
- To provide evaluated pharmaceutical advice and information, to all health care professionals and patients of the Trust using on-line data bases and primary sources
- To have a working knowledge of pharmacy stock control and ordering systems
- To collect and handle prescription monies according to Government and Trust policy
- Provide cover and support for pharmacists working in other clinical specialisms in their absence
4. Training and Development
- To participate in education and training of other healthcare professionals particularly in relation to paediatrics. In particular to train and assess band 7 pharmacists as practitioners on paediatric wards
- To participate in education and training schemes and meetings organised within the departments (pharmacy & paediatrics)
- To participate in other areas of pharmacy practice in order to ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge
- To undertake continual professional development and maintain a CPD portfolio, in line with requirements of professional body, including continuing education and attendance at appropriate courses and study days
- To participate in the Trust appraisal system
- To supervise pharmacy staff as appropriate to job role
5. General Duties
- To maintain a broad level of pharmacy practice and ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge
- To participate in all relevant departmental meetings and contribute to effective communication within the department
- To be aware of and apply, relevant legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, GMP and Medicines’ Act
- To provide a high quality, customer focused pharmaceutical service to patients within the Trust (out-patients & in-patients)
- To have a working knowledge of all procedures, legislation or national guidelines relating to the storage and dispensing of unlicensed medicinal products, controlled drugs, oral chemotherapy and clinical trials
- To have a working knowledge of pharmacy stock control and ordering systems
- To at all times practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council
- To uphold the security of drugs and the premises at all times
- To participate in department rotas as agreed including weekends, bank holidays and late duties
- To attend clinical pharmacy meetings
6. Other Duties
- To attend courses & study days as deemed appropriate by the Chief Pharmacist or deputies
- To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade as requested by the Chief pharmacist or deputies
7. To maintain registration, as a pharmacist, with the General Pharmaceutical Council, and to act in accordance with the code of ethics.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
1. Service Provision
General
- Develop and maintain close professional relationships with paediatric medical and nursing teams so as to be recognised as the specialist role model and expert in medicine management within the paediatrics department
- Provide specialist clinical pharmacy input to the care of patients on the paediatric wards, attending and participating in multidisciplinary ward rounds.
- Providing interface and discharge liaison and support.
- Support patient flow within hospital, by working with discharge teams supporting with TTA writing.
- Ensure the smooth running, day to day management of the pharmacy clinical service on the paediatric wards, ensuring that service provision is flexible and responsive to patient and service needs
- Prescribe medication for individual patients, as needed, within the agreed scope of practice
- Ensure the safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of drugs within paediatrics
- Meet any medication-related needs of paediatric patients, including counselling carers and answering concerns on their medication.
- Support consultant paediatricians with prescribing, prescription validation and medicines supply for specialist areas within paediatrics (eg Growth hormone, sickle cell, juvenile idiopathic arthritis)
- Act as the lead pharmacist in the provision of pharmaceutical care for paediatric oncology patients, This includes attendance at the oncology MDT, assistance with Chemocare protocol building, liaison with Pharmacy chemotherapy production teams, and advising medical teams on management of symptoms.
High Cost and Shared Care Medicines
- Lead on management of high cost medicines in paediatrics (eg RSV medications) including ordering, supply, and management of funding.
- Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place with GPs to manage shared care medicines
Reports/Audits/Service Development
- Pharmacy lead in the achievement of short- and long-term objectives within paediatrics in relation to medicine optimisation
- To implement NICE guidance
- To actively undertake projects and audits to continually review and improve the quality of service provision
- Responsible for self-audit and data collection to evaluate the on-going effectiveness of the role of the paediatric specialist pharmacist
- To analyse drug expenditure reports and EPACT data and identify potential cost savings within the service as requested
- Write or respond to business cases for service development to secure additional funding
- To develop protocol, pathways and shared care guidelines for paediatrics
- Co-ordinate Medicines Use Cost Savings Projects
- Review prescribing data from out-patient clinics
- The post holder will be expected to identify, where necessary, areas that require service changes and develop a strategy to carry out the change through consultation with senior colleagues within and outside the pharmacy including commissioners.
Risk/Incidents
- Undertake risk management, including investigating clinical incidents within paediatrics and ensuring compliance with medicine legislation.
- Provides the health care division with regular reports to assist in the safe use of medicines, the management of the drug budgets and clinical governance issues. The report also includes risk management such as the recording of significant clinical interventions and near misses
- Attend and proactively contribute to meetings and forums to promote governance and reduce risk around medication in paediatrics
External Partners
- Liaise with tertiary centres contributing to the care of our patients to ensure medicines advice is correctly interpreted and medicines available promptly for our patients
- Liaise with local external providers of community services to paediatric patients to facilitate continuity of care across boundaries
- Liaise with GPs to facilitate shared care for paediatric patients
- Communication with external bodies eg ICB regarding medicines policies or guidelines specific for paediatrics and for funding requests
- Review and deal with high cost drug challenges related to paediatrics from the ICB
2. Clinical Practice
- To act as a clinical role model in paediatrics to all pharmacists and ensure the safe clinically effective/evidence based and cost-efficient use of drugs.
- To work as an Independent Prescriber according to Trust Policies, with a scope of practice appropriate to this role.
- To professionally screen/check prescriptions, thus taking professional responsibility, as required by legislation.
- To integrate research evidence into practice
- To plan, monitor and review drug treatment protocols dosing including implementation of new drugs and treatment strategies
- To optimise patient/carer knowledge of their drugs including counselling patients/carers on the use of their drugs.
- To ensure that in-patients reviewed have accurate drug histories documented, any supplies of their own medication checked, and any medication required supplied as soon as possible. To ensure that all changes to medication are communicated to the GP.
- To demonstrate expert clinical knowledge
- To influence prescribers and recommend changes to patient’s treatment where appropriate
- To make decisions with limited information
- To work with a whole-system patient focused approach
- To communicate with patients/carers and health care professionals
- To prioritise clinical interventions according to individual patient needs
- To help with the monitoring and implementation of Clinical Management Guidelines and Formulary adherence
- Attend regional and national neonatal or paediatric meetings to promote an advanced level of clinical practice
3. General Service Provision
- To provide a high quality, patient focused pharmaceutical service to in-patients, outpatients, discharge patients and other patients as required by the paediatrics and pharmacy departments
- To input prescription information using the Pharmacy Computer system
- To be able to use the computerised e-prescribing & medical notes system used in the Trust
- To dispense and supply drugs to patients (including using the automated dispensing system (‘Robot’)
- To provide evaluated pharmaceutical advice and information, to all health care professionals and patients of the Trust using on-line data bases and primary sources
- To have a working knowledge of pharmacy stock control and ordering systems
- To collect and handle prescription monies according to Government and Trust policy
- Provide cover and support for pharmacists working in other clinical specialisms in their absence
4. Training and Development
- To participate in education and training of other healthcare professionals particularly in relation to paediatrics. In particular to train and assess band 7 pharmacists as practitioners on paediatric wards
- To participate in education and training schemes and meetings organised within the departments (pharmacy & paediatrics)
- To participate in other areas of pharmacy practice in order to ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge
- To undertake continual professional development and maintain a CPD portfolio, in line with requirements of professional body, including continuing education and attendance at appropriate courses and study days
- To participate in the Trust appraisal system
- To supervise pharmacy staff as appropriate to job role
5. General Duties
- To maintain a broad level of pharmacy practice and ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge
- To participate in all relevant departmental meetings and contribute to effective communication within the department
- To be aware of and apply, relevant legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, GMP and Medicines’ Act
- To provide a high quality, customer focused pharmaceutical service to patients within the Trust (out-patients & in-patients)
- To have a working knowledge of all procedures, legislation or national guidelines relating to the storage and dispensing of unlicensed medicinal products, controlled drugs, oral chemotherapy and clinical trials
- To have a working knowledge of pharmacy stock control and ordering systems
- To at all times practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council
- To uphold the security of drugs and the premises at all times
- To participate in department rotas as agreed including weekends, bank holidays and late duties
- To attend clinical pharmacy meetings
6. Other Duties
- To attend courses & study days as deemed appropriate by the Chief Pharmacist or deputies
- To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade as requested by the Chief pharmacist or deputies
7. To maintain registration, as a pharmacist, with the General Pharmaceutical Council, and to act in accordance with the code of ethics.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Postgraduate clinical qualification (over and above that of the 1st degree, preferably at Masters level) and/or significant relevant clinical experience to demonstrate a similar level of knowledge.
- Certificate in, or ability to complete Certificate in, Clinical Pharmacy Practice
- Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or ability to complete Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice
- Successful completion of Independent Prescribers Course
Experience
Essential
- Relevant post-registration experience
- Experience working on a busy hospital ward and working as part of an MDT
Desirable
- Experience of participating in audit activities
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Postgraduate clinical qualification (over and above that of the 1st degree, preferably at Masters level) and/or significant relevant clinical experience to demonstrate a similar level of knowledge.
- Certificate in, or ability to complete Certificate in, Clinical Pharmacy Practice
- Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or ability to complete Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice
- Successful completion of Independent Prescribers Course
Experience
Essential
- Relevant post-registration experience
- Experience working on a busy hospital ward and working as part of an MDT
Desirable
- Experience of participating in audit activities
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.
