Senior Practice Pharmacist

To support Aire Valley Surgery with all aspects of medicines optimisation for 8.5 hours per week working on either a Thursday or Friday. Applicants looking for more than 8.5 hours per week need not apply. There is no flexibility in this. This is an ONSITE role only. Remote working is not available for this post. Candidates seeking remote working need not apply. Main duties of the job The post holder will work within their strategic and clinical competencies as part of a multi‑disciplinary team to provide expertise in clinical medicines optimisation across the practice. This will include oversight of the prescribing team and strategic development of prescribing practices, policies and processes within the practice. The post includes direct patient contact including: Structured medication reviews Management of long‑term conditions Management of medicines on transfer of care Reviewing systems for safer prescribing Contributing to repeat prescription authorisations and reauthorisation Addressing both the public health and social care needs of patients Contributing to achievement of QOF and locally commissioned quality improvement schemes Undertaking clinical audit The post holder will provide support to pharmacy technicians and less experienced pharmacists employed in the practice. The post holder will be supported by the Lead Practice Pharmacist and a GP clinical mentor. They will also engage with pharmacy colleagues in Yeadon PCN and across Leeds for peer support. About us The post holder must be a qualified non‑medical prescriber and have completed the CPPE General Practice Pharmacist Training Pathway. Applications will not be considered if these criteria are not met. Aire Valley Surgery is a GP Practice with 2 sites in Rawdon and Yeadon in Leeds. We have 15,500 patients and approximately 65 staff. We are a keen training practice and support the training of GPs, Medical Students, Advanced Clinical Practitioners and Foundation Pharmacists to name just a few. Job responsibilities 1. Leadership and management (Dependent on experience) Depending on experience, you will be expected to contribute to the leadership of medicines‑related issues for the practice, and to provide leadership and mentoring to other pharmacists or pharmacy technicians employed by the practice. Demonstrate understanding of the pharmacy role in governance and implement this appropriately within the workplace, contribute to the workplace vision, improve quality within service limitations, review progress yearly, develop clear plans, motivate self, lead a team, manage national priorities, utilise resources effectively, conform to relevant standards, identify and resolve risk management issues, follow performance management procedures, extend boundaries of service delivery and lead and mentor a team of differing abilities. 2. Patient facing Clinical Medication Review Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients and work within your scope of practice as a non‑medical prescriber to implement any necessary changes (or produce recommendations for/referral to other prescribing pharmacists, nurses and/or GPs if outside your scope). These reviews could be cohort‑based, in care homes, polypharmacy or any other area required by the practice, within the pharmacist’s competence. Home visits may be required. Undertake clinical audits of prescribing in areas identified by yourself and agreed by the practice or as directed by the practice, feedback the results and implement changes in conjunction with the relevant practice team. Identify cohorts of patients at high risk of harm from medicines through computer searches. Put in place changes to reduce the prescribing of those medicines to high‑risk patient groups. Implement changes to medicines that result from MHRA alerts, product withdrawals and other local and national guidance. 5. Patient facing medicines support Provide patient‑facing clinics for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines in the practice. 6. Telephone medicines support Provide a telephone helpline for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines. 7. Management of medicines at change of care setting Reconcile medicines following discharge from hospital or admission to intermediate care or care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post‑discharge. Set up and manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high‑risk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in Care Homes). 8. Medicine information to practice staff and patients Answer relevant medicine‑related enquiries from GPs, other network staff, other healthcare teams (e.g. community pharmacy) and patients with queries about medicines. Suggest and recommend solutions. Provide follow‑up for patients to monitor the effect of any changes. Ensure robust systems are in place for drug monitoring at each practice across the PCN, streamlining these where possible. Understand and apply the traffic light classifications for prescribing in the Leeds Health Economy. 10. Signposting Ensure that patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional for the appropriate level of care within an appropriate time period (e.g. pathology results, common/minor ailments, acute conditions, long‑term condition reviews, etc.). 11. Repeat prescribing You will be asked to contribute to the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing patient requests for repeat prescriptions and reviewing medicines reaching review dates. Ensure patients have appropriate monitoring in place when required. Depending on experience, contribute pharmaceutical advice for the development and implementation of new services that have medicinal components (e.g. advice on treatment pathways and patient information leaflets). 13. Information management (Dependent on experience) Analyse, interpret and present medicines data to highlight issues and risks to support decision making. 14. Education and Training (Dependent on experience) Understand and demonstrate the characteristics of a role model for members in the team and/or service. Demonstrate understanding of the mentorship process. Demonstrate ability to conduct teaching and assessment effectively according to a learning plan with supervision from a more experienced colleague. Demonstrate self‑development through continuous professional development activity. Participate in the delivery of formal education programmes. Demonstrate an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keep up to date with relevant clinical practice. 15. Care Quality Commission Work with the general practice teams to ensure the practices are compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved. 16. Public health Support public health campaigns. Provide specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public. 17. Collaborative working arrangements Work collaboratively with the Practice Manager, Partners, Prescribing Lead, Lead Pharmacist, Lead Nurse and other members of the pharmacy team. Participate in the practice MDT. Liaise with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) in Leeds Medicines Optimisation team to benefit from peer support, and on prescribing related matters to ensure consistency of patient care and benefit. Engage with the Leeds Practice Pharmacist and Technician Network for peer support. Foster and maintain strong links with all services across the PCN and neighbouring networks. Explore the potential for collaborative working and take opportunities to initiate and sustain such relationships. Liaise with other stakeholders as needed for the collective benefit of patients, including but not limited to: patients and their representatives, GP, nurses and other practice staff, social prescribers, first contact physiotherapists, physician associates and paramedics, community pharmacists and support staff, GP prescribing lead, community nurses and other allied health professionals, hospital staff with responsibilities for prescribing and medicines optimisation. Work with your line manager to undertake continual personal and professional development, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the role and responsibilities. Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety. Work with your line manager to access regular clinical supervision, to enable you to deal effectively with the difficult issues that people present. Review yearly progress and develop clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others. Participate in the delivery of formal education programmes. Demonstrate an understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas of practice and keep up to date with relevant clinical practice. 19. Research and Evaluation Critically evaluate and review literature, identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support practice, generate evidence suitable for presentations at practice and local level, and apply research evidence base into the workplace. Person Specification Qualifications Experience Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Depending on experience, this starting pay for role is a band 8a equivalent. #J-18808-Ljbffr