Rotational Clinical Pharmacist

Job overview

Band 6 to 7 Step

This post will suit a newly qualified pharmacist or a pharmacist transferring from another sector wanting to develop their Clincial skills in the acute. We will encourage your personal development through funded training opportunities and have a range of rotations providing you with the foundation knowledge. We offer protected learning time to all members of the team.

As a forward thinking department we continually drive innovation and utilisation of digital solutions such as EPMA to support our workflows and allow more of time to support direct patient care. This is an exciting time to join the organisation as we are exploring new ways to deliver pharmacy services at ward level with input from all members of the team. We are an independent organisation providing hospital and out of hospital services. However  SWFT is also a member of the ‘Foundation Group’ with Wye Valley NHS Trust, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The ‘Foundation Group’ structure sees each trust operate independently and maintain its identity, but provides a platform for collaboration, innovation and opportunities to work across the group model.

We recognise that our staff are our most valuable resource and we acknowledge the importance and benefits of a healthy workplace and workforce. We are able to offer a range of wellbeing support initiatives including 1-2-1 confidential psychological staff support.

Main duties of the job

To provide a high level of specialist pharmacy services to one or more of the specialist service areas listed below, working closely with other pharmacists, medical/ nursing staff and senior technicians /ward technicians.

Our aim is that some of these posts will be rotational (year-long rotations) and include the below specialities:

- Acute Medical Admission - Cancer & Aseptics Team - Family Health - Frailty Assessment unit/Frailty - Medicine (Respiratory, Diabetes, Stroke, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, - Dermatology and Rheumatology) - Surgery (Elective Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Short Stay Surgery and Day Surgery and ITU), Palliative care

All rotation are ward based, clinic based or based in the cancer team as the dispensary only requires minimum pharmacist input.

Posts that are non-rotational will be speciality based as per the advertised role therefore general aspects and appropriate specialty aspects will apply.

To provide a high level of clinical pharmacy care to patients on allocated wards, to support the medical, nursing and other healthcare staff providing clinical care in the specialty areas, and to assist in the clinical and cost-effective use of drugs.

To assist the lead or Principal pharmacist in the management and delivery of their specialist pharmacy service and/or to manage the delivery of an element of service in a specialist area of practice.

To contribute to the strategic development and business plan of pharmacy services for the specialist area.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

All Roles

To provide a high level, responsive, and developing clinical pharmacy service to individual patients on allocated wards, and assist junior pharmacists in such roles, and ward based Medicines Management technicians in their duties.

To be actively involved in efficient discharge planning on the allocated wards by reviewing and transcribing patient’s discharge treatment (as appropriate) facilitating timely dispensing of discharge medication and, where necessary, liaising and communicating with relevant healthcare practitioners in intermediate or primary care to ensure safe transfer and continuity of care.

If agreed, to undertake prescribing as a Pharmacist independent Prescriber, in the clinical area for which Prescriber accreditation was gained, and in a wider sense within the limits of competency.

To lead the efficient organisation and smooth running of a dispensary, including assuring that the environment is ready and safe for the day’s work.

To monitor service delivery.

From Main Dispensary provide cover and support to the Outpatients dispensary operated by SWFT Clinical Services Ltd. on demand.

To train and support staff to maintain formulary control, and adherence to prescribing and dispensing policies, and to collect prescription charges.

To assist the Lead and Senior Technician in policies, procedures and the framework for dispensing, and the planning and development of the service, including automation, and stock control.

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about their therapy, and to provide tailored counselling around complex regimes.

To advise and support ward and clinic staff, not least regarding controlled stationery, service hours, late prescribing, e-prescribing, and use of the tracker to monitor prescription progress.

To undertake clinical checks of the treatment regimens in care pathways, and raise and resolve anomalies with prescribers.

To contribute to dispensing.

To ensure that staff log errors and near misses and that the team and the individual learn from these.

To pick up issues arising during weekend service hours and address these on the next full working day.

To contribute to the Emergency Duty Commitment of pharmacists providing an out-of-hours emergency Pharmacy service. To undertake routine duties within the dispensary as required, supervising the work of junior pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and (senior) ATOs.

To contribute to the late night, weekend, Bank Holiday and Statutory Day working rota.

If requested, to be an authorised signatory for drug purchase orders and for drug invoice payments.

To demonstrate and maintain a commitment to continuing professional development and encourage other members of the team to do likewise.

Surgical Specialties, Medical Specialties, Medical Admissions, Frailty, Family Health, Neurology and neuro-rehabilitation, and Elective Care

To provide a specialist level of clinical pharmacy services to the patients on the allocated wards, and assist the medical and nursing teams on the wards with pharmaceutical and therapeutic advice.

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about their therapy.

To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss therapy regimens.

To deputise for the Lead Pharmacist.

To advise the Principal Pharmacist and Lead Pharmacists on development needs and opportunities for this service area.

To supervise and mentor more junior staff in the provision of services to these areas.

To develop or contribute to a training programme for clinical pharmacists allocated to the specialty areas and to administer any competency assessment process that is in place to ensure the appropriate standards are achieved.

To assist with Foundation student pharmacist training within the Trust for our own Foundation student pharmacists and community Foundation student pharmacists allocated to Warwick Hospital.

To provide clinical pharmacy training for undergraduate pharmacy students, vacation students, Foundation Student pharmacists (hospital and community-based) and hospital clinical pharmacists.

To contribute as required to the induction and in-service training of nursing, midwifery and medical staff as appropriate.

To assist and supervise as necessary, ward–based Medicines Management technicians in the clinical aspects of their work.

To maintain an awareness of current developments in pharmacy practice pertinent to the specialist pharmacy area.

To coordinate the out of hours on call service, providing reports, evaluating responses to calls, sharing lessons learned, and ensuring consistency and a good standard of service.

To lead on opportunities to improve the efficiency or cost of drugs use (QIPP).

To act as Pharmacy’s representative to the Audit and Operational Governance Group AOGG for a Division when required.

When required, to advise/ comment on clinical treatment guidelines for use in the specialty area that have been produced locally or by national bodies e.g. NICE, NSFs, National Prescribing Centre guidelines etc.

To contribute to and/ or undertake audit projects in the specialty areas particularly those concerned with the clinical and cost effective use of drugs, compliance with safer prescribing and drug administration policies, procedures and guidelines, and implementation of pharmacy service developments. To provide reports and present the audit findings within the Trust.

To be involved in the work of clinical drug trials including, where necessary, initial clinical discussions with the investigator / sponsor, review of the trial protocol, initiation/ implementation, supply of study material to patients, record keeping, problem solving and liaison with the study investigators and co-ordinators when necessary.

To undertake duties as a clinical pharmacist to other wards in the Trust when necessary, including occasional work at other pharmacies from which a pharmacy service is provided.

Clinical Haematology and Oncology, with Aseptics and Clinical Trials

To assist the Principal Pharmacist in their role of providing highly specialist clinical pharmacy advice to consultant clinicians, clinical nurse specialists, ward and clinic staff.

To liaise with patients and answer their questions and concerns about their therapy.

To attend multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss therapy regimens.

To advise dispensary staff (SWFT CS and inpatient dispensary) in the dispensing of chemotherapy and adjuvants.

To contribute with the Cancer Unit lead, to the development of the chemotherapy management system Mosaiq (software).

To contribute to the preparation of cancer treatment regimens.

To check the treatment regimens in care pathways and resolve any anomalies.

To be responsible for the clinical and final checks of products prepared in the Aseptics Unit.

To provide clinical and final checks of bought-in specials.

To ensure that staff are trained in risk management processes relating to the therapy area (this will include cancer and non-cancer intrathecal administration for non-rotational posts).

To attend clinical meetings, when required, of the relevant clinical Network.

To assist the Principal Pharmacist –Cancer and Aseptic Services in ensuring all chemotherapy prescribed has appropriate funding and Patient Access Schemes are followed.

To assist with the training of junior pharmacists, Foundation Student Pharmacists, technicians and student technicians in this area of specialised practice.

To act as Pharmacy’s link to the Nutrition Team, advise and support on Clinical Nutrition, assist dietitians in converting patients’ nutrition needs into a formulation (where other forms of feeding are inappropriate) for parenteral nutrition when require.

To support the Lead pharmacists in the implementation and running of clinical trials as directed.

To support the clinical ward service, as outlined above, as per the teams rota commitments.

Other Duties

Any other duties considered appropriate to the post and grade by the line manager.

To adhere to and perpetuate Trust Policies and Procedures, e.g. Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety etc.

Special Requirements of the Postholder

The post holder will have Warwick Hospital as their main base but will be required to work at and/or visit other hospitals in the Trusts we serve.

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment, is not exhaustive and serves as a guide to the main tasks, envisaged at the time of drafting. As such this job description will change and evolve in accordance with the Pharmacy Services’ needs.