Lead Pharmacist

States of Guernsey

The closing date is 05 May 2025

Job summary

The States of Guernsey are seeking to appoint a Lead Pharmacist, High Cost Drugs to join the team within the Pharmacy Service.

To be part of the Prescribing Support Unit and to work alongside the Prescribing Advisor, the Senior PSU Clinical Pharmacist, the High Cost Drugs Senior Pharmacy Technician and to provide oversight and clinical support on the management of high cost drugs for islanders in the community.

To review current processes for the prescribing and dispensing of high-cost drugs to develop and future-proof the service, maximising savings for the taxpayer.

To identify the most cost-effective route for dispensing, including either on, or off-island Homecare or a wholly-owned HSC pharmacy subsidiary.

To be the professional lead for the new service.

Main duties of the job

To horizon scan high-cost products reaching the end of their expiry dates and to planto ensure that maximum savings are delivered.
To engage with prescribing organisations to provide high quality evidence-based,clinical and technical support so that clinically appropriate and cost-effectiveprescribing is maintained and developed.
To lead on the negotiation and on-going management of rebates and discounts.
Reducing inequalities in access to high cost medicines rapid and consistentimplementation of NICE TAs and national standards.
Identification of savings opportunities.
Identifying medicines for which shared care guidance is needed.
Respond to queries about high cost medicines and the Integrated Formulary.
To ensure the promotion of licensed best value biological high cost medicines, so asto ensure market share and sustained price competition.
Support the development and implementation of evidence-based.

About us

The Island of Guernsey is in the English Channel in the Bay of St Malo, 50km off the north-west coast of France and 120km from the English coast.

Guernsey has a population of around 63,000 and in Alderney just under 2,000. Working in a relatively small Health and Social Care Service like ours means you can effectively work with colleagues across the services, health and social care professionals can collaborate not only with each other but also other agencies, the third sector and the community.

We offer an attractive relocation policy and competitive salaries with great career opportunities, modern facilities, excellent training, revalidation and registration support and a healthy work-life balance.

As a health or social care professional who chooses to join our team, you can look forward to working in an environment that gives you the time to care that you hoped for when choosing this career.

Date posted

08 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£70,723 to £84,752 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

K0005-25-0043

Job locations

Princess Elizabeth Hospital

Le Vauquiedor

St. Martin

Guernsey

GY4 6UU

Job description

Job responsibilities

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Providing strategic guidance for newly developed high-cost drugs that will enable accurate budget forecasting.

Optimising the use of high-cost medicines across HCS, leading on projects for cost saving initiative and maximising value for money for the organisation.

Work across care groups to provide oversight and clinical support for managing high-cost drugs used in specialist, complex or rare conditions within different specialities.

Engaging with clinical teams to ensure appropriate use of high-cost drugs ensuring and monitoring that they are used in line with appropriate policies and guidelines, especially NICE guidelines.

Lead on the analysis of monthly spend of high-cost drugs, sending monthly reports to care groups within HCS to help ensure budgets are maintained.

Horizon scan for new drugs and assist with related implementation and budget setting for new drugs.

Identify changes in practice that may impact on the medicines budget, communicate any national project or policy changes, and provide support on implementation of national and local policy that has been identified for each financial year.

Develop and implement national or locally agreed patient specific selection criteria for use of high-cost drugs via monitoring systems so as to ensure appropriate use and safeguarding of public money.

Identify investment/disinvestment opportunities and optimise the use of high-cost drugs for example via cost effective procurement, review of prescriptions, support for biosimilar switches, correct stock storage, rotation and return of unused drugs from clinical areas.

Developing cost-saving proposals in conjunction with the clinical teams.

Undertaking regular audit of high-cost drug prescribing and monitoring.

Ensuring that there is robust monitoring and regular reporting of savings achieved.

Leading on the use of other new technology to support prescribing eg. BluTecq.

Liasing with drug companies to ensure that HSC can access all Patient Access Schemes either via discounts at invoicing or rebate schemes available to the NHS.

Becoming proficient in the use of the EPACT and JAC systems

Using the EPACT system and NHSBSA outputs, to monitor, interpret and act on all aspects of prescribing, dispensing and charging via the Pharmaceutical Benefit system.

Negotiating decisions or recommendations by the Prescribing Panel, to the CfHSCand to the Healthcare Community.

Fostering positive and effective communication within the team.

Establishing links with other pharmacists in similar roles elsewhere to share / learn from examples of best practice.

Undertaking any other training and duties as required.

Practicing at all times in accordance with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) code of ethics

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE:

To report and to investigate clinical incidents involving all aspects of prescribing, dispensing and administration of medication, particularly in Primary Care and at the interface, ensuring processes are in place to develop learning from these incidents.

Assist in the investigation of complaints and errors, in conjunction with the Prescribing Advisor, to resolve any issues as close to source as possible.

To prepare, to interpret and to share prescribing data at island, prescribing organisation, prescriber and dispenser level.

To facilitate the undertaking of and contribute to multi-disciplinary audit.

To contribute, monitor and act on departmental and HSC Key Performance Indicators and Benchmarking.

LEADERSHIP:

To collaborate on transformation of and innovation in service delivery.

To attend and advise relevant HSC committees, recommend mechanisms for internal and external audits as required providing advice to medical staff on medicines usage and expenditure.

To be a member of the HSC Committees as required

Line management of pharmacists/technicians as required.

TRAINING, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH:

To actively participate in Continuing Professional Development.

To attend training courses and conferences as appropriate and provide feedback to colleagues.

To develop and deliver training to practice teams, care home staff and other multidisciplinary staff as appropriate on the safe and efficient management of medicines. (e.g. repeat prescribing systems).

To promote positive working between care homes, GP practices, community pharmacists and other health professionals in relation to medicines management.

To Partake in on call services for HSC.