Foundation Pharmacist

Job overview

If you are looking to begin your career as a hospital pharmacist as a member of a supportive, professional, cohesive team, where training is a priority, come and join us in South Devon. We welcome applications from trainee pharmacists who are due to register in 2025. If you are a pharmacist with more experience, perhaps outside of hospital pharmacy, do get in touch, we are very happy to discuss possibilities for part time or flexible working if that is important to you.

Our foundation pharmacists work on a rotational basis and their training and supervision is provided through a number of collaborative initiatives between TSDFT and Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

Foundation pharmacists are employed by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT), which is an integrated care organisation.

The rotation includes the provision of medicines optimisation services to acute and community hospitals, intermediate  care and mental health

The purpose of the foundation pharmacists'  role is to develop and utilise the clinical and professional skills defined in the South Devon Pharmacist Foundation Programme in order to provide clinical pharmacist input into medicines optimisation services for patients across all sectors of the healthcare system.

Health Careers |

Main duties of the job

• You will be a pharmacist, who acts within their professional boundaries,  working within the pharmacy team and alongside the multidisciplinary healthcare teams in each of their rotation placements.
• Work on a rotational basis, gaining competencies and experience as defined by the Foundation Programme. In each rotation you will be supported, mentored and managed by the senior clinical pharmacy team.
• Be competent to practice safely and autonomously at a foundation level within each rotation specialty (competencies and timeframes for assessment and achievement are defined in the Foundation Programme handbook).
• Provide clinically appropriate, patient-centred, evidence based and cost-effective pharmaceutical care to patients in all of your rotational placements.
• The Foundation Programme forms the basis of an innovative career pathway for pharmacists. It has the support of local and national pharmacy leaders and provides foundation pharmacists in South Devon with the opportunity to develop a wide range of clinical and professional skills and experience across a number of healthcare settings while actively utilising these skills supportive teams.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The wide scope of this role is not an expectation of where the post holder will start but where they aim to be after 2 years of rotation through the Foundation Programme.The duties and responsibilities defined below are not an exhaustive list and may change in order to meet the needs of the organisation. For a more detailed description of clinical skills and professional attributes expected of a competent foundation pharmacist, see the Foundation Programme handbook.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships, which inspire confidence in clinical pharmacy and the pharmacy department, with staff and patients in all rotation specialties.
• Actively participate in the Foundation Programme in order to achieve the skills and competencies defined within it
• Working closely with pharmacy technicians and assistants, provide pharmacist support for discharge facilitation and reuse of patients’ own medicines
• Develop, lead and provide support for quality improvement projects and audits related to medicines optimisation and prescribing
• Provide timely and accurate advice on prescribing issues and evidence-based prescribing in accordance with local and national guidance and policy, including the South and West Devon Joint Formulary

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.