Clinical Pharmacist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Role Summary

To provide Pharmacy services within primary care based within the Yeovil Primary Care Network.

The post-holder will work on quality-improvement projects with all practices across the network to support, promote and implement high quality, evidence-based, cost-effective and safe use of medicines. This will include focussed patient medication reviews, helping the practices to achieve prescribing targets and supporting the implementation of national and local guidance in order to improve patient care.

The post holder will provide clinical support on medicines optimisation and quality improvement and manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services. The post holder will also take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the practices and undertake Structured medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex polypharmacy.

The role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver excellent service within general practice.

In view of the dynamic nature of the role, this job profile is intended to provide an outline of the duties and responsibilities; it will be subject to review and amendment as necessary in consultation with the post holder

Responsibilities

Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient-facing role

Support, promote and implement high quality, evidence-based, cost-effective, and safe use of medicines

Support the delivery of the network Directly Enhanced Service (DES) specifications

Conduct structured medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex polypharmacy

Provide clinical medicines expertise to both patients and general practice teams

Improve prescribing practices across the Primary Care Network

Improve service and quality through mechanisms such as clinical audits

Interface with community and hospital colleagues to help resolve medication-related issues

Assist with delivery of enhanced health in care homes initiatives across the PCN footprint.

Work collaboratively with other pharmacy colleagues across the PCN, including CCG Pharmacists and Technicians, to ensure an effective and integrated approach to medicines optimisation for our population.

Clinical Governance

Identify risk issues that impact on peoples health or social care needs.

Take appropriate action to the significance of the risk and consistent with protection procedures, applying protection procedures, following lone worker procedure.

Demonstrate effective team working inclusive of all relevant professionals.

Report all accidents / incidents, and all ill health, failings in equipment and / or environment to line managers.

Contribute towards audit and data collection as required.

Once assessed as competent will be accountable for their own practice within their area of responsibility when identified and agreed with the line manager.

Work with your line manager to undertake continual personal and professional development, taking an active part in reviewing and developing the roles and responsibilities.

Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance, and health and safety.

Work with the Clinical Lead to access regular clinical supervision, to enable you to deal effectively with the difficult issues that people present.

Miscellaneous

Work as part of the team to seek feedback, continually improve the service and contribute to business planning.

Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner.

Duties may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carer(s), practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder must comply at all times with the PCN and Practices Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System.

Equality and diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with such training to include:

• Participation in an annual appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 2 years post registration experience
• Sound clinical and therapeutic knowledge and of evidence-based health care
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

• An understanding of General Practice, including the different roles within Practice teams and the delivery of services
• An understanding of General Practice prescribing, factors influencing this, rational prescribing and strategies for improving quality of prescribing
• Experience of working within Primary Care Team and /or community health team

Personal Qualities and Attributes/Other

Essential

• Professional appearance & demeanour
• Adaptable to change - flexible in accepting new procedures and policies
• Ability to demonstrate initiative: proactive and self-motivated
• Progressive and continuing professional development
• Enthusiastic
• Hold a current UK driving licence and be able to drive between practices

Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant pharmacy degree
• Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Desirable

• Clinical Diploma
• Independent prescribing qualification
• Membership of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association
• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Able to communicate complex and sensitive information to patients or wider group audiences, using a variety of methods of communication
• Able to plan, monitor and review medicine optimisation measures for core long term conditions
• Critical appraisal skills
• Ability to develop effective working relationships at all levels
• Demonstrate ability to identify and implement best practice
• Ability to work independently and within a team and demonstrate the ability to work together with patients and other healthcare professionals to achieve best possible outcomes
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to prioritise and manage own work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Accountable for own professional actions
• Ability to make important decisions in pressured situations
• Ability to apply sound professional judgement to legal and ethical issues
• Familiarity with the concepts of evidence-based medicine
• Computer skills including word-processing, spreadsheets, presentations

Desirable

• Ability to assimilate, analyse and interpret complex data to assess risks and improve patient safety
• Good understanding of drug budgets and drug costs and how to monitor these

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Yeovil Primary Care Network

Address

Abbey Manor Medical Practice

The Forum

Yeovil

Somerset

BA21 3TL

Employer's website

https://yeovilpcn.gpweb.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)