Lead Pharmacist Early Intervention

Job overview

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are seeking to appoint an exceptional clinical pharmacist and independent prescriber to support our Early Intervention in Psychosis Services (EIPS) across Sussex.  The role has been pivotal in improving medicines use within the service.  The role supports clinicians and operational leads across EIP services in all aspects of medicines use, including; improving medicines use, education and training, clinical queries and support, medicines spend and running patient facing clinics and prescribing roles.  The role also leads on all aspects of EIPS  related prescribing, including shared care and guidance at Trust and ICS levels.

The role is Trust-wide and there is flexibility regarding your base across Sussex as well as opportunities for flexible and part home-working. The role will be required to support the six EIPS services across the Trust but will primarily be based within the West Sussex locality.

Main duties of the job

The Sussex Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (EIPS) has an integral role to play in supporting service users and their families/carers in a community setting.  EIPS is founded on an extensive and compelling evidence base which has demonstrated early and sustained intervention in psychosis can contribute significantly to the amelioration of initial problems and improve long-term outcomes in a cost-effective manner.  Effective early treatment can reduce the probability of the emergence of longer term 'treatment resistant' symptoms and contributes to the avoidance of the 'revolving door' syndrome of repeated relapse and as suicide is highest in the first few years of First Episode Psychosis (FEP), can reduce the risk of suicide.

The main area of work is the delivery of care and treatment to young people and adults ages 14-65 experiencing a first episode of psychosis.  Help will be offered to reduce distress, maintain independence and integrity of care networks, shorten illness, prevent relapse, promote recovery/social inclusion, and minimise the impact of disabilities.  Work with friends and family is seen as an integral element of the way care is delivered.

The EIPS service is an integral part of the Specialist division.  The service is made up of 6 EIPS teams across Sussex, managed by a Trust-wide Early Intervention General Manager and supported by a dedicated EIPS Clinical Lead.  Teams are located in Horsham, Worthing, Bognor, Brighton, Hailsham and Hastings.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Lead Pharmacist role will lead on all aspects of medicines optimisation within EIPS across the six teams and contribute to the wider development of the service.  The role will support clinical and operational colleagues on all aspects of medicines use within EIPS as well as leading on all aspects of medicines guidance and policies relating to EIPS within the Trust and in collaboration with ICS Medicines Optimisation groups.

Please note: the job description attached as a separate document is generic to all lead pharmacist roles within the Trust, however this role is specific to Early Intervention in Psychosis.  The scope of the role will be discussed with the applicant with a full job plan given once in post.  For any questions regarding the specifics of this role please contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information related to the service.

Please see the main duties of job for a description of this role within EIPS and see the attached documents for further information on a role as a Lead Pharmacist within the Trust.  Alternatively if you have any queries regarding the role please contact us.