The purpose of this role is to lead improvements to maximise safe, cost-effective best practice in prescribing to improve the quality of patient care. The post holder will help patients get the best from their medicines by switching medications to agreed and approved protocols, improving repeat prescribing processes in General Practice, including promotion of repeat dispensing and online ordering, minimising clinical risk, and aiming to reduce wasted medicines.
This is a part-time post working 15 hours per week. The post holder may be required to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for encouraging the development of a better understanding of the principles of medicines optimisation throughout the practice teams and promoting good practice in line with therapeutic developments. This will involve assisting the PCN in achieving national requirements, NICE implementation, and utilisation of medicine optimisation initiatives.
The post holder will need to liaise with hospital pharmacy teams, GP practices, local community pharmacists, social services, and care agencies to ensure any continuing medicine management issues are addressed and managed throughout the patients' care pathway e.g., from hospital stay through to discharge home. The post holder will provide relevant information to patients/carers and staff on matters relating to medication. The post holder will counsel patients on how to take their medicines and identify any barriers to them taking their medication, referring to a pharmacist as needed. The post holder will undertake face-to-face and person-centred consultations with an emphasis on shared decision making.
Job responsibilities
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES
* Conduct detailed medicines reconciliation including an assessment of patients' adherence to treatments prescribed - where appropriate. Any discrepancies should be evaluated and discussed with the relevant prescriber and referred to the Clinical Pharmacist for further advice or clarification. Resolve where appropriate medication adherence issues (e.g., changing administration times) under supervision.
* As determined by the PCN, support medication reviews and medicines reconciliation for new care home patients and synchronising medicines for patient transfers between care settings, linking with local community pharmacies.
* Support the Clinical Pharmacist in Structured Medication Reviews (SMR) i.e., organise necessary monitoring tests prior to SMR.
* Provide expertise to address both the public health and social care needs of patients, including lifestyle advice, service information and help in tackling local health inequalities.
* Manage shared care protocols and liaise with Clinical Pharmacists for more complex patients.
* Provide pharmaceutical support and deal with medication queries to integrated services including rest homes as appropriate. Contribute to patient care by providing professional advice within competence. This may involve advising on complex situations where there are a range of options/solutions. Advice may be related to the legal framework for the management of medicines, or it may be clinical relating to medicines optimisation to ensure patient compliance with their medication.
* Counsel patients and their relatives/carers on how to manage their medicines, identify administration or adherence problems and provide supportive information to promote concordance, where appropriate.
* Support initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing locally.
* Record all significant interventions (where there is a risk of harm to patients) via the Ulysses system. Discuss interventions with prescribers and the multi-disciplinary team as appropriate and follow up outcomes with relevant clinical staff.
* Attend MDT meetings and contribute to admission avoidance work.
* Support care home service managers with medicines optimisation for care home residents.
* Carry out home visits to support patients and their Carers with managing medication.
Person Specification
Experience
* Recent experience of Medicines Management within a hospital or general practice setting.
* Basic IT skills, normally obtained through practice or practical training.
* Recent experience in a similar role.
* Familiarity with the workings of multiple care settings.
* Recent experience of developing and implementing pharmaceutical care initiatives.
* Evidence of involvement in education and training of other professionals.
* Knowledge of SystmOne.
Qualifications
* Holds a Pharmacy Technician qualification recognised by the GPhC.
* Registered as a Pharmacy Technician with the GPhC.
* Recognised, current Medicines Management Qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
* Evidenced continuous professional development record.
Personal Skills & Qualities
* Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with individuals from all agencies and at all levels including service users, carers, and professionals.
* Demonstrated ability in having excellent communication and organisational skills.
* Self-motivated and able to work with limited direction.
* Demonstrated ability to work methodically and accurately.
* Demonstrated ability to support colleagues and check own or colleagues' work as appropriate.
* Ability to work independently without direct supervision.
* Demonstrable skills in written and spoken English, adequate to enable the post holder to carry out the role effectively.
* Car driver or otherwise independently mobile.
* Ability and commitment to engage with and empower service users and carers.
* Excellent written and oral presentation skills.
* Demonstrated ability in training.
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.
Depending on experience Band 5 - Depending on experience
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