Assistant Director of Medicines Optimisation
This job is now closed
Job summary
North West London Integrated Care Board (NW London ICB) is looking for an Assistant Director for Medicines Optimisation to lead the quality and value improvement in primary care. This role will report into the ICS Chief Pharmacist and will be responsible for managing the primary care medicines and pharmacy team as well as leading a portfolio of NW London system wide projects. The post holder will work with the primary care commissioning team, colleagues within NHS Trusts and other key stakeholders (e.g. LPC, LMC & AHSN).
This is an important role which offers an exciting opportunity to experience a diverse portfolio and would suit an experienced leader who is friendly, determined and delivery focused, and is keen to collaborate across organisational boundaries and sectors.
Main duties of the job
You will need to be a motivated self-starter with significant system leadership experience, and excellent communication skills. You will be able to create effective working relationships with a broad range of people.
Interview will take place 19 February 2024
About us
The NW London Medicines and Pharmacy team are involved in leading quality and value focussed projects with system partners across our diverse population which includes many of the most challenged, deprived and vulnerable communities in the country. The NW London Integrated Care System (ICS) covers the eight boroughs of NW London and brings together all health and care organisations working to deliver against the four core national objectives of ICSs, which include improving outcomes in population health and health care, tackling inequalities in outcomes, enhancing productivity and value for money and helping the NHS support broader economic and social development. The NW London Integrated Care Board (ICB) is the statutory NHS organisation, and employer, responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population, managing the NHS budget and arranging for the provision of health services in NW London. In NW London the ICB is known publicly as NHS NW London and is the employer for this role.
Details
Date posted
25 January 2024
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8d
Salary
£91,317 to £104,122 a year Inclusive of High Cost Area Supplement
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number
D9807-NWL-630
Job locations
Nhs North West London
15 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5JD
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary
Responsible for leading the NWL ICB Medicines Optimisation Primary Care & place workstreams to enable the delivery of safe, effective, evidence informed medicines usage.
To be overall responsible for the development and delivery of medicines optimisation (MO) and pharmaceutical services to meet the objectives of place partnerships and to effectively manage resources. This includes the development and implementation of effective transformational strategies and delivery plans at place, as well as close and effective working with place-based partnerships, primary care teams, PCNs and GP practices. Lead the effective engagement with GP Practices, PCNs, GP Federations on primary care medicines.
Responsible for effective delivery of eight place-based MO borough teams, via line management of two Heads of Medicines Optimisation (Primary Care Medicines Value and Place-based Partnerships), ensuring consistency of standards and messaging, reducing inequities and minimising unwarranted variation, while enabling responsiveness to local needs.
Ensuring local partnership plans and strategies with medicines-related elements appropriately involve pharmacy teams and embed medicines optimisation principles.Operational management for ensuring that any medicines optimisation delivery is effectively coordinated across all places and is done once across NW London wherever possible.
Through management of the Head of Medicines Optimisation Primary Care Medicines Value, to provide effective leadership and focus on the primary care prescribing budget and development and delivery of the ICB medicines QIPP programme.
Leadership, management & oversight for the development, implementation and monitoring of medicines enhanced services schemes, working closely with the ICB Chief Pharmacy Officer / Director of Medicines & Pharmacy, to ensure schemes are quality-led, appropriated managed with optimal system governance as well as financially sound.
Build and maintain effective relationships with system leaders in NW London, other Pharmacy leaders in NW London, London and nationally, with the aim of systematically reducing medicines-related sub-optimalities. Work with NW London system leaders to define medicines and prescribing-related needs, wants and priorities. Ensure the team is effective and efficient in delivering beneficial change and line manage the 8c posts.
The postholder will be expected to provide highly specialised clinical advice to colleagues in relation to individual patient care (e.g. in response to a clinical query or patient complaint) as well as relating to groups of patients or specific clinical conditions (e.g. when developing or advising on clinical guidelines and protocols).
The postholder will be expected to develop specific relationships with stakeholders with a high impact on or impacted by the pharmacy and medicines optimisation agenda:
Directors of place, governance, finance and primary care
GPs, practice nurses, practice managers, practice staff, health and care professionals working in primary and community care, Local Medical and Pharmaceutical Committees, third sector organisations, public health directors and leads
Develop and maintain constructive relationships with local authorities, place and PCN Clinical Directors, finance and performance directors and their teams
Corporate governance, communication teams, quality and clinical governance, complaints and enquiry handling teams
Clinical and care colleagues in other place-based roles including prescribing, digital, population health leads
Engage with key pharmacy leads to inform development of strategy and policies and identify examples of national and international best practice
National stakeholders such as NICE, CQC, NHSE, GPhC, CMU, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officers, professional bodies
Other health and care partners such as commercial pharmacy companies
This job description is to be read in conjunction with the Generic Job Description for the band.
Key activities and responsibilities
The table below identifies the key activities and responsibilities:
Area of Responsibility
Role Specific Responsibilities/key activities
Operational management of primary care medicines optimisation and programmes to deliver the strategic aims of the four ICB objectives.
Responsibility for the integration of medicines optimisation across NWL ICB to deliver measurable improvements in medicines optimisation and health outcomes.
Corporate responsibility for delivery of medicines optimisation assurance and services in primary care across NWL ICB.
Support the ICB Chief Pharmacy Officer to lead the service, building and maintain effective relationships with system leaders and other stakeholders and leading evolution of the services strategy
Develop and implement schemes and frameworks to ensure legal, safe, cost effective and best value use of medicines in NHS services, driving change for national and locally agreed targets relating to medicines management.
Ensure that any medicines management work that can be done once for NW London is done only once.
Work with NW London system leaders to define primary care medicines and prescribing-related needs, wants and priorities.
Ensure the team is effective and efficient in delivering beneficial change.
Ensure technology is used to maximise effectiveness and efficiency.
Ensure that NW London operates an effective and efficient committee structure to facilitate medicines optimisation and medicines-related risk management, and ensure the team provides high quality secretarial support to medicines-related committees as required by the Chief Pharmacy Officer.
Manage the team effectively, aiming to continuously improve efficiency.
Act in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing financial instructions in the discharge of this responsibility.
Lead the development, implementation and review of the medicines enhanced service (formerly prescribing incentive schemes) that comply with the law and national guidance.
Ensure a North West London Integrated Formulary system is implemented effectively and efficiently at place and in primary care.
Ensure timely and high quality communication within NWL regarding prescribing guidance, national and regulatory guidelines to primary care.
Ensure the services work is aligned with the systems priorities and integration of prescribing into the development of care pathways in the wider clinical governance and commissioning agenda.
Provide advice, as required, to help primary care and general practices meet medicines-related statutory requirements
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with acute and mental health trust chief pharmacists and Drug & Therapeutics Committee members, and key people from other providers.
Establish effective synergy with PCN pharmacists to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of delivery of benefits.
Develop and maintain effective relationships with relevant non-NHS partners (e.g. suppliers of software that facilitates medicines management).
Stay up to date with important developments in medicines use to advise as required.
Manage, motivate and inspire team members, investing time in their development.
Recruit, retain and develop high calibre staff.
Provide regular team briefings on system strategies and priorities ensuring all staff know how they contribute to the organisations.
Build effective relationships with colleagues at all levels through open communication and constructive feedback.
Operational Focus
Manage, lead and develop team members.
Ensure that work agreed is delivered on schedule and is within budget.
Ensure effective communication to the that appropriate written medicines information is circulated at intervals.
Develop, implement, operate, review and communicate prescribing guidance/policies across the CCGs.
Ensure that high quality, up-to-date electronic prescribing decision support system profiles are deployed.
Ensure that practices and CCG leaders receive timely prescribing expenditure and prescribing comparator data in a useful format.
Provide system leaders and committees with advice, reports and presentations on matters relating to the use of medicines as required.
Ensure that there is effective pharmacist participation in relevant hospital and mental health trust Drugs & Therapeutics Committees and medicines decision making committees.
Ensure effective communication of CCGs medicines-related priorities to acute and mental health trust chief pharmacists.
Ensure that a named pharmacist is linked to each practice and that he or she delivers high quality support, engaging effectively with GPs and other practice staff.
Work collaboratively with Finance and PMO staff to continuous improve reporting.
Practice within the law and in line with General Pharmaceutical Council standards.
Ensure that the service complies with relevant statutory requirements.
Line manage the Heads of Medicines Management and the High Cost Drugs Lead Pharmacist
Ensure the team are effectively line managed and that they understand what they are responsible and accountable for.
Maintain the teams focus, monitor performance, and lead work to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
Ensure adequate clinical governance and safety of the services work.
Conduct annual appraisal for direct reports, setting personal objectives and development plans and providing constructive feedback to assist with development.
Proactively manage poor performance, grievance and disciplinary issues in a sensitive and professional manner.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary
Responsible for leading the NWL ICB Medicines Optimisation Primary Care & place workstreams to enable the delivery of safe, effective, evidence informed medicines usage.
To be overall responsible for the development and delivery of medicines optimisation (MO) and pharmaceutical services to meet the objectives of place partnerships and to effectively manage resources. This includes the development and implementation of effective transformational strategies and delivery plans at place, as well as close and effective working with place-based partnerships, primary care teams, PCNs and GP practices. Lead the effective engagement with GP Practices, PCNs, GP Federations on primary care medicines.
Responsible for effective delivery of eight place-based MO borough teams, via line management of two Heads of Medicines Optimisation (Primary Care Medicines Value and Place-based Partnerships), ensuring consistency of standards and messaging, reducing inequities and minimising unwarranted variation, while enabling responsiveness to local needs.
Ensuring local partnership plans and strategies with medicines-related elements appropriately involve pharmacy teams and embed medicines optimisation principles.Operational management for ensuring that any medicines optimisation delivery is effectively coordinated across all places and is done once across NW London wherever possible.
Through management of the Head of Medicines Optimisation Primary Care Medicines Value, to provide effective leadership and focus on the primary care prescribing budget and development and delivery of the ICB medicines QIPP programme.
Leadership, management & oversight for the development, implementation and monitoring of medicines enhanced services schemes, working closely with the ICB Chief Pharmacy Officer / Director of Medicines & Pharmacy, to ensure schemes are quality-led, appropriated managed with optimal system governance as well as financially sound.
Build and maintain effective relationships with system leaders in NW London, other Pharmacy leaders in NW London, London and nationally, with the aim of systematically reducing medicines-related sub-optimalities. Work with NW London system leaders to define medicines and prescribing-related needs, wants and priorities. Ensure the team is effective and efficient in delivering beneficial change and line manage the 8c posts.
The postholder will be expected to provide highly specialised clinical advice to colleagues in relation to individual patient care (e.g. in response to a clinical query or patient complaint) as well as relating to groups of patients or specific clinical conditions (e.g. when developing or advising on clinical guidelines and protocols).
The postholder will be expected to develop specific relationships with stakeholders with a high impact on or impacted by the pharmacy and medicines optimisation agenda:
Directors of place, governance, finance and primary care
GPs, practice nurses, practice managers, practice staff, health and care professionals working in primary and community care, Local Medical and Pharmaceutical Committees, third sector organisations, public health directors and leads
Develop and maintain constructive relationships with local authorities, place and PCN Clinical Directors, finance and performance directors and their teams
Corporate governance, communication teams, quality and clinical governance, complaints and enquiry handling teams
Clinical and care colleagues in other place-based roles including prescribing, digital, population health leads
Engage with key pharmacy leads to inform development of strategy and policies and identify examples of national and international best practice
National stakeholders such as NICE, CQC, NHSE, GPhC, CMU, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officers, professional bodies
Other health and care partners such as commercial pharmacy companies
This job description is to be read in conjunction with the Generic Job Description for the band.
Key activities and responsibilities
The table below identifies the key activities and responsibilities:
Area of Responsibility
Role Specific Responsibilities/key activities
Operational management of primary care medicines optimisation and programmes to deliver the strategic aims of the four ICB objectives.
Responsibility for the integration of medicines optimisation across NWL ICB to deliver measurable improvements in medicines optimisation and health outcomes.
Corporate responsibility for delivery of medicines optimisation assurance and services in primary care across NWL ICB.
Support the ICB Chief Pharmacy Officer to lead the service, building and maintain effective relationships with system leaders and other stakeholders and leading evolution of the services strategy
Develop and implement schemes and frameworks to ensure legal, safe, cost effective and best value use of medicines in NHS services, driving change for national and locally agreed targets relating to medicines management.
Ensure that any medicines management work that can be done once for NW London is done only once.
Work with NW London system leaders to define primary care medicines and prescribing-related needs, wants and priorities.
Ensure the team is effective and efficient in delivering beneficial change.
Ensure technology is used to maximise effectiveness and efficiency.
Ensure that NW London operates an effective and efficient committee structure to facilitate medicines optimisation and medicines-related risk management, and ensure the team provides high quality secretarial support to medicines-related committees as required by the Chief Pharmacy Officer.
Manage the team effectively, aiming to continuously improve efficiency.
Act in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing financial instructions in the discharge of this responsibility.
Lead the development, implementation and review of the medicines enhanced service (formerly prescribing incentive schemes) that comply with the law and national guidance.
Ensure a North West London Integrated Formulary system is implemented effectively and efficiently at place and in primary care.
Ensure timely and high quality communication within NWL regarding prescribing guidance, national and regulatory guidelines to primary care.
Ensure the services work is aligned with the systems priorities and integration of prescribing into the development of care pathways in the wider clinical governance and commissioning agenda.
Provide advice, as required, to help primary care and general practices meet medicines-related statutory requirements
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with acute and mental health trust chief pharmacists and Drug & Therapeutics Committee members, and key people from other providers.
Establish effective synergy with PCN pharmacists to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of delivery of benefits.
Develop and maintain effective relationships with relevant non-NHS partners (e.g. suppliers of software that facilitates medicines management).
Stay up to date with important developments in medicines use to advise as required.
Manage, motivate and inspire team members, investing time in their development.
Recruit, retain and develop high calibre staff.
Provide regular team briefings on system strategies and priorities ensuring all staff know how they contribute to the organisations.
Build effective relationships with colleagues at all levels through open communication and constructive feedback.
Operational Focus
Manage, lead and develop team members.
Ensure that work agreed is delivered on schedule and is within budget.
Ensure effective communication to the that appropriate written medicines information is circulated at intervals.
Develop, implement, operate, review and communicate prescribing guidance/policies across the CCGs.
Ensure that high quality, up-to-date electronic prescribing decision support system profiles are deployed.
Ensure that practices and CCG leaders receive timely prescribing expenditure and prescribing comparator data in a useful format.
Provide system leaders and committees with advice, reports and presentations on matters relating to the use of medicines as required.
Ensure that there is effective pharmacist participation in relevant hospital and mental health trust Drugs & Therapeutics Committees and medicines decision making committees.
Ensure effective communication of CCGs medicines-related priorities to acute and mental health trust chief pharmacists.
Ensure that a named pharmacist is linked to each practice and that he or she delivers high quality support, engaging effectively with GPs and other practice staff.
Work collaboratively with Finance and PMO staff to continuous improve reporting.
Practice within the law and in line with General Pharmaceutical Council standards.
Ensure that the service complies with relevant statutory requirements.
Line manage the Heads of Medicines Management and the High Cost Drugs Lead Pharmacist
Ensure the team are effectively line managed and that they understand what they are responsible and accountable for.
Maintain the teams focus, monitor performance, and lead work to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
Ensure adequate clinical governance and safety of the services work.
Conduct annual appraisal for direct reports, setting personal objectives and development plans and providing constructive feedback to assist with development.
Proactively manage poor performance, grievance and disciplinary issues in a sensitive and professional manner.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Masters Degree in Pharmacy or other degree enabling registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Registered pharmacist (General Pharmaceutical Council)
- Mandatory continuing professional development to maintain fitness to practice
- Postgraduate management qualification or relevant short courses and experience providing equivalent knowledge
Experience
Essential
- Successful delivery of quality improvements and change across complex organisations
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Good knowledge of therapeutics, especially of medicines used in primary care
- Knowledge of general practice, primary care networks and primary care organisations
- Extensive knowledge of change management and effective collaboration
- Extensive knowledge relevant to medicines optimisation
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Management skills
- Negotiation skills
- Project planning and management
- Coaching skills
- Presentation skills
- Ability to influence GPs and NHS managers/ leaders
- Ability to be flexible and respond effectively and efficiently to unexpected demands
- Ability to find and critically appraise literature on medicines and reach appropriate conclusions from available evidence
- Committee chairmanship and secretarial skills
- Ability to cope well with uncertainty and change, viewing it as a development opportunity
- Ability to pay appropriate attention to ensuring the service delivers good value for money
- Knowing when to seek advice
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Masters Degree in Pharmacy or other degree enabling registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Registered pharmacist (General Pharmaceutical Council)
- Mandatory continuing professional development to maintain fitness to practice
- Postgraduate management qualification or relevant short courses and experience providing equivalent knowledge
Experience
Essential
- Successful delivery of quality improvements and change across complex organisations
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Good knowledge of therapeutics, especially of medicines used in primary care
- Knowledge of general practice, primary care networks and primary care organisations
- Extensive knowledge of change management and effective collaboration
- Extensive knowledge relevant to medicines optimisation
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Management skills
- Negotiation skills
- Project planning and management
- Coaching skills
- Presentation skills
- Ability to influence GPs and NHS managers/ leaders
- Ability to be flexible and respond effectively and efficiently to unexpected demands
- Ability to find and critically appraise literature on medicines and reach appropriate conclusions from available evidence
- Committee chairmanship and secretarial skills
- Ability to cope well with uncertainty and change, viewing it as a development opportunity
- Ability to pay appropriate attention to ensuring the service delivers good value for money
- Knowing when to seek advice
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).
Additional information
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).
Employer details
Employer name
North West London Integrated Care Board
Address
Nhs North West London
15 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5JD
Employer's website
Employer details
Employer name
North West London Integrated Care Board
Address
Nhs North West London
15 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5JD
Employer's website
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Details
Date posted
25 January 2024
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8d
Salary
£91,317 to £104,122 a year Inclusive of High Cost Area Supplement
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number
D9807-NWL-630
Job locations
Nhs North West London
15 Marylebone Road
London
NW1 5JD
Privacy notice
North West London Integrated Care Board's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)