We are seeking an experienced clinical pharmacist who is interested in leading and developing an effective medicines optimisation service to specified division(s) within this outstanding Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Trust.
The post is offered as a full-time, permanent contract and would appeal to an experienced clinical pharmacist (mental health/learning disabilities experience is desirable but not essential) who is ambitious and would like to develop their leadership and service development skills in a supportive environment.
The post holder must possess excellent communication skills (both written and verbal), have strong clinical and organisational skills and be able to effect change. The primary role of the post holder will be to lead and develop the medicines optimisation agenda for one or more divisions within the Trust.
The candidate will be supported to work across the local health economy and undertake research in collaboration with the University of Hertfordshire. There is plenty of scope and opportunity within the role, if desired, to develop a portfolio of practice for credentialing against advanced and consultant level frameworks.
The post holder must have current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council and postgraduate qualifications in Clinical Pharmacy and/or Psychiatric Therapeutics (or equivalent experience).
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will:
* Work in collaboration with clinical teams as part of a multi-disciplinary approach to address the medicines-related needs of our service users.
* Ensure safe and effective medicines management processes within the service, including compliance with regulatory medicines management standards and implementation of medicines safety alerts.
* Support the Chief Pharmacist in developing and implementing the Trust Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation strategy.
* Work across the local health economy to ensure smooth transitions of care.
* Be encouraged to undertake relevant research.
In return, we offer:
* Leadership and management training opportunities.
* 5% on top of basic salary high cost allowance supplement (subject to a minimum and a maximum payment pro rata).
* 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable).
* One of the UK's best pension schemes.
* Free Pilates lessons.
* Comprehensive health and wellbeing services.
* Special leave for family and personal reasons.
* NHS Car Lease Scheme.
* Employee Assistance Programme.
Our staff survey results tell a story of highly engaged, motivated, passionate people working at HPFT. The survey has shown that staff overwhelmingly believe that their role makes a difference to service users, to the extent that HPFT had the best score nationally for this question.
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission.
Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Job description
Job responsibilities
* Work with the Chief Pharmacist and a team of clinical pharmacists and technicians to provide and support the integrated delivery of pharmaceutical care initiatives to patients with mental and physical health needs and learning disabilities in identified areas of HPFT to ensure safe, appropriate and cost-effective use of medicines.
* Provide highly specialist pharmaceutical advice concerning the care and treatment of service users in Mental Health (including Forensics) and Learning Disabilities Services and promote safe, effective and evidence-based cost-effective use of medicines within the Trust.
* Actively lead the provision and development of pharmaceutical services to a specific division.
* Provide highly specific advice to clinical team members on the management of complex medicines-related issues, such as complex drug interactions, medicines use in pregnancy, unlicensed/off-label use of medicines, etc.
* Provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information, where developed persuasive, motivational, negotiating, training, empathetic or reassurance skills are required.
* Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide clinical pharmaceutical support to designated areas in order to maximise benefits and minimise risk to service users.
* Support the pharmacy service for clinical trials.
* Participate in relevant quality improvement (QI) projects to support service improvements and learning and development.
* Be responsible for effective operation, monitoring and feedback of the Trust Medicines Policy, Strategy for Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation, Trust Medicines Formulary, New Drugs Policy, NICE Guidance and other policies and guidelines approved locally by the Trust Drugs & Therapeutics Committee.
* Develop, plan and complete and evaluate audits to ensure safe and secure storage and handling of medicines in trust units within the locality.
* Be responsible for the teaching/delivery of education and training in Medicines Optimisation for all healthcare professionals working in HPFT.
* Prepare critical appraisal reports when required for managed entry of new medicines or new or existing treatments.
* Carry out medication reviews and provide a clinical pharmacy service and pharmaceutical advice and support to designated mental health or learning disabilities units or teams within the remit of HPFT.
* Provide pharmaceutical support with local medicines policy writing, development and review.
* Develop standard operating procedures and policies to further the safe and effective management of medicines for the benefit of service users accessing mental health services.
* Monitor drug expenditure reports and provide advice to prescribers and managers on more cost-effective use of medicines.
* Support and participate in medication incident investigation.
* Review medication incident reports and contribute to systems learning from analysis of these events.
* Attend relevant team meetings/committees relevant to the area assigned.
* Review the risk management policies relating to medicines as required by the service.
* Provide education on medicines to individual service users and carers or groups as required.
* Communicate with, and form working relationships with pharmacists and technicians employed by other NHS Trusts.
* Provide medicines information advice when appropriate and refer when necessary to the Medicines Information Pharmacist.
* Plan, execute, evaluate and report audits of medicines use, the medicines optimisation process, and the operation of policies and procedures relating to medicines and risk management processes in the Trust.
* Develop and implement policies, protocols and guidelines including Patient Group Directions.
* Participate in the appraisals and supervision of staff as required.
* Provide dispensary cover as required.
* Take part in weekend, bank holiday and on-call rotas, as required.
* Participate with the annual stock take.
* Appreciate and support developments in a changing NHS, for example 7-day working.
* Carry out other duties with the agreement of the post holder and the Chief Pharmacist.
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION/TRAINING
Essential
* BPharm / MPharm / BSc Pharmacy
* Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
* Postgraduate clinical pharmacy certificate/ diploma or equivalent experience.
* Demonstrates own CPD record/ or documented CPD.
Desirable
* Registration with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
* Postgraduate Certificate/diploma in Psychiatric Therapeutics or equivalent experience
* Postgraduate diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice
* Leadership or Management Qualification
* Non-medical prescriber (or working towards)
* Member of the RPS Education and Standards Committee
EXPERIENCE
Essential
* Experience of working in a secondary care setting.
* Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
* Evidence of involvement in clinical pharmacy provision and in operational management.
* Writing and reviewing of policies, guidelines, and procedures.
* Documented evidence of completed audit work and research practice.
* Good, broad clinical knowledge and ability to apply to a ward, community and dispensary setting.
* Experience in managing workload.
Desirable
* Experience of working as a member of a multidisciplinary team in mental health and learning disabilities.
* Evidence of education, training, performance management and development of staff.
* Good management skills - including recruitment, supervision, and appraisals.
* Experience showing leadership skills or equivalent.
* Managing quality and cost-effectiveness initiatives.
* Experience in incident analysis and investigation.
* Aware of current issues facing the NHS.
* Experience of project management.
* Experience of carrying out clinical supervision.
* Experience of chairing committees.
SKILLS / COMMUNICATION
Essential
* Advanced IT skills and comprehensive use of Microsoft Office.
* An ability to organise and prioritise own workload and that of others.
* An ability to lead, inspire and motivate a team.
* Engaging, compassionate and caring communication skills when dealing with patients/family/carers on complex/sensitive issues.
* Experience of delivering training to staff.
* Highly developed physical skills in dispensing, preparing, and checking of medicines involving a high level of accuracy.
* English language competency sufficient to communicate effectively with all staff and deliver education sessions in an appropriate form.
* Good interpersonal skills.
* Confident, able to influence and assertive when dealing with other professionals.
* Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
* Team player with leadership skills.
* Able to prioritise and meet deadlines.
* Demonstrates empathy towards client groups.
* Shows initiative and has well-developed problem-solving skills.
* Demonstrates attention to detail, accuracy, and numeracy skills.
Desirable
* Ability to analyse highly complex information, both clinical, financial, and managerial.
KNOWLEDGE
Essential
* Advanced theoretical and technical, clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge relating to the promotion of high quality, effective and cost-efficient use of medicines.
* An awareness of NHS Plan, and clinical governance priorities.
* Good knowledge of all medicines legislation relating to the supply and storage of medicines.
ABILITY
Essential
* Able to deal with conflicting demands on workload and frequent interruptions.
* Ability to work under pressure.
* Able to influence other professionals.
* Able to communicate with service users.
* Able to impart complex information in a manner understandable to junior staff and students.
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
Essential
* Able to make judgements involving complex facts or situations.
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