Medication Safety Officer

Job overview

Medication Safety Officer

Department: Pharmacy

Band 8a - £53,755 - £60,504 per annum

Hours: 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

Are you a Pharmacist passionate about helping people get the best from their medicines? Do you love helping people to self-care and look after themselves? Do you have the experience of running high quality, patient focused pharmacy services? If so, we need you!

Milton Keynes University Hospital Pharmacy has had significant investment over the last year in a fully refurbished Pharmacy department and a state of the art Aseptic Unit. In addition we have added a new outpatient dispensary right in the heart of our main entrance and OPD.

We have recently undertaken a change in the manner in which safety incidence are managed, using the PSIRF model. This focuses on learning from errors and we are looking for a clinical pharmacist with experience at band 7 or 8a level in hospital pharmacy or medication safety experience to join the medicines use team.

In return, you will be supported by the wider Pharmacy team and you will have the opportunity to develop your own skills and undertake your own professional development. This is an opportunity to set up a service from scratch to offer the highest quality of care.

If you would like to discuss the role further, please do get in touch.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for the development, implementation & evaluation of medicines safety initiatives across the organisation in line with relevant guidance.
• To be responsible for the development, implementation & evaluation of a programme to promote learning from medication incidents within pharmacy and across the organisation.
• Ensure comprehensive reporting on medication incidents to the relevant committee meetings and be responsible for driving actions to improve patient safety across the organisation.
• To lead on the governance of Controlled Drugs working with the Clinical Director of Pharmacy and the Controlled Drug Accountable Officer.
• To support the Medicine Use and Quality Manager to develop, deliver and evaluate the service they are responsible for in accordance with relevant standards and guidance.
• To support the Medicine Use and Quality Manager to develop and deliver the medicines governance agenda including the preparation and maintenance of pharmacy-wide policies and procedures relating to the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines.
• To support patient centered medicines optimisation as an advanced pharmacy practitioner; and where service need required, to practice as a non-medical prescriber within an agreed scope of practice.

You will bring a passion for health & wellbeing with a desire to support both patients and staff of the hospital to manage their health and improve from incidence.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will have an eye for service development, system wide learning and governance processes. You will need strong clinical skills and a good knowledge of hospital pharmacy practice to be able to liaise with prescribers and nurses to optimise the use of medicines and reduce the risk of medication safety incidence to ensure the best possible patient outcomes.

Medication Safety Organisation & Management:

• To represent pharmacy and Medication Safety at organisational Operational, Safety and Governance meetings.
• To develop a good working relationship and communications with clinical and managerial staff in the clinical divisions and provide a link regarding all aspects of Medication Safety & Governance across local health economy.

Expert practice:

• To act as the MSO for the Trust, ensuring compliance with national guidance for the role.
• To provide strategic advice to the Clinical Director for Pharmacy and Medicines Use and Quality manager to ensure the Trust manages medicines in a safe and effective way.
• To be seen as an opinion leader regarding Medication Safety

Research, Evaluation and Service Management:

• To interpret national guidance, research, and audit and where it does not exist to formulate an expert opinion and/or contribute to the evidence.
• To undertake audit at local regional and national level

Professional leadership:

• To contribute to the direction of local, regional and national groups pertaining to Medication Safety
• To actively support and encourage others to support the safety agenda and other relevant national agendas to improve patient satisfaction through safe, evidenced based use of medicines as part of everyday practice.

Clinical practice role:

• To practice in compliance with the General Pharmaceutical Council code of professional conduct within scope of practice, being responsible and accountable for own decisions, actions, and omissions.

Education & training responsibilities:

• To provide a comprehensive induction programme for all new members of staff coming into the Medication Safety Team.

Professional role:

• To ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times.
• To be professionally accountable for actions and advice.

• Please refer to the Job Description for further details

MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.  We promote an inclusive workforce and encourage applications from applicants from all backgrounds.

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.

By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system.  Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS.   This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.

Upon commencing  employment  with  the  Trust,  all  employees  (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are  subject  to  a probationary period lasting  a  period  of  six  months  with  an  option  to extend  for  a  further  six  months  to  a total of  12 months.