Advanced Specialist Rheumatology Pharmacist

Job overview

The post holder will support the existing Rheumatology Pharmacy team and will be responsible for providing a safe, efficient and cost effective clinical pharmacy service to rheumatology patients. The will work as part of the rheumatology multi-disciplinary team comprising Consultants, Specialist Nurses, Advance Clinical Practice Physiotherapists and Administrative Team. The post holder will be expected to support the team by leading on the provision of medicines to the rheumatology infusion unit. They will also work as part of the Rheumatology Pharmacy team (which includes a Consultant Pharmacist, Specialist Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians and an Administrator) to support the wider rheumatology team. Duties will include running medication counselling and review clinics, answering medication queries and overseeing the monitoring of treatments. Additionally, following appropriate training, the post holder will be required to prescribe and aid in the management of homecare and outpatient prescriptions including high cost and cytotoxic drugs.   The post holder will  be a point of contact for primary care for medication related queries.  Following appropriate training, the post holder must be able to work independently, managing their own time and workload as a non-medical prescriber. They will be expected to answer complex clinical queries, within their area of competence, referring to the wider rheumatology team for advice if needed.

Main duties of the job

• 1)      leading the management of the rheumatology infusion unit 2)      To be responsible as an advanced specialist for providing safe, efficient and cost-effective clinical pharmacy services to rheumatology patients 3)       To development the provision of this service specifically relating to the increased delivery of patient education in line with the British Society for Rheumatology Guidelines 4)      To manage and facilitate medication counselling and review clinics 5)      To facilitate audit, research and development within the area of rheumatology specifically in the development of a enhance pharmacy service 6)      To provide training and support to medical and nursing staff within the hospital and in the wider community on medicine related issues 7)      To work as a non-medical independent prescriber within the trust 8)      To assess and prescribe for patients in outpatient clinics 9)      Manage medication helpline and medicines information for rheumatology team 10)   Liaise with chief pharmacist to ensure cost effective prescribing of high cost drugs 11)   Manage prescribing for high cost drugs in rheumatology 12)   Ensure safe provision of DMARDs and other non-high cost drugs for patients 13)   Manage rheumatology SOPs and guidelines specific to medicines 14)    Provide supervision and guidance for rheumatology specialist pharmacy technicians

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communications

• To work within the rheumatology team
• To liaise with the pharmacy department on matters relating to rheumatology
• To develop relationship with ICB and primary care colleagues
• To work with other rheumatology specialist pharmacists within GMMMG
• To give advice on highly complex rheumatology Medicine Information queries, often including un/off-licensed use of medicines to prescribers, patients and carers and other healthcare personnel. Justify advice and recommendations through balanced discussion of clinical evidence as available and relay this information to the clinician, nurse or patient in the appropriate manner and forum
• To liaise with Pharmaceutical Companies and Homecare Providers to ensure the optimum provision of service to rheumatology patients
• Liaise with GPs, providing expert clinical advice on issues raised and ensuring continuity of care between primary and secondary care
• Attend regional and national training opportunities, member of Specialist Rheumatology Groups. Attend BSR and/or EULAR as appropriate

Responsibility for Patient Care

• To act as a clinical role model and lead in the provision of appropriate medication in the rheumatology department, demonstrating the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in patients. This will include-Taking drug histories as part of the medication consultation-Review of medication to ensure its safe and effective use-Review of medication in line with interpretation of appropriate results of investigations and patient response to therapy-Therapeutic drug monitoring as appropriate-Patient education about their medicines specific to their requirements in either individual, group or telephone consultations-Providing advice on drug interactions, adverse drug reactions, drug administration and formulation-Participation in consultant clinics, offering medication advice as necessary-Development of evidence based treatment protocols for use within individual departments and for use within the local ICBs-Documenting clinical information in patient notes-Facilitate the implementation of local and national guidelines and audit compliance-Influencing prescribers, encourage formulary compliance where appropriate-Demonstrating professional accountability to patients-Identifying & reporting adverse reactions to the prescriber and where necessary via the Yellow Card Scheme-To prescribe and monitor medicines for patients within own area of competency and ensure robust mechanisms for second checking of procedures including implementation of Specialist Rheumatology Second Checking of Prescription protocol. Specific prescribing responsibilities include,o High cost drug medications for Homecare distributiono Parenteral medications for Day Hospital patientso Osteoporosis medications not supported by Shared Careo DMARDs in the initial stabilisation phase for patients prior to shared careo For patients requiring non formulary medications not available in primary careo Rescue medication for patients reviewed in clinic- Produce and update Rheumatology Shared Care Guidelines and ensure compliance through audit-To demonstrate a whole-system patient-focused approach-To liaise with other clinical pharmacists to ensure efficient transfer of drug related care-To ensure the personal quality and accuracy of the work is maintained despite frequent interruptions

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and promote safeguarding by implementing the Trust’s policies and procedures, acting promptly on concerns, communicating effectively and sharing information appropriately.

If successful this vacancy will require an enhanced DBS check at a cost of £45.50. This cost will be deducted from your first Trust salary

In addition to this it will be a condition of your employment that you will join the DBS update service and pay the annual subscription fee of £16.