Specialist Clinical Pharmacist – ATMPs

Job overview

The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres with an international reputation for excellence in oncology, research and advanced therapies. This newly established Specialist Pharmacist – Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) role offers an exciting opportunity to join our expanding pharmacy clinical team and advanced therapies teams at a time of rapid innovation in cellular and gene based treatments.

You will be a key member of the cellular therapies MDT, supporting delivery of highly specialised services across inpatient wards, ambulatory care, TYA, day case areas and peripheral sites. The role focuses on advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), including CAR T, immune effector cell therapies and Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, contributing to safe, compliant and effective patient pathways. The post holder will have the opportunity to lead pharmacy related service developments with regard to ATMPs which includes Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy.

You will collaborate with clinical, operational and research colleagues to shape ATMP governance, education and service development, with opportunities to develop independent prescribing practice and contribute to national ATMP strategy.

If you are motivated, innovative and keen to contribute to the future of advanced therapies in haemato-oncology and solid tumour oncology, we would welcome your application.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will deliver specialist clinical pharmacy services for haemato-oncology, solid tumour and TYA patients, supporting safe and effective use of ATMPs across inpatient, outpatient and ambulatory settings.

You will deputise for the lead haematology pharmacist in ATMP related service development, collaborating with stakeholders/MDT to design and implement models of care covering prescribing, preparation, storage, dispensing, administration and monitoring.

Responsibilities include providing expert pharmaceutical advice, ensuring compliance with governance frameworks (including JACIE), contributing to ATMP commissioning, forecasting drug expenditure, developing guidelines and SOPs, and supporting electronic prescribing.

You will act as an independent prescriber (or work towards qualification), manage your own caseload, contribute to MDT meetings, lead audits, support training and mentorship, and participate in clinical screening and checking rotas.

Although the pharmacy service is based at The Christie Hospital main site, postholders may be required to work at any location across the Greater Manchester and Cheshire Cancer Network. The Trust has a flexible working policy and, subject to service commitments, it may also be possible to support an element of working from home.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To provide specialist clinical pharmacy services to patients within the haematology and solid tumour oncology division including service provision to in-patient ward areas, teenage/young adult unit (TYA), ambulatory care unit, and day case areas, supporting and deputising for the Lead Haematology Pharmacist and the Principal Pharmacist for Clinical Services.
• To provide specialist clinical pharmacy services to the haematology, TYA and solid tumour cancer disease groups in accordance with all departmental, Trust national and international standards, procedures and policies in the highly specialist and complex area of ATMPs.
• To work, with autonomy, and collaborate with the relevant stakeholders in developing a model of care delivery for the introduction and management of ATMPs in haematology and solid tumour disease groups, including prescribing, preparation, storage, dispensing, administration and patient monitoring
• Provide expert advice regarding pharmaceutical issues to clinicians, managers and Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, clinical governance, risk management and patient safety requirements in relation to ATMPs. Ensure pharmacy requirements of Joint Accreditation Committee of International Society for Cellular Therapy and European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant (JACIE) are met.
• Represent pharmacy services at appropriate strategic committees including the ATMP board and take accountability for relevant pharmacy related actions.
• To be responsible with the lead clinical pharmacists in service planning for the pharmacy service taking into account national strategies and guidelines.
• Lead and co-ordinate the ongoing research, development and evaluation of ATMPs and report findings at a local, regional and national level to inform the emerging national strategy for deployment of ATMPs across NHS in England.
• To be responsible for the delivery and development of an out-patient clinical practice, or within the day case setting within the Trust.
• To be work as an independent prescriber (or to qualify as an independent prescriber if qualification not already achieved) and prescribe to appropriate patients, managing own caseload, within their scope of practice, in agreement with the relevant consultants.
• To support patient-centred care by providing expert medicines advice, promoting adherence, and facilitating shared decision-making including verbal and written communication of highly complex drug or medicine related information to patients and relatives or carers including patients who may have language difficulties, physical or mental disabilities
• Exercises a high level of professional autonomy and accountability, making complex clinical and operational decisions within agreed professional and organisational frameworks.
• Utilises advanced specialist knowledge, clinical expertise, and professional judgement to independently assess, prioritise, and manage patient care and service-related issues.
• Acts as an authoritative source of advice for pharmacy, medical, nursing, and multidisciplinary colleagues, and patients, providing specialist guidance on the safe and effective use of medicines.
• To contribute to the development and lead service initiatives of the satellite pharmacy provision on the day case and ambulatory care units in conjunction with the Lead Technician, and the relevant disease group lead pharmacists.
• To lead and actively contribute to the oversight of ATMP initiatives and other service developments in conjunction with the Lead Haematology Pharmacist and the Principal Pharmacist for Clinical Services.
• To develop and maintain drug protocols, treatment guidelines and standard operating procedures both within the clinical pharmacy service and the haematology unit to support safe working practices for patients receiving ATMP therapy. Reviewing evidence-based guidelines and protocols in conjunction with fellow healthcare professionals, to advance the safe, clinical effective and cost-efficient use of medicines for patients.
• To ensure compliance with company-based patient safety schemes and contribute to risk assessments in relation to medicines use.
• To ensure appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungal agents and contribute to relevant audits as required.
• To attend relevant MDT meetings, relevant specialist pharmacy groups and contribute to meetings relevant to the designated disease group as appropriate.
• To liaise with the Director of Pharmacy and the lead designated cancer disease group consultants, to forecast drug expenditure and to identify any changes in prescribing practices that may potentially impact on the drugs budget (drug forecasting).
• To monitor and analyse medicine expenditure usage patterns and prescribing trends with particular regard to ATMPs to advise on current budgetary issues, informing future business-planning processes to support the management of medicines expenditure across the Trust
• Gain an understanding of the principle and practice of the Trust's budgeting system and support the management of drug expenditure by clinicians and senior managers.
• To support commissioning processes for ATMPs with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective processes in place to support payment as needed.
• Represent the pharmacy service at appropriate clinical unit and divisional meetings on request.
• To monitor and interpret published evidence and computer reports of drug usage, to use this data to report to the lead clinicians and Director of Pharmacy, implementing agreed policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and containing drug expenditure.
• To provide evaluated pharmaceutical information to the Drugs and Therapeutic Committee as requested.
• To support the development of the Electronic Prescribing process across the Trust.
• To support the designated cancer disease group through the development and implementation of electronic prescribing for outpatients and in patients.
• To support prescribing at the individual patient level, contributing to the optimisation of patients’ drug therapy with due consideration to risk/benefit issues.
• To provide pharmaceutical care, contributing to the multi-professional team through ward pharmacy services and attendance on appropriate clinician’s ward rounds and meetings.
• Facilitate and lead effective communication about relevant pharmacy issues to clinicians and senior managers and the identification of opportunities for development of pharmacy services to match identified services and care needs
• To demonstrate awareness and commitment to the Trust’s Clinical Governance Plan.
• In conjunction with the Lead Haematology Pharmacist and Principal Pharmacist in Clinical Services, to establish processes for the setting of standards of care, identifying the risks involved and implement changes that need to occur to achieve these.
• To undertake clinical audit and practice research as part of the multi-disciplinary audit process within the designated disease group and clinical pharmacy service.
• To identify and report any systemic or preventable errors associated with medicines within the Cancer Centre Services Division and facilitate learning.
• To contribute to maintaining the FACT-JACIE accreditation and working within these standards.

General Duties

• To assist and actively participate in the development, implementation and management of training initiatives and competency frameworks within the clinical pharmacy service.
• Together with colleagues to be involved in the maintenance of cost-effective and efficient pharmacy services and to participate in their regular review and development.
• To participate in clinical audit or practice research as required.
• To represent pharmacy and act as a link person at relevant meetings and conferences.
• To provide education and training to pharmacy, medical and nursing staff.
• To act as a mentor / role model to junior pharmacists and undertake regular appraisals.
• To undertake direct supervision of foundation year pharmacist or newly qualified pharmacist and act as the designated practice practitioner if required,
• To actively participate in the clinical training of pharmacists and foundation year pharmacists.
• To actively participate in the clinical pharmacy ward service rota to all patients within the Trust as required.
• To be responsible for the clinical screening/review of chemotherapy prescriptions for designated patient groups, including clinical trial prescriptions and to clinically screen/ review in-patient and outpatient prescriptions.
• To check and supply medication to and for patients, including clinical trials and to counsel patients or medical or nursing staff on their correct use.
• To participate in prescription clinical screening and final product checking rotas.
• To give advice on the storage, administration and therapeutic use of drugs to patients, medical / nursing staff and other colleagues. To provide written information as necessary.
• To follow local, Trust and National guidelines for safe medicines practice.
• To contribute to the revision of the Trust’s drug formulary.
• To identify own training needs.
• Maintain a CPD portfolio.
• To participate in all department rotas, weekend service and Bank Holiday working and on-call as requested.
• To undertake any other duties consistent with the nature of the post as requested by the Pharmacy Managers and the Trust.

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.