Specialist Clinical Pharmacist

Job overview

The Medicines Optimisation team at Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust are looking to expand into patient facing roles throughout the organisation.

Our team are ward based and you will be involved in the implementation of our medicines optimisation strategy while working closely with the wards and our Pharmacy provider.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to take up a post within our Medicines Optimisation Team, based at our new state-of-the-art, therapy-led centre, which will provide  a supportive and comfortable environment for 48 patients.

The restorative environment at Willow Therapy Unit will enable patients to make steady, step-by-step improvements and gain independence as they prepare to return to the community. Patients will be supported to play an active role in their own care and feel confident about performing daily activities when they leave.

You will work with the existing Senior Pharmacists and share lead responsibilities for managing and delivering key elements of the medicines optimisation strategy of across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

Healthcare will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of clinical professionals dedicated to patient recovery and wellbeing.

Your responsibilities include providing assurance that Norfolk Community Health and Care is compliant with all legal, regulatory and governance frameworks, including those of the Care Quality Commission and support the Accountable Officer to ensure that controlled drugs are managed appropriately within your areas. You will be responsible for the development and implementation of relevant strategies, policies and patient group directions as well as the participation in regular audit.

You will also be responsible for providing a clinical Pharmacy service to inpatient areas, following our clinical pharmacy standards and ensuring effective medicines optimisation through a patient centred approach.

This post is ideal for an individual who is motivated by collaborative working, medicines safety, antimicrobial stewardship and wants to make a positive impact on patient care.

The post requires travel between sites and therefore the post-holder must have a driving license and access to their own transport.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To act as Ward Clinical Pharmacist including:

• Providing advice on the safe and cost-effective use of medicines
• Optimising patient care with respect to medicines (across multiple specialties) in liaison with health care professionals, including medical and nursing staff
• Input into the development of treatment protocols and guidelines
• Delivery of a full clinical pharmacy service covering multiple specialties
• Monitoring expenditure on drugs and providing feedback (including transportation of medicines to patient’s home addresses)
• Participate in clinical audit involving medicines including the audit requirements within national guidelines and protocols eg. NICE.
• Participate in and lead where required on novel pharmacy projects; identify and undertake research to inform practice developments and underpin delivery of an effective, evidence-based pharmacy service.

Review patients to complete:

• Medicines reconciliation
• Comprehensive medication review
• Identifying and addressing concordance issues
• Liaising with community pharmacy where appropriate and where consent has been given, particularly on discharge

Assess direct responses to drug treatments (in collaboration with the Multi-Disciplinary Team)

• Review and update patient care records
• Undertake clinical medication review for patients to optimise their medication

Assist in development of robust and safe medicines optimisation processes for the ward.

Contribute to the efficient and timely discharge of patients, this includes:

Identifying and prioritising patient discharges

• Writing TTOs (as required)
• Clinically checking discharge prescriptions in a timely fashion
• Reviewing the supply of medications

Non-medical Prescribing:

• Following successful completion of an accredited prescribing course, to take on the role of the prescribing of medicines within the Ward in line with personal competencies and expertise. This will include the initiation of therapies in line with approved patient care management plans and/or in response to clinical presentation requiring treatment with medicines endorsed through local formularies.

Ensure on-going CPD to maintain competency to prescribe in line with advice for GPhC and national legislation.

Be familiar with and work in line with the national legislation governing the scope of practice for non-medical prescribers.

Develop a highly specialist knowledge of medicines and treatment to promote and support evidence-based medicine across the Trust.

Actively participate in ward rounds, case conferences, Directorate meetings, etc. as appropriate.

In liaison with the multi-disciplinary team, work with patients to optimise their care with medicines including:

• Development of PILs relevant to their medicines
• Patient education and counselling on their medicines
• Self-administration of medicines

Liaise with other members of the multi-disciplinary team in the provision and development of clinical pharmacy services, including complex drug or medication related information, and act on any associated problems which may arise.

Professional Responsibilities

The post holder will be expected to function within any national, regional or local policy and procedures, regulations, protocols and guidelines, relevant to the management and delivery of the L&SC and Place-based Partnerships, and the manner in which their duties and responsibilities are discharged

Ensure systems of governance are complied with at all times.

Support the development and maintenance of appropriate information systems, computerised and/or paper based, for the prime purposes of robust audit trails and the generation of relevant reports to assist in both programme and project monitoring and the provision of a timely response to a range of external and/or internal requests for associated information.

Contribute to Organisational Development activities as required.

Management and Leadership

To improve communication between primary and secondary care including:

• Information for GPs and community pharmacies.
• Discharge Medicines Service

Provide advice and training to other health care staff, including medical and nursing staff, in relation to medicines use

Be a pharmaceutical expert and give advice to the clinical pharmacy team and other health care staff throughout the organisation in relation to medicines and services

Have an active presence on the ward to ensure the optimum use of antimicrobial agents in accordance with approved antibiotic policies.

Implement a system to monitor prescribing and make proactive interventions in individual patient's therapy, particularly in relation to high cost/high risk agents.

Contribute to the identification and investigation of drug-related incidents, medication errors, concerns and complaints arising from the ward

Act as the pharmacy link with the specialist medical and nursing team(s) and disseminate information arising to the whole pharmacy team.

Contribute to the maintenance and development of the relevant guidelines.

Develop and implement policies to support service development.

Liaise with governance leads in Pharmacy and to address any risk management issues with medicines to ensure safe practice in the prescribing, administration and disposal of medicines.

Participate in general clinical pharmacy ward cover if necessary to facilitate continuous clinical pharmacy services during absences.

Education & Professional Development

Participate in post-graduate education and training events organised at national, regional and local level.

Participate in the programme of lectures to nurses and other health service professionals.

Participate in the training and clinical supervision of other members of the medicines optimisation team.

Undertake training to become familiar with the computerised and communication systems used within Pharmacy Services and the ward

Supervise the activities of other pharmacy staff.

Act as a role model to other members of staff, promote best practice and provide leadership within the clinical area.

Contribute to the appraisal process and personal development plans of allocated staff

Manage and supervise colleagues as allocated including:

• Recruitment of suitable personnel
• Induction
• Supporting professional development of the team members
• Delivery of consistent high-quality advice and services throughout the Trust
• Responsibility for the implementation of all policies in relation to staff as appropriate
• Training and development