Job summary This is an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate to join the Haywards Heath Villages Primary Care Network (PCN) team in supporting a wide range of patients of all ages. This post is part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme for Primary Care Networks funded by NHS England. The successful candidate will be an experienced pharmacist, who acts within their professional boundaries. They will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient-facing role; take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the practice and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex polypharmacy. In particular, older adults, people in residential care homes and those with multiple co-morbidities. Main duties of the job The successful candidate will provide support to general practice staff with regards to prescription and medication queries. They will help support the repeat prescriptions system, deal with acute prescription requests, medicine reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing. They will provide expertise in clinical medicines advice whilst addressing both public and social care needs of patients registered with the practice. The successful candidate will provide clinical leadership on medicines optimisation and quality improvement, manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services and contribute to the delivery of the local medicines optimisation strategy. They will ensure that the practice integrates with community and hospital pharmacy to help utilise skill mix, improve patient outcomes, ensure better access to healthcare and help manage workload. This role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver excellent service within general practice. About us Alliance for Better Care CIC is a GP Federation that unites 47 NHS GP practices across 12 Primary Care Networks in Sussex and Surrey. We support our Primary Care colleagues as well as their patients, to transform how healthcare is managed within the community. As a membership organisation, our focus is to work in partnership with our members and help them to improve the provision of General Practices in the local area. We work with and listen to our GP Practices, PCNs, Hospitals, Community Organisations and the Third Sector. These vital partnerships ensure that, together, we deliver a truly integrated approach that offers the support and expertise needed to effectively serve our communities. About Haywards Heath and Villages PCN Haywards Heath and Villages Primary Care Network is an NHS Collaboration between four GP Practices Cuckfield Medical Practice & Vale Surgery, Lindfield Medical Centre, Ouse Valley Practice and Northlands Wood Practice - working together to provide enhanced access services. Our surgery teams work closely, sharing expertise and resources to develop new services. Our vision is to continue to improve the quality of care that we provide in alignment with the needs of our patient population. Our PCN builds on the existing primary care services and enables a greater provision of proactive, personalised and more integrated health and social care. Date posted 07 February 2025 Pay scheme Other Salary £52,444.05 to £55,654.05 a year depending on experience, pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Part-time Reference number B0141-25-0010 Job locations Cuckfield Medical Practice Glebe Road Cuckfield Haywards Heath West Sussex RH17 5BQ Job description Job responsibilities From start of post: Seeing patients in multimorbidity clinics and in partnership with primary healthcare colleagues and implement improvements to patients medicines, including de-prescribing. Managing own case load and run long-term condition clinics where responsible for prescribing as an independent prescriber for conditions where medicines have a large component (e.g. medicine optimisation for stable angina symptom control, warfarin monitoring and dose adjustment for patients requiring longterm anticoagulants). Reviewing the on-going need for each medicine, a review of monitoring needs and an opportunity to support patients with their medicines ensuring they get the best use of their medicines (i.e. medicines optimisation). Whilst carrying out the above ensure document appropriately to support achievement of relevant QOF targets. Undertaking clinical medication reviews with patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy and implement own prescribing changes (as an independent prescriber) and order relevant monitoring tests. Future potential to manage own caseload of care home residents. Supporting and working with CCG Medicines Management (MM) Team to undertake clinical medication reviews with patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy and implementing own prescribing changes (as an independent prescriber) and ordering relevant monitoring tests. Providing patient facing clinics for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines in the practice. Providing telephone support for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines. Acting as a source of medicines information for all of the practice team and patients, (such as around doses, side effects, adverse events, possible alternatives, i.e. around out of stocks). Suggesting and recommending solutions. Reconciling medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post discharge. Setting up and managing systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to highrisk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes). Working in partnership with hospital and local provider colleagues (e.g. care of the elderly doctors and clinical pharmacists) to proactively manage patients at high risk of medicine related problems before they are discharged to ensure continuity of care. Managing caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments while working within scope of practice and limits of competence. Signposting to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals where appropriate. Managing own caseload for patients and diagnosing people with long term ailments while remaining within scope of practice and limits of competence. Referring to GP and/or other healthcare professionals where appropriate. Ensuring that patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional for the right care. Ensuring that the addition of the pharmacist to the clinical team results in a reduction in workload for other clinicians. Working with case managers, multidisciplinary (health and social care) review teams, hospital colleagues and virtual ward teams to manage medicines-related risk for readmission and patient harm. Putting in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk patient groups. Producing and implementing a practice repeat prescribing policy in line with the recommendations from the Medicines Management Team (MMT), implementing the practices repeat prescribing policy. Managing the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing patient requests for repeat prescriptions and reviewing medicines reaching review dates and flagging up those needing a review. Ensuring patients have appropriate monitoring tests in place when required. Identifying national and local policy and guidance that affects patient safety through the use of medicines, including MHRA alerts, product withdrawals and emerging evidence form clinical trials. Managing the process of implementing changes to medicines and guidance for practitioners. Taking a leading role in the contractual requirements to support frail patients with their medication including medication review and patient identification (i.e. patients with problematic polypharmacy). Working with CCG MMT to implement local and national guidelines including NICE etc. Liaising with hospital colleagues where prescribing needs to be returned to specialists. Providing education and training to primary healthcare team on therapeutics and medicines optimisation. Providing training to visiting medical, nursing, pharmacy and other healthcare students where appropriate. Working with the general practice team to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved. Undertaking risk assessment and ensure compliance with medicines legislation. Supporting public health campaigns. Providing specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public. Role may evolve to include: Managing own caseload of vulnerable housebound patients at risk of hospital admission and harm from poor use of medicines. Implementing own prescribing changes (as an independent prescriber) and ordering of monitoring tests. Attending and referring patients to multidisciplinary case conferences. Identifying key areas of need for vulnerable patients and formulating care plans. Working with colleagues, identifying and providing leadership on areas of prescribing and medicines optimisation. Conducting clinical audits and medicine optimisation projects or work with colleagues such as GP registrars, practice managers etc., feedback the results and implementing changes in conjunction with the practice team. Presenting results and providing leadership on suggested changes. Contributing to national and local research initiatives. Ensuring that patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional for the appropriate level of care within an appropriate period of time e.g. pathology test results, common/minor ailments, acute conditions, long term condition reviews etc. Please see the full job description for further information. Job description Job responsibilities From start of post: Seeing patients in multimorbidity clinics and in partnership with primary healthcare colleagues and implement improvements to patients medicines, including de-prescribing. Managing own case load and run long-term condition clinics where responsible for prescribing as an independent prescriber for conditions where medicines have a large component (e.g. medicine optimisation for stable angina symptom control, warfarin monitoring and dose adjustment for patients requiring longterm anticoagulants). Reviewing the on-going need for each medicine, a review of monitoring needs and an opportunity to support patients with their medicines ensuring they get the best use of their medicines (i.e. medicines optimisation). Whilst carrying out the above ensure document appropriately to support achievement of relevant QOF targets. Undertaking clinical medication reviews with patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy and implement own prescribing changes (as an independent prescriber) and order relevant monitoring tests. Future potential to manage own caseload of care home residents. Supporting and working with CCG Medicines Management (MM) Team to undertake clinical medication reviews with patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy and implementing own prescribing changes (as an independent prescriber) and ordering relevant monitoring tests. Providing patient facing clinics for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines in the practice. Providing telephone support for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines. Acting as a source of medicines information for all of the practice team and patients, (such as around doses, side effects, adverse events, possible alternatives, i.e. around out of stocks). Suggesting and recommending solutions. Reconciling medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post discharge. Setting up and managing systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to highrisk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes). Working in partnership with hospital and local provider colleagues (e.g. care of the elderly doctors and clinical pharmacists) to proactively manage patients at high risk of medicine related problems before they are discharged to ensure continuity of care. Managing caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments while working within scope of practice and limits of competence. Signposting to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals where appropriate. Managing own caseload for patients and diagnosing people with long term ailments while remaining within scope of practice and limits of competence. Referring to GP and/or other healthcare professionals where appropriate. Ensuring that patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional for the right care. Ensuring that the addition of the pharmacist to the clinical team results in a reduction in workload for other clinicians. Working with case managers, multidisciplinary (health and social care) review teams, hospital colleagues and virtual ward teams to manage medicines-related risk for readmission and patient harm. Putting in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk patient groups. Producing and implementing a practice repeat prescribing policy in line with the recommendations from the Medicines Management Team (MMT), implementing the practices repeat prescribing policy. Managing the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing patient requests for repeat prescriptions and reviewing medicines reaching review dates and flagging up those needing a review. Ensuring patients have appropriate monitoring tests in place when required. Identifying national and local policy and guidance that affects patient safety through the use of medicines, including MHRA alerts, product withdrawals and emerging evidence form clinical trials. Managing the process of implementing changes to medicines and guidance for practitioners. Taking a leading role in the contractual requirements to support frail patients with their medication including medication review and patient identification (i.e. patients with problematic polypharmacy). Working with CCG MMT to implement local and national guidelines including NICE etc. Liaising with hospital colleagues where prescribing needs to be returned to specialists. Providing education and training to primary healthcare team on therapeutics and medicines optimisation. Providing training to visiting medical, nursing, pharmacy and other healthcare students where appropriate. Working with the general practice team to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved. Undertaking risk assessment and ensure compliance with medicines legislation. Supporting public health campaigns. Providing specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public. Role may evolve to include: Managing own caseload of vulnerable housebound patients at risk of hospital admission and harm from poor use of medicines. Implementing own prescribing changes (as an independent prescriber) and ordering of monitoring tests. Attending and referring patients to multidisciplinary case conferences. Identifying key areas of need for vulnerable patients and formulating care plans. Working with colleagues, identifying and providing leadership on areas of prescribing and medicines optimisation. Conducting clinical audits and medicine optimisation projects or work with colleagues such as GP registrars, practice managers etc., feedback the results and implementing changes in conjunction with the practice team. Presenting results and providing leadership on suggested changes. Contributing to national and local research initiatives. Ensuring that patients are referred to the appropriate healthcare professional for the appropriate level of care within an appropriate period of time e.g. pathology test results, common/minor ailments, acute conditions, long term condition reviews etc. Please see the full job description for further information. Person Specification Skills and Knowledge Essential Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare An appreciation of the nature of GPs and General Practice An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills Excellent written and verbal communication Skills Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients) Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions. Good IT skills Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information Recognise priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines Produce timely and informative reports Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers. Work effectively independently and as a team member Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision Qualifications Essential Masters degree in Pharmacy (MPharm)or equivalent Clinical diploma Independent prescriber Completed Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway/CPPE Professional Registration Essential Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council Desirable Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society A member of or working towards Faculty membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Other Essential Self-motivation Adaptable Person Specification Skills and Knowledge Essential Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare An appreciation of the nature of GPs and General Practice An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills Excellent written and verbal communication Skills Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients) Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions. Good IT skills Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information Recognise priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines Produce timely and informative reports Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers. Work effectively independently and as a team member Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision Qualifications Essential Masters degree in Pharmacy (MPharm)or equivalent Clinical diploma Independent prescriber Completed Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway/CPPE Professional Registration Essential Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council Desirable Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society A member of or working towards Faculty membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Other Essential Self-motivation Adaptable 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). Additional information 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 Alliance for Better Care CIC Address Cuckfield Medical Practice Glebe Road Cuckfield Haywards Heath West Sussex RH17 5BQ Employer's website https://allianceforbettercare.org/ (Opens in a new tab)