Lead Pharmacist Surgery

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, motivated, and experienced pharmacist to be part of a dynamic team working in general Surgery. You will be working as part of the clinical pharmacy team to lead and support the Surgical wards at Frimley Health.

The post holder will work alongside the dieticians to deliver the TPN service and provide clinical leadership to the surgical wards.

Although based at Wexham Park Hospital, the role has cross-site responsibilities and leadership across the Trust.

The post holder will be responsible for providing clinical pharmacy leadership to medical, nursing, and other staff on the surgical wards  and ensure safe and cost-effective pharmaceutical care for patients. The post holder will facilitate the smooth and efficient discharge and transfer of patients through prescribing discharge prescriptions.

The post holder should have completed the clinical diploma or equivalent, and preferably Independent Prescribing and be committed to continuing professional development within the field.

The post holder must have hospital pharmacy experience involving clinical pharmacy skills as well teaching skills. The role requires the ability to work effectively as part of a team, through excellent communication and interpersonal skills as well as the ability to motivate themselves and others. To be successful in this application the post holder must demonstrate confidence as a senior clinical pharmacist and be a role model to more junior staff.

Main duties of the job

Under the direction of the Principal Pharmacist for Surgery and the Clinical Pharmacy Manager, the postholder will:

• Work closely with Surgical colleagues to improve the delivery of pharmaceutical care and the Medicine Optimisation agenda to the surgical  patients.

• Provide ward pharmacy services to the General Surgery wards.

• To undertake audit, service improvement projects and review clinical practices to affect positive change in medicines management.

• Liaise closely with the surgical pharmacists at the Frimley Park site to share best practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To promote and ensure safe, clinically and cost-effective drug prescribing and administration to surgical wards at Frimley Health NHS Trust.   To attend and pro-actively take part in ward rounds (e.g. TPN) and clinical meetings as appropriate.   To work with the Gastroenterology Lead Pharmacist in the provision and delivery of a TPN service.   To maintain a high profile in the clinical specialty and provide education and training to multi-disciplinary groups.   To work within an area of practice as an independent prescriber in accordance with the Trust’s non-medical prescribing policy. To fulfil this role within the individual’s area of competence, including medicines reconciliation on admission and prescribing on discharge. This will include prescribing for MCAs (Multi-compartment aids) on FP10s for supply by Community Pharmacists.   To be willing to undergo further training to deliver enhanced clinical services (e.g. assessment and diagnosis of minor ailments) if considered appropriate   To provide cover and support to the other pharmacists working with Surgery, and the wider Pharmacy department for example TPN ordering.   To act as tutor for the Clinical Diploma Pharmacists, and to take an active role in the training of Trainee Pharmacists.   To supervise MMTs, working collaboratively in the review of drug histories, patients’ own drugs and to advise on current therapy.   To promote seamless pharmaceutical care on discharge and transfer to other wards within the Trust.   To monitor drug expenditure within the directorate, advising on the most cost effective treatment options, and through production of regular reports to the Principal Pharmacist for Surgery, the Specialty Clinical Director and Finance.   To maintain and develop formal links with surgical consultants, plus the surgical and nursing teams.   To predict the financial impact of any changes/trends in drug use and make recommendations for cost savings.   To review and develop clinical drug and treatment guidelines and policies for use within Surgery   To actively interdict imprudent antimicrobial prescribing by terminating unnecessary durations, undertaking IV to PO switching or liaising with the prescriber(s) such that this is addressed.   To record and analyse pharmacist interventions made on a regular basis.   To provide relevant drug information as requested to surgical, nursing and other healthcare professional staff in Surgery.   To be an active member of clinical governance groups relevant to the post.   To assist in the development of drug treatment protocols where appropriate.   To undertake project work, audit or service improvement work within surgical wards, in association with the Clinical Audit department.   To provide pharmacy input into implementing national prescribing guidelines and policy initiatives.   To promote patient safety and in particular medication safety by actions and leadership and by encouraging error reporting thus facilitating medication error reduction processes.   To liaise closely with the Pharmacy Governance Manager to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to comply with NHS England Patient Safety alerts, National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) or successor organisations, and Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments.   To advise medical, nursing and other professional staff on appropriate drug use and selection in order to achieve cost effective prescribing, adherence to Trust formularies and the safe use of medicines.   To fulfil the role and duties of the “Responsible Pharmacist” when required, and complete appropriate records as required by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)   To participate in late clinic, bank holiday and weekend dispensary rotas as appropriate for the staff group.   To participate in any other duties as required by the Chief Pharmacist or his/her deputies.
• To promote and ensure safe, clinically and cost-effective drug prescribing and administration to surgical wards at Frimley Health NHS Trust.
• To attend and pro-actively take part in ward rounds (e.g. TPN) and clinical meetings as appropriate.
• To work with the Gastroenterology Lead Pharmacist in the provision and delivery of a TPN service.
• To maintain a high profile in the clinical specialty and provide education and training to multi-disciplinary groups.
• To work within an area of practice as an independent prescriber in accordance with the Trust’s non-medical prescribing policy. To fulfil this role within the individual’s area of competence, including medicines reconciliation on admission and prescribing on discharge. This will include prescribing for MCAs (Multi-compartment aids) on FP10s for supply by Community Pharmacists.
• To be willing to undergo further training to deliver enhanced clinical services (e.g. assessment and diagnosis of minor ailments) if considered appropriate
• To provide cover and support to the other pharmacists working with Surgery, and the wider Pharmacy department for example TPN ordering.
• To act as tutor for the Clinical Diploma Pharmacists, and to take an active role in the training of Trainee Pharmacists.
• To supervise MMTs, working collaboratively in the review of drug histories, patients’ own drugs and to advise on current therapy.
• To promote seamless pharmaceutical care on discharge and transfer to other wards within the Trust.
• To monitor drug expenditure within the directorate, advising on the most cost effective treatment options, and through production of regular reports to the Principal Pharmacist for Surgery, the Specialty Clinical Director and Finance.
• To maintain and develop formal links with surgical consultants, plus the surgical and nursing teams.
• To predict the financial impact of any changes/trends in drug use and make recommendations for cost savings.
• To review and develop clinical drug and treatment guidelines and policies for use within Surgery
• To actively interdict imprudent antimicrobial prescribing by terminating unnecessary durations, undertaking IV to PO switching or liaising with the prescriber(s) such that this is addressed.
• To record and analyse pharmacist interventions made on a regular basis.
• To provide relevant drug information as requested to surgical, nursing and other healthcare professional staff in Surgery.
• To be an active member of clinical governance groups relevant to the post.
• To assist in the development of drug treatment protocols where appropriate.
• To undertake project work, audit or service improvement work within surgical wards, in association with the Clinical Audit department.
• To provide pharmacy input into implementing national prescribing guidelines and policy initiatives.
• To promote patient safety and in particular medication safety by actions and leadership and by encouraging error reporting thus facilitating medication error reduction processes.
• To liaise closely with the Pharmacy Governance Manager to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to comply with NHS England Patient Safety alerts, National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) or successor organisations, and Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments.
• To advise medical, nursing and other professional staff on appropriate drug use and selection in order to achieve cost effective prescribing, adherence to Trust formularies and the safe use of medicines.
• To fulfil the role and duties of the “Responsible Pharmacist” when required, and complete appropriate records as required by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• To participate in late clinic, bank holiday and weekend dispensary rotas as appropriate for the staff group.
• To participate in any other duties as required by the Chief Pharmacist or his/her deputies.