Clinical Pharmacist

Job overview

Are you keen to learn, ambitious, ready to be supported through education, with a dedicated training plan to support your journey within hospital Pharmacy?

Our aim is develop you to become ready for a Band 7 post within twelve to eighteen months. You will have dedicated time given to you to support your development.

As a member of this busy but friendly team you will experience many core aspects of pharmacy practice.

As well as the clinical work, you will have commitments to the dispensary, will be expected to contribute to our 7 day working service and our on call service.

Pharmacists are part of an engaged and progressive Pharmacy team wanting to support our hospital areas where we help staff cope with the ever increasing elderly population and their complex needs.

There is also a fixed term 12 months post (or until the resumption of the post holder, whichever is soonest) availiable. This post has been established to provide cover for a secondment. Please note whilst this is fixed term/secondment cover, it may become permanent without the need for re-advertising.

NHS Employees would need to secure their managers agreement for a secondment ideally prior to applying as this would be a condition of any offer made. Please indicate in the supporting information section whether you wish to apply for the permanent or fixed term post only or whether you wish to be considered for both.

Main duties of the job

We operate with 2 dispensaries on 4 main sites and your rotation will allow you to experience a full range of clinical activities such as:

• Medicine including A&E, medical admissions , cardio-respiratory, older peoples care and gastroenterology.
• Surgery including ICU and Surgical Admissions.
• Orthopaedics including working at Wrightington Hospital where you will gain experience of anti-TNF therapy and Rheumatology. This hospital has an international reputation and the pharmacy team has significant involvement with consultants and nurse specialists to support and deliver this care.
• Oncology and Parenteral Nutrition.
• Paediatrics.
• Medicines Information and medicines safety.
• Clinical trials.

We will provide training and support from our team of experienced Pharmacists.

The department is fully modernised and has ARX robot, EMIS software and has successfully implemented Allscripts Electronic Prescribing.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key results from the job holder

• As part of a Clinical Pharmacy Team, to be responsible for the provision of Clinical Pharmacy Services to patients.
• To have a commitment to dispensaries and to deliver the highest possible professional standards therein.
• In absence of a more senior Pharmacist to take professional responsibility for the dispensary including supervision of technicians, assistants and pre-registration pharmacists.
• To complete a rotational training plan experiencing all major clinical areas within the Trust.
• To ensure compliance with Medicines Law, CQC requirements and internal audit.
• To ensure compliance with medicines management guidance issued by the Trust, GMMMG or national bodies.
• To complete Clinical Pharmacy Diploma.

Planning and Organisational Duties

• To prioritise patients according to their clinical and pharmaceutical need.
• To obtain and validate patient medication histories.
• To use clinical tests and patient notes to advise clinicians about required changes to patient medication and alternatives that may be suggested if the normal route of administration is unavailable.
• To analyse medicine charts taking into account the clinical presentation of the patient, any relevant history and plans made by clinicians.
• To make appropriate endorsements in line with Pharmacy standards.
• To ensure VTE compliance has been undertaken.
• To ensure antimicrobials are prescribed in line with current trust guidance.
• In conjunction with the ward technicians to ensure patient specific medicines are ordered.
• To ensure the effective re-use of patients own drugs.
• If deemed unfit for re-use to destroy medicines ensuring relevant procedures are followed.
• To receive, interpret, clinically check, dispense, accuracy check and handout prescriptions in line with departmental standard operating procedures.
• Using professional judgement and in a professional manner, to communicate to patients and healthcare staff any appropriate information about medicines which make their use safer or more effective.
• To assist delivery of cost efficiencies, by advising how medicines should be used in line with locally agreed formularies or guidance.
• To ensure pharmacy stock is controlled effectively. To assist in the ordering, issuing and receiving of medication when necessary.
• To provide a risk management as an integral part of pharmacy service, intervening as necessary to prevent harm from occurring to patients.
• To participate in clinical trials ensuring relevant details are maintained in trials documentation.
• To ensure ward Controlled Drugs audits are completed to the prescribed schedule.
• To assist with developments, project work, audit and surveys as directed by line manager.
• To provide services to Oncology when suitably trained.

Communications and Key Working Relationships

• To assist other health professionals on ward to deliver the highest standards of care.
• To liaise with other members of the pharmacy team to ensure clinically effective services are provided.
• To refer to more senior pharmacists in team when appropriate.
• To provide ward cover for other clinical teams or for more senior colleagues within the team.

Responsibility for Finance

• To handle cash, prescription charges & issue relevant receipts.
• To sign orders for pharmaceutical products including controlled drugs in the absence of a more senior pharmacists.

Responsibility for Human Resources

• To organise own work patterns within framework provided by line manager.
• To supervise pre-registration pharmacists, student pharmacy technicians, Medicines Management Technicians and pharmacy assistants.
• To ensure staff have an understanding of and implement relevant procedures.
• To suggest improvements to procedures through line management.

Responsibility for Health & Safety

• Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
• To ensure patients and staff are advised of risks with medicines and to minimise those risks through effective medicines management support and counselling.
• To ensure known risks are brought to attention of line managers.
• To ensure Datix is used to record and review medicines related incidents. In conjunction with Managers to ensure appropriate systems are put in place to prevent recurrence where possible.

Responsibility for Teaching

• To provide teaching sessions to other healthcare professionals in line with knowledge and experience. To teach pre-registration pharmacists bearing in mind the expectations of the GPC and tutors.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.