Job summary
The role of our organisation is to contract a wide range of health care services which fulfil the varying needs of those in our community.
NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS Kernow) is focusing on the requirements of the entire population in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the aim being to reduce the demand on over-stretched health care services. By being proactive and encouraging and supporting positive health and wellbeing initiatives, we hope to move away from a reactive health care model, with an emphasis being on prevention. This will help to ensure that we can provide the highest quality and safest health and care services, to those who need it most.
We are passionate about making a difference to people's lives, and understanding their needs. With help from volunteers in our local communities, we can empower individuals, giving them a greater choice about when, where, and how they access health services. With feedback from service users, and the knowledge and experience of our clinical experts, NHS Kernow will continue to meet, and strive to exceed national standards and targets.
Main duties of the job
An opportunity has arisen for a qualified pharmacist to join our innovative prescribing and medicines optimisation team.
You will be required to ensure prescribing by healthcare providers is in accordance with national standards, locally identified priorities and the clinical governance framework and is safe, of high quality, evidence based, rational, equitable and clinically and cost-effective. The successful candidate must possess excellent communication skills and be able to prioritise their own workload, as well as the ability to work independently at various practices across the county.
About us
You should hold a masters degree in pharmacy (or equivalent), have post qualification experience, evidence of continued professional development (CPD) and be registered with the general pharmaceutical council (GPhC).
Previous experience with a clinical commissioning group (CCG) is not essential as there will be a comprehensive induction and shadowing provided.
There is a development opportunity to expand your portfolio career joining clinical commissioning, medicines optimisation with primary care network pharmacy roles and wider clinical systems.
The successful applicant will live NHS Kernow's values through their everyday behaviours and interactions. You will believe in being honest and will support your colleagues and our providers, to make the best decisions and choices for the benefit of people's health and wellbeing. You will encourage and listen to other people's ideas and suggestions with an enquiring and positive mind, expecting to hear feedback, and taking it in the spirit of learning and improving.
You will be an ambassador for NHS Kernow, promoting the importance of improving people's health and wellbeing, and making sure services are safe and effective, and delivered in ways that improve people's experiences and outcomes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The pharmaceutical advisor will work closely with members of the prescribing team to fulfil the following duties and responsibilities:
To engage with GP practices to ensure delivery of financial cost savings and to support high quality prescribing.
Act as clinical lead for an agreed therapeutic area, for example; diabetes, respiratory, antibiotics, skincare and join formulary.
To promote safe, evidence based, clinical and cost-effective prescribing within each practice. This will involve the utilisation and interpretation of ePACT2 database tags and other relevant information.
Support practices in changing their prescribing policies to be in line with national, clinical commissioning groups (CCG) prescribing and clinical governance priorities.
To maintain records of work with practices and to report on their performance to the GP practice and head of medicines management.
To hold meetings with the GPs to discuss prescribing in priority therapeutic areas.
To carry out regular medication reviews of patients in residential and nursing homes in conjunction with the GP practice. This will involve supplementary or independent prescribing when appropriate.
To assist in any emergency planning and response measures as required by the CCG.
Promote effective cross boundary working with other organizations and/or departments to deliver advice and support to care homes in medicines management.
Support care homes to change practice when concerns have been raised by other parties.
Responsible for the investigation of critical incidents involving medicines including dispensing errors in both pharmacies and GP practices. This must be carried out in a timely fashion.
Responsible for the investigation of concerns and complaints from patients regarding their medication.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The pharmaceutical advisor will work closely with members of the prescribing team to fulfil the following duties and responsibilities:
To engage with GP practices to ensure delivery of financial cost savings and to support high quality prescribing.
Act as clinical lead for an agreed therapeutic area, for example; diabetes, respiratory, antibiotics, skincare and join formulary.
To promote safe, evidence based, clinical and cost-effective prescribing within each practice. This will involve the utilisation and interpretation of ePACT2 database tags and other relevant information.
Support practices in changing their prescribing policies to be in line with national, clinical commissioning groups (CCG) prescribing and clinical governance priorities.
To maintain records of work with practices and to report on their performance to the GP practice and head of medicines management.
To hold meetings with the GPs to discuss prescribing in priority therapeutic areas.
To carry out regular medication reviews of patients in residential and nursing homes in conjunction with the GP practice. This will involve supplementary or independent prescribing when appropriate.
To assist in any emergency planning and response measures as required by the CCG.
Promote effective cross boundary working with other organizations and/or departments to deliver advice and support to care homes in medicines management.
Support care homes to change practice when concerns have been raised by other parties.
Responsible for the investigation of critical incidents involving medicines including dispensing errors in both pharmacies and GP practices. This must be carried out in a timely fashion.
Responsible for the investigation of concerns and complaints from patients regarding their medication.
Person Specification
Qualifications, training and professional membership
Essential
- Masters degree in Pharmacy (or pre-2000 equivalent)
- Current member of the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Evidence of continued professional development and commitment to lifelong learning
Desirable
- Relevant post graduate qualification, for example. diploma or MSc in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice, or prescribing sciences (or equivalent experience)
- Independent prescribing qualification
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Post-registration experience
- Experience of working in community pharmacy
- Up to date knowledge of prescribing issues in primary and secondary care, and current health policies
- Working knowledge of the community pharmacy contract and the drug tariff
- Familiarity with using clinical pharmaceutical knowledge to optimise the balance between effectiveness, safety, and cost of medicines
- Previous experience of providing prescribing advice or support in primary care or NHS Trusts
- Experience of working with NHS Trust Boards or related bodies. Experience of working with GPs to improve prescribing. Experience of issues relating to dispensing doctors.
- Honesty. Listening. Taking ownership. Flexibility and adaptive. Creative and innovative.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Demonstration of a sound evidence-based approach to applying information.
- Excellent verbal and written skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team guided by national protocols.
- Ability to analyse information and problem solve. Ability to use Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and the Internet.
Personal qualities, behaviours and aptitudes required to demonstrate the values
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and people management skills
- Develops ideas and plans that improve delivery of patient care
- Able to work in complex and rapidly changing environment
- High level influencing and negotiation skills
- Smart appearance. Flexibility to attend occasional evening meetings. Professional integrity. Political and organisational astuteness
- Need to be independently mobile in order to attend events and meetings.
Person Specification
Qualifications, training and professional membership
Essential
- Masters degree in Pharmacy (or pre-2000 equivalent)
- Current member of the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Evidence of continued professional development and commitment to lifelong learning
Desirable
- Relevant post graduate qualification, for example. diploma or MSc in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice, or prescribing sciences (or equivalent experience)
- Independent prescribing qualification
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Post-registration experience
- Experience of working in community pharmacy
- Up to date knowledge of prescribing issues in primary and secondary care, and current health policies
- Working knowledge of the community pharmacy contract and the drug tariff
- Familiarity with using clinical pharmaceutical knowledge to optimise the balance between effectiveness, safety, and cost of medicines
- Previous experience of providing prescribing advice or support in primary care or NHS Trusts
- Experience of working with NHS Trust Boards or related bodies. Experience of working with GPs to improve prescribing. Experience of issues relating to dispensing doctors.
- Honesty. Listening. Taking ownership. Flexibility and adaptive. Creative and innovative.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Demonstration of a sound evidence-based approach to applying information.
- Excellent verbal and written skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team guided by national protocols.
- Ability to analyse information and problem solve. Ability to use Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and the Internet.
Personal qualities, behaviours and aptitudes required to demonstrate the values
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and people management skills
- Develops ideas and plans that improve delivery of patient care
- Able to work in complex and rapidly changing environment
- High level influencing and negotiation skills
- Smart appearance. Flexibility to attend occasional evening meetings. Professional integrity. Political and organisational astuteness
- Need to be independently mobile in order to attend events and meetings.
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
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).
