Pharmacist

Job overview

Pharmacist

Band 6 'step up' vacancy to Band 7 - 30 hours per week

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and skilled Pharmacist to join a dedicated team who are committed to developing the pharmacy service and ensuring patients receive excellent, expert, pharmaceutical care.

Applications are welcome from all sectors of pharmacy practice.  This post is advertised as part-time, 30 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

Please note - you will commence in post on Band 6 salary; once you have demonstrated that you can work at a higher level (in agreement with management) you will move to a Band 7 salary.

The post has potential for some evening, weekend and Bank Holiday duties. You will also contribute to our on-call service as per rota.

You must be registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

Main duties of the job

The service is based at the Harplands Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent.  Core duties include ward pharmacy cover, attendance at regular MDT meetings as well as some dispensary duties.

Pharmacists are called upon to provide specialist clinical advice to a broad range of clinical areas, as well as develop prescribing guidance and provide medicines training for staff.

All pharmacists are given the opportunity to shadow in different specialist areas to widen their breadth of experience, skills and knowledge.  We are fully committed to supporting your personal development and we encourage all staff to undertake relevant education and training  to meet your needs and to develop your potential.

You will be supported to develop your clinical skills through funded postgraduate study, and to develop your management skills. You will be organised, well-motivated and have excellent communication and people skills, as well having the ability to adapt quickly to new situations.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Core Duties

• To provide specialised clinical pharmacy advice for allocated wards / teams including attending their multidisciplinary team meetings.
• To lead in the delivery of the clinical and patient services to allocated wards / teams, including leading on any medicines-related projects.
• To identify audit topics for allocated wards / teams. To contribute to and encourage pharmacy-based and multidisciplinary clinical audit.
• To support the work of the dispensary; dispensing and checking inpatient and outpatient prescriptions, as required by the Dispensary manager.
• To provide pharmaceutical advice to patients and staff of CHC Trust in the dispensary and by telephone as part of the pharmacy service.
• To liaise with medical and nursing staff in the provision of the Pharmaceutical Service to Combined Healthcare Trust

Clinical Pharmacy Service

• To provide a specialised clinical service to allocated wards / teams including: -

• Provision of specialist advice to patients, relatives and other  healthcare professionals  Review of prescription charts according to Trust procedures. This involves making recommendations tailored to the needs of specific patients or situations. This includes checking medicine doses are appropriate; checking for interactions; addressing co-existing medical diseases and conditions such as hepatic and renal impairment.   Endorsing of charts according to Trust procedures  Risk Management and compliance with Medicines Legislation.
• Provision of specialist advice to patients, relatives and other  healthcare professionals
• Review of prescription charts according to Trust procedures. This involves making recommendations tailored to the needs of specific patients or situations. This includes checking medicine doses are appropriate; checking for interactions; addressing co-existing medical diseases and conditions such as hepatic and renal impairment.
• Endorsing of charts according to Trust procedures
• Risk Management and compliance with Medicines Legislation.

• To participate in the Care Plan approach.
• To participate in Consultant ward rounds and Multidisciplinary team meetings where appropriate.
• To provide cover for additional wards and units as required.
• To participate in the forward planning and development of the Clinical Pharmacy Service.
• To advise medical and nursing staff on the most cost-effective use of medicines as part of the department’s role in managing drug expenditure and compliance with the North Staffordshire Joint Formulary.
• To participate in the systems to measure clinical pharmacy input and provides such information on request.
• To investigate pharmaceutical problems arising from use of medicinal products and to participate in and encourage medical staff in incident reporting and Yellow Card completion.
• To support and advise all prescribers within the pharmacist’s areas of competence
• To work closely with and support the work of other pharmacy staff within the pharmacy service to ensure effective team working.

Management Role

• To prepare and present regular evaluated medicines usage and expenditure reports (minimum quarterly) to specified wards / teams in liaison with the Principal Pharmacist (Clinical)
• To identify areas of potential cost savings in medicines expenditure and to advise and make recommendations to the team in managing their medicines budget in liaison with the Principal Pharmacist (Clinical)
• To attend and participate in pharmacy team meetings.
• To risk assess the Pharmaceutical Service for which s/he is responsible through the maintenance and development of safe systems of work
• To give advice on pharmaceutical matters to all members of the Healthcare professions, patients and carers to facilitate safe and economic use of medicines within services for Mental Health, including counselling on the use of aids to concordance, and to promote patient choice.

Other areas of work include:

• Training
• Research and Audit
• Corporate Duties
• Professional Development
• Specialist/technical requirements

Full details can be found on the job description and person specification.