Job summary Haywards Heath Central PCN are looking for a Clinical Pharmacist to work at Newtons Practice. The post holder will report to the GP Clinical Lead within the PCN for clinical supervision. They will also have strong working relationships with the Practice Managers and other clinicians in the network. ABC will provide consistent employment support throughout the appointment. As part of clinical duties, the successful candidates will join the multi-disciplinary staff in providing comprehensive care and will work with patients, carers, and families. ABC as employer will provide support and ensure access to the NHSE England training programme as well as a local network of Clinical Pharmacists working in general practice. This post is part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme for Primary Care Networks funded by NHS England and includes funded access to the Clinical Pharmacist Training Pathway for any further modules required to complete the pathway. The post holder is a Pharmacist, who acts within their professional boundaries, supporting and working alongside a pharmacist team in general practice. In this role they will be supported by a GP Clinical Lead who will develop, manage and mentor them. The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient-facing role. The post holder will take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the practice and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex polypharmacy. Main duties of the job The post holder will provide primary support to general practice staff with regards to prescription and medication queries. They will help support the repeat prescription system, deal with acute prescription requests, and medicines reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing, providing expertise in clinical medicines advice while addressing both public and social care needs of patient in the GP practice(s). The post holder 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. The post holder 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. The role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver excellent service within general practice. The post holder will be supported to develop their role to become a nonmedical prescriber (if not already a prescriber). 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. Haywards Heath Central PCN is a NHS Collaboration between two GP Practices Dolphins Practice and Newtons 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. We are supported by practitioners in additional roles who allow us to create bespoke multi-disciplinary teams based on the needs of our local population. Date posted 05 November 2024 Pay scheme Other Salary £41,351.78 to £48,450.20 a year depending on experience, pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Part-time Reference number B0141-24-0079 Job locations Newtons Practice Heath Road Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 3BB Job description Job responsibilities Primary duties and areas of responsibility From Start of Post: See (where appropriate) patients with single or multiple medical problems where medicine optimisation is required (e.g. COPD, asthma) Review the on-going need for each medicine, a review of monitoring needs and an opportunity to support patients with their medicines taking ensuring they get the best use of their medicines (i.e. medicines optimisation). Make appropriate recommendations to Senior Pharmacists or GPs for medicine improvement Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients and produce recommendations for senior clinical pharmacist, nurses and/or GP on prescribing and monitoring Provide patient facing clinics for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines in the practice Provide telephone support for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines Act 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 To reconcile 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 Set up and manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high-risk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes) Ensure 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 Produce and implement a practice repeat prescribing policy in line with the recommendations Medicines Management Team Manage 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. Ensure patients have appropriate monitoring tests in place when required Support the contractual requirements to support frail patients with their medication including medication review and some patient identification (i.e. patients with problematic polypharmacy) Undertake clinical audits of prescribing in areas directed by the GPs, feedback the results and implement changes in conjunction with the practice team Work with MMT to support the implementation of local and national guidelines including NICE, Prescribing Formularies etc Liaise with hospital colleagues where prescribing needs to be returned to specialists. Provide education and training to primary healthcare team on therapeutics and medicines optimisation Work with the general practice team to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved To support public health campaigns To provide specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public Implement changes to medicines that result from MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local and national guidance Role may evolve to include: Review the use of medicines most commonly associated with unplanned hospital admissions and readmissions through audit and individual patient reviews Put in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk patient groups Managing caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments Signposting to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals where appropriate Please see full job description for further information Job description Job responsibilities Primary duties and areas of responsibility From Start of Post: See (where appropriate) patients with single or multiple medical problems where medicine optimisation is required (e.g. COPD, asthma) Review the on-going need for each medicine, a review of monitoring needs and an opportunity to support patients with their medicines taking ensuring they get the best use of their medicines (i.e. medicines optimisation). Make appropriate recommendations to Senior Pharmacists or GPs for medicine improvement Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients and produce recommendations for senior clinical pharmacist, nurses and/or GP on prescribing and monitoring Provide patient facing clinics for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines in the practice Provide telephone support for patients with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines Act 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 To reconcile 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 Set up and manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high-risk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes) Ensure 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 Produce and implement a practice repeat prescribing policy in line with the recommendations Medicines Management Team Manage 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. Ensure patients have appropriate monitoring tests in place when required Support the contractual requirements to support frail patients with their medication including medication review and some patient identification (i.e. patients with problematic polypharmacy) Undertake clinical audits of prescribing in areas directed by the GPs, feedback the results and implement changes in conjunction with the practice team Work with MMT to support the implementation of local and national guidelines including NICE, Prescribing Formularies etc Liaise with hospital colleagues where prescribing needs to be returned to specialists. Provide education and training to primary healthcare team on therapeutics and medicines optimisation Work with the general practice team to ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved To support public health campaigns To provide specialist knowledge on all public health programmes available to the general public Implement changes to medicines that result from MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local and national guidance Role may evolve to include: Review the use of medicines most commonly associated with unplanned hospital admissions and readmissions through audit and individual patient reviews Put in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk patient groups Managing caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments Signposting to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals where appropriate Please see full job description for further information Person Specification Behaviours & Values Essential Self-Motivation Adaptable Skills & Abilities Essential Ability to solve problems effectively and timely and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and when to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate 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) Ability to plan, prioritise, manage, monitor, advise and review clinical and general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions Good IT skills Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information Able to work under pressure and challenging situations to meet deadlines Produce timely and informative reports Knowledge & Experience Essential Minimum of 2 years experience post-qualification In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based medicine and healthcare Good knowledge of service developments in medicines, prescribing, NHS policy and other relevant policy directives A good understanding of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing Excellent understanding and implementation of legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct Good understanding of patient centred care and impact on care quality and outcomes Good understanding of patients role in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance Experience of multi-disciplinary team working Experience of committees/working groups Drug information experience Experience in writing complex and high quality reports Experience in audit, research and analysis of highly complex information related to improving clinical quality Desirable Experience in supervising staff Experience of independent patient consultation, review and recommendations/prescribing Research, Leadership & Management Essential Demonstrates ability to critically evaluate and review literature Demonstrates ability to identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support practice Demonstrates ability to generate evidence suitable for presentation at local level Demonstrates ability to apply the research evidence base into working practice Demonstrates understanding of the principles of research governance Demonstrates ability to work as a member of the research team Demonstrates understanding of the pharmacy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace Demonstrates understanding of, and contributes to organisational vision Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service Reviews progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others Demonstrates ability to motivate self to achieve goals Demonstrates understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol Qualifications Essential Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council Undergraduate degree in pharmacy (MPharm) Desirable Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society A member of or working towards Faculty membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Clinical diploma Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice Independent prescriber CPPE Clinical Pharmacist training pathway (18 month programme) Person Specification Behaviours & Values Essential Self-Motivation Adaptable Skills & Abilities Essential Ability to solve problems effectively and timely and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and when to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate 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) Ability to plan, prioritise, manage, monitor, advise and review clinical and general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions Good IT skills Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information Able to work under pressure and challenging situations to meet deadlines Produce timely and informative reports Knowledge & Experience Essential Minimum of 2 years experience post-qualification In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based medicine and healthcare Good knowledge of service developments in medicines, prescribing, NHS policy and other relevant policy directives A good understanding of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing Excellent understanding and implementation of legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct Good understanding of patient centred care and impact on care quality and outcomes Good understanding of patients role in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance Experience of multi-disciplinary team working Experience of committees/working groups Drug information experience Experience in writing complex and high quality reports Experience in audit, research and analysis of highly complex information related to improving clinical quality Desirable Experience in supervising staff Experience of independent patient consultation, review and recommendations/prescribing Research, Leadership & Management Essential Demonstrates ability to critically evaluate and review literature Demonstrates ability to identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support practice Demonstrates ability to generate evidence suitable for presentation at local level Demonstrates ability to apply the research evidence base into working practice Demonstrates understanding of the principles of research governance Demonstrates ability to work as a member of the research team Demonstrates understanding of the pharmacy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace Demonstrates understanding of, and contributes to organisational vision Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service Reviews progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others Demonstrates ability to motivate self to achieve goals Demonstrates understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service Demonstrates understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation Demonstrates understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice Demonstrates ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol Qualifications Essential Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council Undergraduate degree in pharmacy (MPharm) Desirable Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society A member of or working towards Faculty membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Clinical diploma Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice Independent prescriber CPPE Clinical Pharmacist training pathway (18 month programme) 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 Newtons Practice Heath Road Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 3BB Employer's website https://allianceforbettercare.org/ (Opens in a new tab)