Senior Pharmacist

Senior Pharmacist - Mental Health (Band 8a) (Band 8a) - Medicines Management - Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Are you looking for an interesting clinical role in a friendly team, with further opportunities to work alongside physical health colleagues in our innovative pharmacy service?

We have an excellent opportunity for a motivated pharmacist to join our team. No previous mental health experience is necessary as training can be provided and applications are welcomed from pharmacists working in any sector, including community pharmacy.

If you don't meet the essential criteria but have the desire to develop a career in mental health services we can offer and support a development role working towards the Band 8a post. Training will be provided where needed (e.g. Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health Therapeutics). We have links to local universities and encourage staff to pursue further appropriate qualifications and research work. Final banding of the post will reflect the successful candidate’s level of experience.

The role includes:

• Inpatient and community mental health team working
• Assisting the Lead Mental Health Pharmacist in the management and strategic development of patient-centred pharmacy services
• No dispensary commitment or requirement for on call, no bank holiday or weekend working
• Opportunities to work across physical health and acute services if desired as we are a Trust with acute, community and mental health services
• Generous relocation package for eligible candidates.

Delivery of high-quality clinical pharmacy services for mental health patients in line with local and national standards and policies, ensuring the safe, clinical and cost-effective use of medicines.

A key component of the role is ensuring a high level of clinical pharmacy input to the care of mental health in-patients and community patients and supporting the education of pharmacy and other multidisciplinary staff groups on relevant mental health and medicines-related matters.

We are open to consideration of part time and flexible working requests.

Cross-site working will be required so it is essential to be a car driver with access to own transport. We have 3 bases around the Trust; Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil. Your base will be dependent upon your home location, and you may be required to travel to hospital sites within approximately 45 minutes of your base.

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.

The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone’s throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.

There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan – there is truly something for everyone

The following is a brief summary of the responsibilities. Please refer to the Job Description for full details.

Planning and Organisation

• Work closely with the Lead Mental Health Pharmacist to extend the boundaries of clinical pharmacy service delivery for mental health patients in Somerset.
• To extend the boundaries of professional practice for mental health patients including patient monitoring and prescribing for mental health conditions.

Responsibility for Patient/Client care

• Support the Lead Mental Health Pharmacist in the delivery of the clinical service, ensuring the safe, clinical and cost-effective use of medicines and staff resources.
• Provide high quality specialist clinical pharmacy services to mental health patients including active participation in multidisciplinary ward rounds.
• Act as independent prescriber as necessary within an agreed clinical area and scope of competence.
• Act as an exemplar in the provision of clinical pharmacy services and medicines management in mental health by providing expert clinical pharmacy advice to clinicians, pharmacy staff and other healthcare providers on related drug prescribing and medicines management issues.

Responsibility for Supervision, Leadership & Management

• To support the day-to-day delivery and development of clinical pharmacy services in mental health in accordance with the priorities agreed between the post-holder, the Lead Mental Health Pharmacist and the mental health team in order to ensure safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of medicines
• Support the Lead Mental Health Pharmacist with training and mentoring staff and promoting best practice as well as supervising the activities of junior pharmacists and prioritise ward cover in their absence

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