Job summary
Job title: Senior Pharmacist -Cardiology 8a (Fixed Term 16 months)
Do you have an interest in Cardiology pharmacy? Then we have an exciting opportunity for you as we have a vacancy for a pharmacist to lead, deliver, develop and evaluate a consistently high-quality clinical pharmacy and medicines management service to the Cardiology ward/directorate and associated areas including Interventional Radiology & Cardiology Unit (IRCU), Lipids and National Pulmonary Hypertension Service.
The post holder will ensure the safe and cost-effective use of drugs and demonstrate effective control of drug expenditure within the directorate.
The role will be varied, incorporating many different aspects of cardiology pharmacy including working on the cardiology wards, attending consultant ward rounds, and medicines optimisation. You will also play a role in the training and development of junior pharmacists within the team, including setting objectives.
Potential candidates will have experience working as a band 7 pharmacist, with considerable experience of working in cardiology. You will be comfortable working with nursing and medical staff at ward level and be able to contribute to optimising medicines for this complex set of patients. Experience of clinics and independent prescribing would be an advantage but not essential as training will be given. Previous experience of high-cost drug processes and writing of drug reviews and clinical guidelines would also be beneficial.
Main duties of the job
- Regular active participation in speciality ward rounds to support safe and effective use of medicines with these areas
- Maintaining clinical governance within the cardiology service
- Ensuring seamless pharmaceutical care from admission to discharge, including liaising with other pharmacists and healthcare professionals (primary and secondary) who may be taking over care of the patient
- To act as a clinical role model, and support training and supervision of junior members of the pharmacy team
- Development and implementation of clinical guidelines
- Effective control of drug expenditure and management of processes regarding high-cost drugs
- To participate in audits and practice research
- To work with the clinical risk team to minimise the risk of medicines
About us
The Royal Free London NHS Trust is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the UK with many specialities including kidney and liver transplantation, haemophilia, amyloidosis and scleroderma with the newly opened Pears Building being at the forefront of medical research.
The trust has around 10,000 staff serving 1.6 million patients. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This large-scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.
The Pharmacy department is a friendly, progressive and expanding unit dedicated to providing the highest standards of pharmaceutical care and service. Providing a variety of pharmacy services across all three sites, the pharmacy department have recently played a pivotal role in the implementation of electronic prescribing system and have strategic plans for the development of more consultant and independent prescribing pharmacists. The cardiology pharmacist provides a service not only to the Cardiology ward/directorate but also associated areas including Interventional Radiology & Cardiology Unit (IRCU), Lipids and National Pulmonary Hypertension Service. The cardiology pharmacist is well-respected both at ward and clinic level, providing advice to both nursing and medical staff on the use of medicines for this complex set of patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To provide a high quality clinical pharmacy service as part of the multidisciplinary team to cardiac patients, to ensure maximum efficacy, safety and economic drug use and to demonstrate professional accountability to enhance patient care. The responsibilities will include:
- Regular attendance of consultant ward rounds and multidisciplinary team meetings.
- Demonstration of expert clinical knowledge
- Delivery of a high quality, specialist ward-based pharmacy service including medicines reconciliation, drug supply, review of highly complex medication regimens, interaction monitoring, adverse drug reaction monitoring and discharge planning.
- To implement independent or supplementary prescribing within the specialty and contribute towards the heart failure clinic in collaboration with the heart failure team.
- Communication of complex pharmaceutical information, according to the level of understanding, direct to patients/carers and healthcare professionals.
- To empathise and counsel patients/carers who may be distressed, on all aspects of their medication to aid compliance and understanding.
- To make clinical decisions where limited/conflicting information is available.
- Promotion of high quality and cost-effective prescribing.
- Maintenance and evaluation of the near to patient medicines management project on the cardiology ward
- Making evidence based decisions, in partnership with patients and other professionals within the specialist area.
- Liaising with other ward pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines management, and to implement systems for the effective transfer of medicines between wards.
- Development and review of Patient Group Directions
- Development and review of Shared Care guidelines
- Implementation of relevant local and national guidelines within the specialist area
- Lead in the implementation and evaluation of Drug Usage Reviews and clinical audits and implement changes in prescribing practice accordingly.
- Actively involved in the development of relevant patient information leaflets which complement licensed product information.
- Provision of support on concordance related issues to patients
- Provision of expert medicines information to clinicians and healthcare professionals and ensure that this information is utilised in a systematic and appropriate way to optimise patient care
- To liaise and work with other specialist pharmacists to share the best practice, to strengthen patient focused pharmaceutical care
- To assist in the implementation of electronic Medicines Management within the specialist areas.
2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENTS
- To assist in identifying and managing changes necessary to maintain a high quality service responsive to patients needs and to consider the implications of changes for other areas/personnel.
- To lead in the planning and organising of a clinical pharmacy service to the cardiology (including lipids and PH) patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
- To deal effectively with situations where medication errors have occurred, including liaising directly with patients and staff concerned.
- Liaising with other pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines management, and to implement systems for the effective transfer of medicines between primary or secondary care.
- To lead in responding to complaints from patients and the public in relation to medicines management issues as required.
- To deliver a high quality and comprehensive medicines counselling service to patients and/or their relatives on all aspects of their pharmaceutical care including specialist and unlicensed drugs. To overcome communication barriers through the use of interpreters or other forms of communication.
- To participate in the cardiac rehabilitation programme
3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
- To assist in the production and implementation of business plans for the development of the pharmacy service provided to the speciality
- To assist in the formulation, prioritisation and implementation of long term strategic plans for clinical pharmacy services in line with local, network and national objectives.
- Contribute to the development of and ensuring adherence to evidence based prescribing guidelines.
- Contribute to any relevant multidisciplinary policies within the speciality
- Ensuring compliance with CQC medicine related outcomes, NICE appraisals and other government related initiatives
- To ensure that all pharmacy activities, procedures and documentation within the speciality are carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures and relevant medicines legislation
- To assist in the implementation of the Trusts Clinical Governance agenda within cardiology
- To identify the risks of medicines use in the directorate and implement strategies to minimise them. To be a member of the directorate Incident Review Group and Clinical Governance Group. Assist in the implementation of local and government led strategies to improve medication safety.
- To assist in the management of changes that need to occur in order to maximise patient care and to consider and act upon the implications of the change to other areas/personnel.
4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES
To contribute in the management of the drug budget within the Cardiology and Pulmonary Hypertension and Lipid Services. The responsibilities will include:
- Provision of detailed evaluated reports on drug expenditure to the Divisional Finance Manager, General Manager, and Clinical Head of Service
- Identify options for reducing drug expenditure in line with QIPP
- Forecasting new drug developments, and identify changes in prescribing practice that may impact on the drugs budget.
- Contributing to the annual pharmacy department drug cost pressure document
- Interpreting published data on new drugs for use within cardiology / pulmonary hypertension and to prepare evaluations and present applications to the Drug and Therapeutics Committee. To communicate relevant decisions back to the specialty care group and ensure the smooth implementation of any changes in drug use
- Liaising with the key decision makers (senior managers, CCGs, commissioners) to ensure provision of funding for high cost drugs within the Directorate.
- To provide advice on high cost drugs to facilitate the seamless transition of patient care between primary and secondary sectors, by liaising with consultants, Service Performance and Primary Healthcare Professionals.
- To lead on the implementation of homecare services for cardiology and pulmonary hypertension services
5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING
- To lead and develop the clinical pharmacy service for patients within the Cardiology and Group Clinical Services Directorate and the National Pulmonary Hypertension Service in accordance with the priorities set between the post holder, Principal Pharmacist Clinical Services, and the directorate management team.
- To identify and promote best practice
- To motivate and inspire others
- To share expertise with healthcare professionals on a nationwide level through professional conferences, forum and bodies.
- To manage and support the development of Band 7 Senior Pharmacists, band 6 rotational pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists rotating through cardiology
- To support and facilitate the development of junior pharmacists and pharmacy technician
- To assist in the management of changes that need to occur in order to maximise patient care and to consider and act upon the implications of the change to other areas/personnel.
- To manage difficult and ambiguous situations and be aware of ethical dilemmas that may present in patient care and provide support and guidance to colleagues in any decision making process.
- To contribute to the implementation of the risk management and Trust Clinical Governance agenda within the directorate.
- To identify the risks of medicines use in the directorate and implement strategies to minimise them, working closely with the specialities clinical risk management committee.
- To attend and be active participant in relevant clinical and managerial groups divisionally, corporately and externally, in order to ensure the delivery of best care to patients. This may include presenting data / guidelines that may be controversial / likely to be challenged
- To represent pharmacy and act as link person at relevant meetings and conferences and disseminate knowledge of developments to other staff.
- To act as an effective role model and provide advice and support on clinical issues within your specialist area to junior pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team.
- To share expertise with healthcare professionals on a nationwide level through professional conferences, forum and bodies.
6. RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
- To support relevant medical, nursing and pharmacy staff to ensure that trials are run efficiently and effectively.
- To support clinical research and to monitor the relevant clinical trials protocols submitted to the ethical committee within the specialist area and identify and resolve pharmaceutical issues.
- To provide expert specialist information to research nurses and consultants regarding new drugs and therapies to be used within clinical trials
- To undertake and co-ordinate clinical research and audit projects and publish or present these findings. To supervise and advise other members of the pharmacy team research projects.
- To implement findings of research into clinical practice.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To provide a high quality clinical pharmacy service as part of the multidisciplinary team to cardiac patients, to ensure maximum efficacy, safety and economic drug use and to demonstrate professional accountability to enhance patient care. The responsibilities will include:
- Regular attendance of consultant ward rounds and multidisciplinary team meetings.
- Demonstration of expert clinical knowledge
- Delivery of a high quality, specialist ward-based pharmacy service including medicines reconciliation, drug supply, review of highly complex medication regimens, interaction monitoring, adverse drug reaction monitoring and discharge planning.
- To implement independent or supplementary prescribing within the specialty and contribute towards the heart failure clinic in collaboration with the heart failure team.
- Communication of complex pharmaceutical information, according to the level of understanding, direct to patients/carers and healthcare professionals.
- To empathise and counsel patients/carers who may be distressed, on all aspects of their medication to aid compliance and understanding.
- To make clinical decisions where limited/conflicting information is available.
- Promotion of high quality and cost-effective prescribing.
- Maintenance and evaluation of the near to patient medicines management project on the cardiology ward
- Making evidence based decisions, in partnership with patients and other professionals within the specialist area.
- Liaising with other ward pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines management, and to implement systems for the effective transfer of medicines between wards.
- Development and review of Patient Group Directions
- Development and review of Shared Care guidelines
- Implementation of relevant local and national guidelines within the specialist area
- Lead in the implementation and evaluation of Drug Usage Reviews and clinical audits and implement changes in prescribing practice accordingly.
- Actively involved in the development of relevant patient information leaflets which complement licensed product information.
- Provision of support on concordance related issues to patients
- Provision of expert medicines information to clinicians and healthcare professionals and ensure that this information is utilised in a systematic and appropriate way to optimise patient care
- To liaise and work with other specialist pharmacists to share the best practice, to strengthen patient focused pharmaceutical care
- To assist in the implementation of electronic Medicines Management within the specialist areas.
2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENTS
- To assist in identifying and managing changes necessary to maintain a high quality service responsive to patients needs and to consider the implications of changes for other areas/personnel.
- To lead in the planning and organising of a clinical pharmacy service to the cardiology (including lipids and PH) patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
- To deal effectively with situations where medication errors have occurred, including liaising directly with patients and staff concerned.
- Liaising with other pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines management, and to implement systems for the effective transfer of medicines between primary or secondary care.
- To lead in responding to complaints from patients and the public in relation to medicines management issues as required.
- To deliver a high quality and comprehensive medicines counselling service to patients and/or their relatives on all aspects of their pharmaceutical care including specialist and unlicensed drugs. To overcome communication barriers through the use of interpreters or other forms of communication.
- To participate in the cardiac rehabilitation programme
3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
- To assist in the production and implementation of business plans for the development of the pharmacy service provided to the speciality
- To assist in the formulation, prioritisation and implementation of long term strategic plans for clinical pharmacy services in line with local, network and national objectives.
- Contribute to the development of and ensuring adherence to evidence based prescribing guidelines.
- Contribute to any relevant multidisciplinary policies within the speciality
- Ensuring compliance with CQC medicine related outcomes, NICE appraisals and other government related initiatives
- To ensure that all pharmacy activities, procedures and documentation within the speciality are carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures and relevant medicines legislation
- To assist in the implementation of the Trusts Clinical Governance agenda within cardiology
- To identify the risks of medicines use in the directorate and implement strategies to minimise them. To be a member of the directorate Incident Review Group and Clinical Governance Group. Assist in the implementation of local and government led strategies to improve medication safety.
- To assist in the management of changes that need to occur in order to maximise patient care and to consider and act upon the implications of the change to other areas/personnel.
4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES
To contribute in the management of the drug budget within the Cardiology and Pulmonary Hypertension and Lipid Services. The responsibilities will include:
- Provision of detailed evaluated reports on drug expenditure to the Divisional Finance Manager, General Manager, and Clinical Head of Service
- Identify options for reducing drug expenditure in line with QIPP
- Forecasting new drug developments, and identify changes in prescribing practice that may impact on the drugs budget.
- Contributing to the annual pharmacy department drug cost pressure document
- Interpreting published data on new drugs for use within cardiology / pulmonary hypertension and to prepare evaluations and present applications to the Drug and Therapeutics Committee. To communicate relevant decisions back to the specialty care group and ensure the smooth implementation of any changes in drug use
- Liaising with the key decision makers (senior managers, CCGs, commissioners) to ensure provision of funding for high cost drugs within the Directorate.
- To provide advice on high cost drugs to facilitate the seamless transition of patient care between primary and secondary sectors, by liaising with consultants, Service Performance and Primary Healthcare Professionals.
- To lead on the implementation of homecare services for cardiology and pulmonary hypertension services
5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING
- To lead and develop the clinical pharmacy service for patients within the Cardiology and Group Clinical Services Directorate and the National Pulmonary Hypertension Service in accordance with the priorities set between the post holder, Principal Pharmacist Clinical Services, and the directorate management team.
- To identify and promote best practice
- To motivate and inspire others
- To share expertise with healthcare professionals on a nationwide level through professional conferences, forum and bodies.
- To manage and support the development of Band 7 Senior Pharmacists, band 6 rotational pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists rotating through cardiology
- To support and facilitate the development of junior pharmacists and pharmacy technician
- To assist in the management of changes that need to occur in order to maximise patient care and to consider and act upon the implications of the change to other areas/personnel.
- To manage difficult and ambiguous situations and be aware of ethical dilemmas that may present in patient care and provide support and guidance to colleagues in any decision making process.
- To contribute to the implementation of the risk management and Trust Clinical Governance agenda within the directorate.
- To identify the risks of medicines use in the directorate and implement strategies to minimise them, working closely with the specialities clinical risk management committee.
- To attend and be active participant in relevant clinical and managerial groups divisionally, corporately and externally, in order to ensure the delivery of best care to patients. This may include presenting data / guidelines that may be controversial / likely to be challenged
- To represent pharmacy and act as link person at relevant meetings and conferences and disseminate knowledge of developments to other staff.
- To act as an effective role model and provide advice and support on clinical issues within your specialist area to junior pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team.
- To share expertise with healthcare professionals on a nationwide level through professional conferences, forum and bodies.
6. RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
- To support relevant medical, nursing and pharmacy staff to ensure that trials are run efficiently and effectively.
- To support clinical research and to monitor the relevant clinical trials protocols submitted to the ethical committee within the specialist area and identify and resolve pharmaceutical issues.
- To provide expert specialist information to research nurses and consultants regarding new drugs and therapies to be used within clinical trials
- To undertake and co-ordinate clinical research and audit projects and publish or present these findings. To supervise and advise other members of the pharmacy team research projects.
- To implement findings of research into clinical practice.
Person Specification
Royal Free World Class Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- MPharm or equivalent
- GPhC registration
- Diploma in Pharmacy Practice or equivalent
Desirable
- Registered Independent Prescriber
Experience
Essential
- Considerable clinical experience in hospital and evidence of working to the capacity as a specialist clinical pharmacist with some experience working with cardiology patients
- Experience of managing and analysing drug expenditure
- Evidence of multidisciplinary working
- Evidence of a comprehensive B6&7 rotation
- Evidence of clinical audit/practice research and the promotion of evidence based practice
- Experience in education and training
Person Specification
Royal Free World Class Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- MPharm or equivalent
- GPhC registration
- Diploma in Pharmacy Practice or equivalent
Desirable
- Registered Independent Prescriber
Experience
Essential
- Considerable clinical experience in hospital and evidence of working to the capacity as a specialist clinical pharmacist with some experience working with cardiology patients
- Experience of managing and analysing drug expenditure
- Evidence of multidisciplinary working
- Evidence of a comprehensive B6&7 rotation
- Evidence of clinical audit/practice research and the promotion of evidence based practice
- Experience in education and training
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
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).
