Senior Clinical Pharmacist

Job summary

The Medicines Optimisation team at Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust are looking to expand patient facing roles within 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 based on our existing specialist inpatient wards.

Working with the existing Senior Pharmacists, sharing lead responsibilities for managing and delivering key elements of the medicines optimisation strategy across the Trust.

Responsibilities include providing assurance that NCH&C is compliant with all legal, regulatory and governance frameworks, including those of the Care Quality Commission. Supporting the Accountable Officer to ensure that controlled drugs are managed appropriately. You will be responsible for the development and implementation of relevant strategies, policies and patient group directions as well as the participation in regular audits.

You will also be responsible for providing a clinical Pharmacy service to inpatient areas, following our clinical pharmacy standards, 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.

Main duties of the job

Undertake medicines reconciliation when patients transfer between care settings ensuring their medicines reflect what is intended Clinical medication review for patients to optimise their medication Provide education, advice and support on medicines to patients and their carers to maximise patient's independence. Provide drug/medical information and advice as appropriate Provide education and training to colleagues to promote best practice Communicate complex drug/medicine related information to prescribers, clinicians, patients, relatives: patients may have language difficulties, physical or mental disabilities, other professionals may challenge advice Work as part of the Medicines Optimisation team to implement the Medicines Optimisation strategy Responsible and accountable for autonomously leading and delivering specialist areas of work within the Medicines Optimisation Team Provide expert decisions and advice on pharmaceutical matters Lead and develop quality improvement programmes and clinical audit Routinely manage complex situations, undertaking complex intervention and assimilation of information Analyse information to provide advice on medicines, dosages, in areas where information is lacking and medical or other opinion differs Support the development and implementation of medicines audits including data analysis, report writing and co-ordination of associated training requirements Ensure medication incidents are reported in accordance with organisational policy

About us

Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust provides community-based NHS health and care via more than 70 locations across Norfolk, as well as providing a specialist Early Supported Discharge service to stroke patients in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Serving a population of nearly 900,000, NCH&C delivers services for children, young people and families, therapies, community nursing, end of life care and specialist nursing, among others. We believe that people are better looked after locally and this belief drives us to work hard to bring expert care to patients in our seven community hospitals, within GP surgeries and in patients' own homes.

NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an 'Outstanding' rating from the Care Quality Commission. Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C's "compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels", the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.

We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.

Find out more about working for our organisation here:

Job description

Job 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 patients 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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Master's degree in pharmacy or equivalent plus Postgraduate clinical qualification in relevant field Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Desirable

Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain Management or Leadership qualification Coaching and mentoring experience/qualification Independent non-medical prescribing qualification

Experience

Essential

Significant post-registration experience in acute hospital or community health services Planning, developing and delivering pharmacy services Change management and achieving clinical changes Management of others Delivering training and education Working within a multidisciplinary team Being responsible and accountable for own professional actions, working independently within professional and organisational boundaries and being responsible for the actions of others within their area of responsibility Demonstrable use of audit to improve practice and systems Developing clinical pathways/policies

Desirable

Audit and project management experience Teaching and training experience to a range of healthcare professionals; students and undergraduates Experience of working in a range of environments community; hospital; primary care Experience in managing departmental budgets Advanced knowledge of computer systems & electronic prescribing systems

Skills, abilities and knowledge

Essential

Analyse, interpret and evaluate specialist medicines related information or data, using clinical and professional judgement Interpret prescriptions for drug problems such as drug dosage, drug interactions and appropriateness of therapy Demonstrates advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement to manage difficult and ambiguous problems Team worker attributes Good verbal and written communication skills Demonstrated good leadership skills Demonstrate organisation and prioritisation of work Ability to influence senior pharmacy and medical staff, the multidisciplinary team and management A good understanding of national and local priorities Analytical ability for problem solving Able to work under pressure Able to work both alone and in a team Good personal organisation and time management skills Ability to set targets and meet deadlines Ability to identify and manage risks Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to the Clinical Governance agenda

Desirable

Ability to think strategically

Communication

Essential

Provide highly complex medicines related information to patients who may have language difficulties, physical or mental difficulties Communicate highly complex medicines related information to prescribers, clinicians, and professionals who may challenge advice

Personal and People Development

Essential

Ability to lead and motivate others Able to deal with conflict negotiate with individuals who may be aggressive, emotional, disagree or challenge decisions

Personal Attributes / Behaviours (linked to the Trust's Behaviour Framework)

Essential

Flexible and enthusiastic Self-motivated Methodical Emotionally resilient Able to continually update knowledge, skills and challenge own practice Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults

Other

Essential

Willingness and ability to work across different sites and travel to alternative sites and across the community as required The post holder will need to be passed fit to perform full duties of the post through occupational health with any reasonable aids and adaptations if necessary. Some roles require additional level of checks as part of the employment process roles which come into contact with children, vulnerable adults or their families Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

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