Advanced Clinical Pharmacist-Speciality Medicine & High-Cost Medicines

Job responsibilities

a) Area of responsibility

The Advanced Clinical Pharmacist will be responsible for medicines optimisation in the following specialty area(s):

• High-cost (also known as non-tariff) medicines, including biologic agents across various specialities (including rheumatology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology and dermatology) and as commissioned by the ICB
• Dermatology and Medical Infusion Unit

Support the Lead Pharmacist for Medicines Information and Commissioning, and work closely with Wakefield District and Kirklees Health and Care Partnership, Commissioning Support Units and NHS England in the development, negotiation, consultation, implementation and audit of commissioning policies and other such frameworks relating to high-cost (also known as non-tariff) medicines.

Develop and support implementation of systems for providing assurance of adherence to NICE guidance and Technology Appraisals for patients receiving high-cost (also known as non-tariff) medicines.

Work with stakeholders to develop evidence-based treatment algorithms for use of high-cost non-tariff medicines, including those used outside of NICE guidance where agreed by commissioners.

Support the development of Amber Guidance Documents (also known as shared care guidance) relating to the specialty areas.

Produce detailed reports on medicines spend, usage, security, adherence to NICE guidelines and Technology Appraisals and other applicable pharmacy services or performance indicators.

Undertake horizon scanning work, including consideration of non-tariff medicines, to support budget forecasting.

Ensure that the NHS gets best value for money spent on high-cost drugs through implementation of Patient Access Schemes and other discount schemes where these exist.

Lead on the safe and effective introduction and switching of biosimilar medicines.

Develop proposals to improve quality, safety, effectiveness and efficiency for high-cost prescribing.

Areas of responsibility may be subject to review as the needs of the Trust, Medicines Optimisation and Pharmacy service and Medicines Improvement Group change.

Contribute to the agreement and development of patient-specific selection criteria for use of all current and impending NICE and non-NICE high-cost (also known as non-tariff) medicines, and audit of such criteria.

To work with relevant teams/departments to ensure that information transfer to primary care is optimised.

b) General

Analyse, interpret and compare highly complex drug usage and expenditure data, and prepare detailed reports.

Provide highly specialised advice to Clinical Divisions and relevant Trust Committees.

Produce recommendations in support of medicines optimisation strategies and efficiency savings relevant to the specialty areas.

Work to and in accordance with national legislation, guidelines and policies, local guidelines and policies, SOPs and formularies.

Be an active member of the multidisciplinary team(s) relating to the specialty areas.

Act as primary link with other Advanced Pharmacists working in the specialist area, both regionally and nationally.

Be an active member of trust Committees and Groups relevant to the specialist area.

Communicate complex and influential information effectively using the most appropriate methods of communication (verbal, written, electronic).

Be a member of the UKCPA, or other appropriate professional organisations relevant to the specialist area.

Receive, process and provide highly complex information concerning medicines and treatment strategies and pathways, including the analysis and interpretation of complex and highly complex facts.

Where appropriate and necessary, help construct rotas to support pharmacy services, including the requirement to adapt at short notice to allocate or re-allocate tasks to meet organisational requirements.

Deputise for Senior Pharmacy Managers at relevant specialty meetings where appropriate.

Work as a senior pharmacist within a designated service area on a rota basis, providing professional, clinical & scientific information according to national and local standards. Execute advanced and complex search strategies and assess complex information within urgent deadlines, reassigning priorities as necessary.

Supervise, direct and manage pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and students as appropriate.

Utilise, maintain and record data using the pharmacy dispensing computer system, trust medicines discharge and records management systems, primary care record systems and other such electronic systems in use at the time, according to standard operating procedures.

Work independently as an Advanced Clinical Pharmacist at ward level to provide safe and efficient specialised pharmacy services. This includes clinical duties such as medicines reconciliation, patient counselling, highly accurate clinical review of medicines, working alongside other health care professionals to optimise patient care.

Provide highly specialised advice on choice, dose, adverse effects and administration of medicines, tailored to specific patients or high-risk situations.

Address issues of co-existing medical diseases, conditions such as renal and hepatic impairment, pregnancy and concurrent medications. This includes complex dose calculations and interpretation of biochemical, microbiological and drug plasma level data.

Apply sound professional judgment to complex legal and ethical issues and dilemmas, particularly where definitive information is lacking.

Participate in the weekend, Bank Holiday, late-night and emergency duty rotas.

Provide cover for colleagues' absence on wards as appropriate to the needs of the service, and as directed by the line manager of Pharmacy Management Group.

Carry out dispensary duties when required for the needs of the service.

Provide clinical support to Pharmacy homecare services

Perform any other duties appropriate to the grade as designated by the line manager or Associate Director or Director of Pharmacy.

To be involved where appropriate in the clinical checking, dispensing and or accuracy checking of clinical trial materials.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in hospital pharmacy, including ward based clinical work.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional development.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team including senior doctors and nurses.
• Relevant clinical experience.
• Experience of audit.

Desirable

• Experience of writing guidelines, policies and procedures and putting them into practice.
• Experience of project implementation.
• Experience of audit, involving use of quality standards and benchmarking.
• Experience of high-level trust committees or similar.
• Line management.

Knowledge and awareness

Essential

• Aware of national standards and matters relating to the specialist area.
• Awareness of own limitations.

Desirable

• Awareness of Commissioning issues surrounding excluded from tariff medicines.
• Awareness of Homecare services and how this relates to pharmacy.

Personal attributes

Essential

• Professional attitude.
• Enthusiastic.
• Attention to detail.
• Innovative and proactive.
• Organised and methodical.
• Team player.

Desirable

• Influencing skills.

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters or Bachelors degree in Pharmacy.
• Postgraduate diploma or Postgraduate Masters degree in clinical pharmacy, or the equivalent degree of experience.
• Registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Qualified as Pharmacist Independent Prescriber or willingness to train to become an independent prescriber if relevant to the role.

Desirable

• Membership of relevant Pharmacy professional bodies e.g. RPS Faculty, UKCPA.
• Project management qualification.

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication skills verbal, written and electronic.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prioritise and manage an unpredictable workload.
• Problem solving skills.
• Ability to motivate self and others.
• Demonstrate ability to use initiative and be proactive.
• Information technology skills, including use of Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Negotiation skills.

Desirable

• Ability to lead and manage change.
• Ability to lead on implementation of specific projects.
• Ability to influence change in clinical teams.
• Familiarisation with Pharmacy computer systems such as JAC, SystmOne, netFormulary and MiDatabank.
• Qualified as Pharmacist Independent Prescriber.

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).