Specialist Pharmacist Healthcare of the Elderly (HCE) and Frailty
If you are an enthusiastic, motivated and dynamic clinical pharmacist looking to take the next step in your career to specialise in Healthcare of Elderly and Frailty then we would love to hear from you.
This post will provide the opportunity for you to develop your skills in all aspects of older persons healthcare including inpatient care and acute frailty services. You will be given opportunities to explore and develop your own interests within the role and supported to build your career portfolio.
Depending on the stage of your career, a diploma, or independent prescribing qualification will be funded. Practice research is encouraged and will be supported in this role; the Lead Pharmacist for Healthcare of Elderly, Frailty, and Medicine is a clinical academic with a strong record of attracting research funding and the department has previously hosted academic internships.
This is a really exciting time to join University Hospitals Plymouth as following significant investment by the Trust Board, as part of a 5 year workforce plan, we are looking for pharmacists who are passionate about patient care and share our commitment to support and complement the multi-disciplinary team as we develop integration of clinical pharmacy services across all areas of the Trust.
Main duties of the job
o This post holder will be responsible for the provision of a high-quality patient focused clinical pharmacy service for patients within the Healthcare of the Elderly (HCE) and Frailty areas.
o Provide practice supervision of pharmacy staff (trainees, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and support staff) and other healthcare employees across the organisation.
o Provide expert advice on medications (supply and clinical issues) to the HCE and frailty areas.
o To participate in the delivery of a high-quality clinical pharmacy service ensuring the safe, effective, and economical use of medicines for patients attending and admitted to University Hospitals Plymouth.
o Work with the Advanced Specialist and Lead pharmacists within the Healthcare of the Elderly and Frailty areas to develop guidelines, protocols and PGDs.
o Undertake audits and engage with Quality Improvement and Healthcare of the Elderly and Frailty orientated research.
o Deputise for the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist for HCE, Frailty, and Medicine on occasion as required.
o Participate in the on-call and out of hours service as per the departmental rota.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
About us
University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS is the largest hospital on the Southwest Peninsula providing comprehensive secondary and tertiary care to a population of around 2,000,000 people who can access our specialist services including cardiothoracic surgery, kidney transplantation, neurosurgery, specialist cancer treatments and the regional trauma Centre. We work closely with our community partners in delivering comprehensive health and social care
The Health Care for the Elderly (HCE) Department provides a high-quality patient focused service across Plymouth, South Devon and East Cornwall. The Department is based both at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust where all acute and urgent care for patients takes place, and across community sites where there are extensive facilities for rehabilitation and longer-term care. The HCE department also provides a broad range of services including falls, dementia, frailty, Parkinson's disease, stroke and orthogeriatrics.
From September 2024, the highly-ranked University of Bath MPharm degree will be available to study at the University of Plymouth. There will be opportunities for pharmacist colleagues to participate in these educational activities, with the potential for more formal roles in the future.
The Pharmacy team are considered an integral member of the multidisciplinary team, joining a team of clinicians, nurse specialists, therapy staff and other allied healthcare professionals.
Job responsibilities
Responsible to the Lead Pharmacist for HCE, Frailty, and Medicine and Advanced Specialist Pharmacist HCE and frailty in providing clinical pharmacy services to patients within Healthcare of the Elderly and Frailty.
Work as a member of the Clinical Pharmacy Team, Healthcare of the Elderly, and Frailty Service Lines and wider UHP pharmacy team.
Provide specialist clinical pharmacy care to patients in the Healthcare of the Elderly/Frailty areas and related units.
Deputise for the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist for HCE and Frailty as required (with appropriate support).
Manage ward rotas for HCE and frailty areas in conjunction with the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist.
To undertake and develop competence in activities in the following areas:
o Departmental evening, weekend, and bank holiday service
o Departmental first on call rota and participate in out of hours on-call pharmacy service
o Department, HCE and frailty service lines, quality improvement and audit agenda
o HCE and frailty focussed research
o Practice supervision of junior pharmacists and trainees
o Complete designated/educational supervisor training and become an educational supervisor for trainee pharmacists and/or pre-registration pharmacy technicians
o Submit or support formulary applications to the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee (DTC)
o Medicines finance reporting and monitoring of drug expenditure and finance budgets
o Commissioning of high cost drugs and supporting or submitting a request for a non-commissioned treatment
o MDT meetings including consultant-led ward rounds
o Formulary adherence
o Patient safety management and governance activities including investigation of medicines related incidents and management of medication shortages.
o First port of contact for Medicines Information enquiries in clinical area
o Role model and mentor for newly qualified staff
o Demonstrate collaborative working with the MDT and wider pharmacy team.
o Deliver education and training external to the department and for non-pharmacy staff
Continue to develop Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) portfolio working toward the advanced pharmacist framework and progression to an advanced specialist role in HCE and frailty
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
* Relevant post-registration demonstrable experience as a pharmacist in UK and broad knowledge base of clinical areas including Healthcare of Elderly and/or frailty.
* Good general pharmaceutical & clinical proven knowledge.
* An understanding of pharmacy interfaces and current large clinical setting drivers affecting these.
* Demonstrable experience of day to day supervision and assisting in training of trainee pharmacists and or technicians.
* Proven knowledge of treatment pathways and medicines optimisation priorities with the areas of Healthcare of the Elderly and Frailty.
* Training in medicines information.
* Preparation of prescribing guidelines.
* Submissions to Drugs and Therapeutics Committee.
* Management demonstrable experience, including clinical supervision of junior staff.
* Provision of ward based clinical pharmacy services
* Demonstrable experience in undertaking and presenting research (includes audit, quality, and service improvement projects).
* Demonstrable engagement experience including clinical supervision of junior staff.
Qualifications
* Proven Master's Degree, or equivalent, in Pharmacy followed by proven pre-registration training.
* Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
* Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy or Equivalent.
* Working towards Post-Graduate Certificate/ Diploma/MSc in Clinical Pharmacy.
* Member of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA).
* Further clinical, research, or management qualification.
* Postgraduate qualification in HCE or frailty (e.g. geriatric diploma).
* Non-medical prescriber (or must be willing to undertake this when requested).
* Working towards RPS faculty submission.
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.
Lead Pharmacist for HCE, Frailty, and Medicine
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