Consultant - Geriatric Medicine

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a pharmacist with a passion for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) & infection management to join our AMS team at University Hospitals Sussex. We seek a clinically experienced pharmacist, with previous AMS experience in, or a passion to develop skills in this area. The successful candidate will work closely with clinicians across Worthing & St Richards hospitals to support the treatment of patients with infection. As a member of the Trusts AMS & Infection Prevention Control teams you will be an integral support to the Trusts IPC and AMS agenda as well as having access to other specialists to support with skills and development. We are a department that seeks to be a pioneer with the use of technology to support stewardship and we continue to encourage the use & development of technological methods to identify and support stewardship interventions. 

We are committed to providing opportunities for you to develop your clinical & management skills. As a member of the clinical pharmacy leaders group you will have the opportunity to be involved in project work and develop skills in QI methodology. As a Trust which holds research as one of its key pillars you will have the opportunity to be involved with and develop skills in research projects and trials.

We are a friendly very supportive team both within pharmacy and the wider AMS team. We welcome contact from any interested parties to discuss the role and visit the department to find out more.

Main duties of the job

Provision of expert advice on the safe and appropriate use of antimicrobials to prescribers, nurses, patients and other healthcare professionals in accordance with local and national policies.

Monitoring the use of antimicrobials against guidelines, maintaining and promoting local empiric guidelines to optimise patient outcomes and reduce adverse events.

As part of the antimicrobial pharmacy team to the trust responding to national and regional stewardship objectives. Reporting to and attendance at trust Antimicrobial Stewardship Group and representation at other governance committees as needed.

Support of the local outpatient antimicrobial therapy service by attendance at the MDT, review of patient response, and prescribing (if/when qualified as an independent prescriber).

Working for our organisation

Join us at UHSussex, every day is different, you can be the change, better never stops

At UHSussex we're proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK's largest acute Trusts, we're a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.

Improving lives: We are a vibrant and inclusive organisation, with hardworking, talented and dedicated individuals, who work together towards a common goal, to always put our Patient First. Our mission is summed up by our 'where better never stops' motto and no matter the role at UHSussex, you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex. We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our wellbeing programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

Build a career with us: As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Responsible for the provision of expert advice on the safe and appropriate use of antimicrobials in patients at UH Sussex with a particular focus on Worthing and St Richards Hospitals.

Specific responsibilities include

Support of daily stewardship activities through prescription chart review and attendance on daily microbiology and AMS ward round

Co-authoring, reviewing local guidelines and maintaining the platforms they reside on to ensure accurate and appropriate information on the use of antimicrobials is available to clinicians in the Trust. 

Supporting the Lead Pharmacist - Clinical Infection to meet the requirements laid down by national and local governance bodies to ensure appropriate antimicrobial stewardship activities are occurring and the trust is compliant with national policy.

Supporting with appropriate auditing of antimicrobial stewardship to ensure safe and effective use of antimicrobials within the trust including response to NPSA alerts, NICE guidance, CQUINs and National Contract requirements.

Support of the outpatient antimicrobial therapy service by attendance at and resolution of actions from the weekly MDT.

Please see Job Description and Person Specification for full details

Person specification

professional registration

Essential criteria

Registered member of the GPhC.

Desirable criteria

Member of UKCPA or other relevant specialist interest group RPS faculity membership or working towards

Experience

Essential criteria

Further post-graduate qualification in clinical pharmacy at PG diploma level or sufficient experience gained in practice to equate to this level of training

Desirable criteria

Independent prescriber PG qualification in AMS PG leadership or management qualification

Skills

Essential criteria

experience of planning and reporting service audits Significant experience in clinical hospital pharmacy in a broad range of specialties experience in working in an MDT excellent written and oral communication skills

Desirable criteria

working as a specialist pharmacist within the field of antimicrobials experience in provision of a clinical pharmacy service to critical care

people management and development

Essential criteria

teaching and tutoring experience

Desirable criteria

experience of developing teaching and training programs staff management experience

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