Lead Pharmacist
4 weeks ago
Job summary
ITU, Surgery and Theatres - Lead Pharmacist
Are you an enthusiastic, self-motivated pharmacist interested in a new challenge?
Are you looking to develop? For exceptional candidates we would consider a step 7 to 8a programme for this role.
We have a fantastic opportunity to join the pharmacy team at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust for proactive pharmacist with knowledge for ITU and surgery and an interest in anaesthetics to join pharmacy team at the South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust. The successful candidate will work alongside a multidisciplinary clinical teams to help achieve national, trust-wide and pharmacy digital strategies within this specialist areas.
We offer our pharmacist education and leadership opportunities. In addition, as a department committed to supporting staff development all our staff are provided dedicated personal learning time to support their learning.
You will need to have excellent communication, organisation and time management skills. We are a friendly, supportive and innovative team who are passionate developing services with surgery team.
Main duties of the job
To lead, develop, support and deliver a high level of specialist clinical pharmacy services to the surgical specialties, theatres and critical care working closely with other pharmacists, medical/ nursing staff and medicines management technicians.
To provide a high level of pharmaceutical support to the medical, nursing and other healthcare staff providing clinical care in the specialty areas and assisting in the clinical and cost-effective use of drugs.
To assist in the management of the drugs budgets for designated surgical wards, theatres, clinics and critical care, advising them on improvements in the clinical and cost-effective use of their drugs budgets.
To manage the provision of clinical pharmacy services to the designated wards at Warwick Hospital through nominated pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
To contribute to the strategic development of pharmacy services for surgical specialties, theatres and critical care throughout the Trust.
To deputise for, and provide support to, the Principal Pharmacist - Clinical Services.
To provide clinical education and training to medical and nursing staff, pharmacy staff, both undergraduate and postgraduate, including tutoring and mentoring to designated pharmacists, pharmacists undertaking the clinical diploma and to pre-registration pharmacists.
As a senior pharmacist, to contribute to the provision of clinical services to other areas of the Trust undertaking some routine pharmacist duties in the Pharmacy Department.
About us
Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.
We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.
Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Working Relationships
Other Lead pharmacists within the Trust.
Pharmacy Operations Manager.
Service leads for all surgical areas, theatres and critical care within the Trust.
Consultant medical staff and their teams.
Matrons, senior nursing staff and other key professionals in the multi-disciplinary team.
Clinical pharmacists.
Pharmacy staff.
Medicines Management Technicians for the specialty areas served.
Other senior healthcare professionals.
Patients and carers.
Divisional Manager and other senior Trust staff.
Result Areas
With the assistance of nominated pharmacists and medicines management technicians, to lead the provision of a high level, responsive, and developing clinical pharmacy service to designated specialist surgical wards, theatres, clinics and critical care at Warwick Hospital.
To design and deliver packages of pharmaceutical care to individual patients on the designated wards and assist other pharmacists to undertake such duties.
To assure the standards of pharmaceutical care provided to patients on the designated wards, ensuring that a satisfactory level of pharmacy service is provided within the staffing resources available.
To be actively involved in efficient discharge planning on the designated surgical wards by reviewing patients discharge treatment, facilitating timely supply of discharge medication and, where necessary, liaising and communicating with relevant healthcare practitioners in intermediate or primary care to ensure safe transfer and continuity of care.
To be a lead pharmacist in advising the Principal Pharmacist - Clinical Services and the Director of Pharmacy on the strategic development of clinical pharmacy services to the designated specialist surgical services, theatres and critical care within the Trust.
To contribute to the development of pharmacy services and standards, the preparation of business cases and the implementation of agreed developments.
To maintain an awareness of current developments in pharmacy practice by liaising with relevant bodies, outside agencies, special interest groups and other pharmacists. To inform and advise senior pharmacy staff as appropriate.
To assist the relevant drug budget holders in managing their drugs budget and advising on potential improvements in the cost-effective use of drugs.
When required, to advise specialty leads and budget managers on issues relating to the use of drugs in their area including potential improvements in the clinical and cost-effective use of drugs.
To commission reports from the Pharmacy IT Manager, on drugs usage and costs by Division, specialty, drug, and / or prescriber. To identify trends in prescribing and the use of medicines, and propose ways to address any adverse trend. To attend Divisional meetings, to share information about drug use and costs, and advise of the future implications, and link this where possible to activity and case mix, and to agree action. To identify and propose opportunities to realise a cost improvement in the drugs budget. To recommend increased investment in drugs budgets when this would be cost effective for the overall care of patients.
To horizon scan and advise on budget implications of new and developing drug therapies in the designated specialty areas.
To support the specialty to write medication-based treatment guidelines and clinical protocols, patient group directions, standard operating procedures, and other documents.
To advise on/recommend/adapt clinical treatment guidelines for use in the specialty area that have been produced locally or by national bodies NICE, NSFs, National Prescribing Centre guidelines etc.
To supervise, contribute to and undertake research and audit projects in the specialty areas particularly those concerned with the clinical and cost effective use of drugs, compliance with safer prescribing and drug administration policies, procedures and guidelines, and implementation of pharmacy service developments. To provide reports and present the audit findings within the Trust or to outside organisations or regional or national meetings where appropriate.
To highlight any practice which has an implication for Primary Care, or which requires particular attention at the interface when patients are admitted or discharged.
To develop and maintain a training programme for clinical pharmacists allocated to the specialty areas and to develop and administer a competency assessment process to ensure the appropriate standards are achieved.
To undertake the formal duties of a pre-registration tutor/clinical coordinator for the Clinical Diploma in accordance with the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Universities. To ensure that all appropriate training is provided, reviews are undertaken at the specified times and liaison with the regulatory body and training providers is carried out as necessary.
To provide clinical pharmacy training for undergraduate pharmacy students, vacation students, pre-registration pharmacists (hospital and community-based) and hospital clinical pharmacists.
To contribute to the induction and in-service training of nursing, midwifery and medical staff as appropriate.
To contribute to the recruitment, induction, management and development of staff and where necessary in grievance and disciplinary matters.
To advise senior nursing staff on appropriate use of patient group directions in order to improve the efficiency of healthcare provision on the designated wards and to assist in the development of PGDs.
To undertake duties as a clinical pharmacist to other wards in the Trust when necessary, including occasional work at other pharmacies from which a pharmacy service is provided.
To advise medical, nursing, other professional staff, managers and patients on any aspect of drug therapy or drug control as required or when considered necessary.
To contribute to the audit work of the pharmacy service and developments in service quality.
To undertake the reporting of medication incidents when necessary according to the Trusts Incident Reporting Policy, to assist other pharmacists in reporting, to investigate medication incidents as necessary, to provide senior pharmacist input to incident report forms, to recommend improvements and implement agreed improvements.
To be an authorised signatory for drug purchase orders and for invoice payments.
To undertake routine duties within the dispensary as required and supervising the work of junior pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and (senior) ATOs.
To undertake Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday and Statutory Day working on rota and to contribute (if required) on rota to the Emergency Duty Commitment of pharmacists providing an out-of-hours emergency Pharmacy service.
To deputise for senior pharmacy managers as required.
To demonstrate and maintain through annual revalidation a commitment to continuing professional development and encourage members of the team to do likewise.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Master's Degree in Pharmacy (or equiv) Membership of General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Clinical pharmacy diploma or equivalent advanced experience
Desirable
Membership of Royal Pharmaceutical Society Faculty Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Experience
Essential
4 years of hospital pharmacy experience (as a registered pharmacist) Minimum of 3 years' experience of hospital clinical pharmacy practice Recent clinical experience in a general hospital setting Experience of managing a clinical service in pharmacy
Desirable
Undertaken audit work Lectures, talks, training given (Medical/Nursing/Pharmacy staff and patients)
Skills
Essential
Good understanding of recent NHS and pharmacy reports and how they relate to surgery, theatres and critical care Ability to demonstrate a very high level of specialist knowledge in surgery, theatres and critical care Ability to advise and influence all grades of medical and nursing staff on therapeutic aspects of patient care An understanding of the relevance of clinical governance and risk management Knowledge of drug expenditure/drug budget/clinical activity issues Able to understand clinical research data Excellent verbal and written communication skills Able to clearly communicate highly complex clinical information to all grades of medical, nursing and pharmacy staff Able to sensitively question patients on their drug treatment and to communicate clearly with them Excellent interpersonal skills Good presentation skills Ability to prioritise own work and assist others to do so Able to use initiative and work without supervision Understanding of budgetary mechanisms, funding processes Ability to manage pharmacy team members Able to give credible representation of pharmacy at very senior medical and management levels Ability to work in teams - pharmacy teams and multidisciplinary teams Sound judgement on clinical, pharmaceutical and ethical issues Able to advise other pharmacists of all grades in the post holder's expert area of knowledge Assertiveness skills - able to respond at very senior medical levels Able to deal with concerned/anxious patients or relatives particularly in relation to their drug treatment Able to meet deadlines High standards of work presentation
Desirable
Able to create a rapport with interview panel
Personal Qualities
Essential
Smart appearance Friendly/sense of humour A positive "can do", enthusiastic approach to work Self-motivating and able to motivate a pharmacy team Wants to "make a difference" Can enthuse about the potential of the post
Other
Essential
Prepared to undertake regular clinical pharmacy and dispensary duties Accurate clinical, dispensing and checking abilities Able to undertake Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday and Statutory Day working and (if required) Emergency Duty Commitment on a rota Ability to use VDUs Able to demonstrate through revalidation a satisfactory level of continuing professional development Satisfactory computer keyboard skills Use of motorised transport and insured for business use Honest and trustworthy Competent in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Outlook