Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Specialist Pharmacist Infectious Disease and AMS Deputy

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Job summary

Do you want a new challenge? Are you full of ideas and committed to developing pharmacy ward based services with a particular passion for antimicrobial stewardship and infectious disease? If you have the drive for specialty medicine and want to be a crucial part of developing and delivering inpatient services in Worcestershire, we would love to hear from you!

Situated just over 20 miles from Junction 3 M5 Birmingham, we are currently looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and experienced pharmacist to come and assist in the delivery of a pharmacist practitioner service to our infectious disease ward, and support the antimicrobial stewardship lead in delivering the AMS strategy for the trust.

The post offers skilled clinical pharmacists who are working towards or have completed their clinical diploma the opportunity to innovate and provide a ward based service within this specialism, as well as develop leadership skills whilst supporting the delivery of a trust wide AMS agenda.

You will have experience of pro-actively influencing prescribing within a secondary care environment, be willing to undertake an independent prescribing qualification (if not already held) and above all, be a team player.

We are committed to achieving a balance between high quality service delivery and professional development. We can offer you a supportive and training-focused environment, within a friendly team.

Main duties of the job

Developing and providing a clinical pharmacist practitioner service to the infectious diseases ward.
Providing specialist advice on medications and treatments to the ward and other pharmacists within the trust
Support the AMS lead in the implementation and delivery of the trust AMS strategy, the quality improvement delivery plan and deputise for them in their absence.
Support the delivery of counselling on specialised HIV/ Hepatitis C medications in conjunction with the HIV/Hepatitis C lead Pharmacist for patients admitted to inpatient ward areas
Assess and identify key areas for service development and expansion in conjunction with the team lead for medicine
Act as a mentor and role model for junior pharmacists rotating into specialty medicine.
Providing on-going medical care to patients admitted to infectious disease and general medicine wards
Initiating complex medication assessments and contributing to the MDT assessment
Discharge planning and communication of key issues for patients post discharge across the whole Health Economy

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is nearly 6,800 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people
Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
Best use of resources
Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Date posted

29 September 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£43,742 to £50,056 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9365-23-0917

Job locations

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide a specialist clinical pharmacy and medicines optimisation service to infectious disease and Specialty Medicine wards at WRH.

Following accreditation, function as an Independent Prescriber within an allocated clinical area or to a defined cohort of patients.

Ensure compliance with medicines legislation, the Trust Medicines Policy, and medicines related national and local guidelines within the Specialty Medicine Division WRH.

Contribute to producing and implement appropriate technical and professional SOPs and associated policies to ensure that the Medicine Directorate medicines management systems are safe, robust, and guided by national directives..

Evaluate prescribing practices and amend according to evidence-based practice, national/regional directives and clinical governance targets.

Substantiate pharmaceutical recommendations and advice to medical and nursing staff and communicate effectively any necessary actions to medical and nursing staff.

Construct pharmaceutical care plans for patients, assess and monitor clinical progress and outcome with regard to their medication and actively intervene to ensure that patients receive optimal care with minimal side effects.

Navigate/refer patients appropriately across the health care economy to meet their specific care needs.

Communicate all findings for patient to the patient, carer and their usual care co-ordinator

Provide expert advice to other health care professionals on all pharmaceutical issues arising within the specialist clinical area.

Be responsible for the therapeutic blood monitoring of identified medicines within the post-holders clinical area.

Document assessment findings and associated plan for care in line n, ensure comprehensive handover to all relevant staff in involved in the care of the patient.

Facilitate the ward-based medicines management pharmacy service to achieve Trust and departmental medicines management targets.

Transcribe/ Prescribe all discharge prescriptionsin a timely manner to facilitate timely flow of patients though the hospital contributing to reduction in length of stay.

Contribute to board rounds on ward area and actively participate in the management of flow of patients though the ward and hospital.

Plan and aid in completion of discharges ahead of planned discharge date to prevent unnecessary delays

Manage on a day to day basis medicines management technicians, clinical pharmacists, post qualified pharmacists and students as allocated to achieve these outcomes.

Be responsible for ensuring that the ward-based teams work efficiently, accurately and within their own individual job remits

Activelycontributes to the development and maintenance of Trust antimicrobial prescribing guidelines in collaboration with the AMS Lead Pharmacist and Consultant Microbiologist team.

Deliver and report on quarterly AMS audits with the support of the AMS lead

Supports the configuration/decision making pathway development for AMS within the Trusts chosen EPMA system.

Supports the Trust Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy service (OPAT) team as needed to ensure medications are supplied in a timely fashion.

Medication Reconciliation, Provision of Patient Information and Counselling

Contribute to setting standards for, and manage the counselling of patients on their medicines within the Speciality Medical Division to improve concordance and knowledge of their therapy..

Have the ability to provide counselling on specialised HIV/Hepatitis C medications in conjunction with the HIV/ Hepatitis C lead to ensure new patients initiated in hospital can access early counselling whilst on the ward area.

Ensure all newly admitted patients are interviewed to construct an accurate medication history and assess compliance/concordance issues.

Pro-actively identify to medical staff any potential or actual medicines-related hospital admissions or associated issues and outline any required action to resolve identified discrepancies.

Assess patients discharge information requirements as early as possible in the admission stay.

Utilise the discharge medicines service for patients as needed

Counsel patients with complex needs

Assist with the development and initiation of any self-administration schemes as appropriate within the post-holders clinical area.

Managerial responsibilities

Plan his or her own workload, contribute to the planning of the pharmacy services to the Medical Division.

Clinically supervise on a day to day basis the ward-based medicines management pharmacy team.

Advise and support technical staff in the delivery of pharmaceutical care within the Medical Division and refer performance related issues to the Clinical Pharmacy Team Leader as appropriate.

Use the Pharmacy Computer System and MS Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint to produce reports, SOPs, analyses and training materials for others to support the delivery of the post holders key roles and responsibilities.

Acts as pharmacist representative at directorate meetings showcasing pharmacy services/ input and providing a mechanism of feedback of information between the specialty area.

Liaises with specialty medicine pharmacist lead on ward based changes to ensure ward level initiatives do not compromise the ward based pharmacy service.

Governance Responsibilities:

Complete/ supervise completion of 3 monthly CD and the annual safe and secure handling audit ensuring action plans are fed back to the ward managers/ matrons and specialty medicine lead pharmacist within appropriate timeframes.

Review medication related incidents for the infectious disease ward area on a monthly basis and provide feedback to the Speciality Medicine Lead Pharmacist/ Ward manager and matron on any ongoing themes.

Investigate medication errors within the specialty area as allocated

Provide pharmacist representation at C.Diff review meetings for the ID ward and other areas as allocated

Attends and contributes to monthly morbidity and mortality meetings

Works with the AMS lead to implement AMS initiatives across the trust, auditing and feeding back to areas within specialty medicine

Financial Responsibilities

Analyse prescribing trends and provide guidance and advice on medicines expenditure, prescribing patterns and high cost medicines use for Infectious disease

Advise Consultants on proposed new medicines for use within the post-holders clinical area and assist with compiling new product assessments and evidence-based reviews for submission.

Identify and implement measures to keep the Medical Divisions medicines expenditure within agreed budgets. Discuss and influence medicines expenditure and its management with key medical staff, and Matrons within the post-holders specialist area.

Lead on the creation of monthly reports for Trust/Divisionalantimicrobial performance.

Monitor Trust performance against AMS CQUIN targets and produce and presenting reports as delegated by the AMS Lead.

Service Development and Business Planning

Develop links with the Clinical staff, Matrons and Ward Managers in relation to the pharmaceutical needs of the Infectious disease team and Speciality Medical Division.

Contribute to the pharmacy service development plan for the Speciality Medical Division, with the Lead Clinical Pharmacists for antimicrobial stewardship and Speciality medicine directorates.

Contribute to the creation, implementation and audit of clinical guidelines relating to all areas of medicines use within the post-holders area.

Contribute to the pharmacy modernisation initiatives within the Speciality Medical Division.

Contribute to planning and organising the delivery, standard and modernisation of clinical pharmacy services within WAHT.

Research and Clinical Audit

Ensure all pharmaceutical aspects of research in the post-holders clinical area complies with relevant legislation

Ensure that all clinical trials of medicines in the post holders area comply with National Guidelines, the Trust medicines policy, and the Trial Protocols.

Help plan and conduct pharmaceutical practice-based research/audit in the Medical Division in conjunction with the Professional Operational Lead and Clinical Trials.

Education, Training and CPD

Participate in the Trust skills development review (PDR).

Agree service and personal objectives with the Clinical Pharmacy Team Leader and be responsible for self audit to demonstrate both achievement of objectives and evidence of value to the Trust.

Participate in a regular review of all duties with the Clinical Pharmacy Team Lead and make such alterations as necessary to meet the demands of a changing service.

Deliver teaching and training on the post holders specialist area to pharmacy, medical and nursing staff including pharmaceutical induction for new medical and nursing staff.

Train, assess and provide feedback for Foundation Year Trainee Pharmacists as allocated.

Train, assess and provide feedback for undergraduate students, medicines management technicians and student technicians as allocated.

Dispensary and other Operational Responsibilities

The post holder will:

Assist in the delivery of the WRH pharmacy departments dispensing and other operational, and clinical, services as required to meet the needs of the service:

Participate in the Pharmacy Weekend service and Bank Holiday rotas.

Participate in the countywide emergency on-call rota