Lead Divisional Pharmacist - Cancer Services

Job overview

Responsible for all aspects of Clinical services to Haematology, Oncology and all Cancer services. This post will include input into prescribing and administration of chemotherapy, in order to provide a high quality, efficient pharmacy service to patients and staff within C&W. The post- holder will be the Intrathecal lead pharmacist for the Trust and will be an authorised pharmacist in technical services

The post holder will lead by example in the specialisms of oncology, haematology and palliative care and ensure a consistently high-quality clinical pharmacy service is delivered to these patients and other clinical areas that utilise technical services products, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team. They will manage the Highly specialised Haem & Oncology Pharmacist, the senior Oncology pharmacists, rotational pharmacists and trainee pharmacists. They will also work closely with the Clinical Trial Pharmacist

Although this post is based at the Chelsea site, the post holder will be involved in working collaboratively across site and will be required to attend meetings at the West Middlesex site or work from West Middlesex site occasionally as required.

Please note: Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Main duties of the job

The Lead Clinical Pharmacist – Cancer services  has responsibility for the pharmacy input into the oncology, haematology and palliative care team and other users of the products from the technical services section, including the supply of clinical trial materials and chemotherapy.

Clinical activities are focussed around providing pharmaceutical care to oncology, haematology and palliative care inpatients and day cases as part of the specialist clinical team, optimising their medicines’ use through safe prescribing and effective monitoring. The post holder will be responsible for covering wards which have in-patient haematology / oncology patients

They  will monitor, evaluate and develop clinical pharmacy services for haematology patients, in accordance with objectives agreed between the post-holder and the Head of Pharmacy, in order to ensure safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of medicines for these patients.

They will be responsible for the  training and development of staff within their team to include rotational pharmacists and trainee pharmacists

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Lead Clinical Pharmacist – Cancer services  has responsibility for the pharmacy input into the oncology, haematology and palliative care team and other users of the products from the technical services section, including the supply of clinical trial materials and chemotherapy.

Clinical activities are focussed around providing pharmaceutical care to oncology, haematology and palliative care inpatients and day cases as part of the specialist clinical team, optimising their medicines’ use through safe prescribing and effective monitoring. The post holder will be responsible for covering wards which have in-patient haematology / oncology patients

• To lead clinical pharmacy services for patients admitted to the Oncology, Haematology and Palliative specialist care in accordance with the priorities set by the Chief Pharmacist and the Head of Pharmacy.
• Identify and promote best practice
• Ensure delivery of the clinical governance agenda in relation to drug use in Caner services to minimise the number of drug related incidents.
• Motivate and inspire others (both within pharmacy and the directorate) in order to create a good working environment and facilitate staff retention.
• Proactively develop clinical pharmacy services in line with local and national objectives.
• Demonstrate innovation in the highly specialised field of Oncology/Haematology pharmacy practice.
• Identify and prioritise clinical pharmacy services to the Oncology, Haematology and Palliative care team.
• Deliver pharmaceutical services to Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care patients.
• Provide clinical pharmacy services to the Gazzard Day Care Unit and Haematology Ward
• Act as the BOPA lead for the Chelsea site
• Ensure that all Pharmacists within Cancer services have their BOPA passport.
• Reconcile national and network priorities with local realities e.g. implementation of NICE guidance within the current capacity of the unit.
• Work across traditional boundaries e.g. a lead member of the MDT.
• Ensure national and local agendas are delivered.
• Establish processes for the setting of standards of care; identify and manage changes that needs to occur to achieve these and then manage the risks involved
• Delegate authority appropriately to junior staff, e.g. clinical activity that is appropriate for their level of experience.
• Manage and appraise the designated pre-registration pharmacist, resident pharmacist, specialist pharmacists and other staff as required.
• To monitor and evaluate clinical pharmacy services for patients admitted to Oncology, Haematology or Palliative Care.
• Ensure that the quality of pharmacy cancer services is recognised as a lead in the national field in line with the corporate objectives.
• Evaluate the contributions of the Cancer Pharmacist to the Medicine directorate by the way of twice-yearly intervention monitoring, pharmacist transcription monitoring and the evaluation of on-call data.
• Ensure that all departmental standards are met.
• Ensure that health and safety standards are adhered to within the Technical Services Unit.
• Undertake and supervise clinical audit as part of the multi-disciplinary audit process
• Participate in audits undertaken be Regional and Local Quality Assurance Specialists.
• Undertake assessments / evaluations of services, patient care and individuals as required
• To act as a clinical role model in the area of oncology, haematology and palliative care pharmacy practice and demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in these patients.
• Apply core clinical pharmacy skills to plan, develop, co-ordinate, monitor and review therapeutic programmes for patients in haematology
• Establish processes for the setting of standards of care, subsequently identifying and managing changes that need to occur to achieve these
• Demonstrate accountability to patients, service users, stakeholders and the profession
• Follow legal, ethical, professional and employer’s codes of conduct
• Develop recognition as a national and/or international expert amongst clinical pharmacists within haematology
• Participate in the ward rounds to integrate into the multidisciplinary team and raise the pharmacy profile via contributions at consultant level.
• Demonstrates expert clinical knowledge.
• Manage and make appropriate referrals.
• Plan, manage, monitor and review therapeutic guidelines and chemotherapy protocols.
• Develop recognition as a national and/or international expert within the speciality of clinical pharmacy.
• Manage difficult and ambiguous problems.
• To demonstrate an intuitive grasp of situations based on deep tacit understanding and make decisions with limited information.
• Demonstrate a whole-system patient-focused approach.

Governance

• Monitor, evaluate and develop clinical pharmacy services for haematology patients, in accordance with objectives agreed between the post-holder and the Head of Pharmacy, in order to ensure safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of medicines for these patients.
• Demonstrate awareness of, and commitment to, the Trust’s clinical governance agenda
• Responsible for the delivery of the Trust’s clinical governance agenda in relation to medicines use in haematology
• To act as the lead pharmacist responsible for intrathecal chemotherapy
• Develop and implement strategies for documenting and evaluating the contributions of clinical pharmacists to haematology
• Work to ensure that the quality of haematology pharmacy services are recognised as a lead in the national field, in line with the corporate objectives

Please read the attached job description for the full role and responsibilities