JOB DIMENSIONS Leads the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients and the multidisciplinary team within a given clinical speciality. Ensures medicines are used appropriately, safely, and cost-effectively in accordance with Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieved in specific circumstances. Manage other pharmacists providing specialised clinical pharmacy service within own clinical speciality depending on size of area. Works directly and regularly with consultants, senior nursing staff and managers within the clinical speciality. Monitors and interprets expenditure on medicines within own clinical speciality. Provides the Directorate with regular reports to assist in the safe use of medicines, the management of the drug budget and clinical governance issues. The report also includes risk management such as the recording of significant clinical interventions and near misses. Supervise, along with other members of their multidisciplinary team, the development and implementation of treatment protocols, and guidelines for use of drugs within the clinical area. Responsible for training pharmacists, and other health care professionals, on aspects of drug use within the clinical area. Provides minimum of at least one 4 hour session of service cover in the dispensary or aseptic dispensary each week. Participates in evening, weekend and bank holiday rota and where appropriate, out of hours services. To act as the Responsible Pharmacist in line with local procedures. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED Masters qualification in Pharmacy (4 years) or equivalent qualification plus one year pre-registration experience Registrant of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Postgraduate diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience or qualification Non medical prescriber status Substantial post registration experience as a practising clinical pharmacist. Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF) Experience of dealing with highly complex clinical issues which require the pharmacist to analyse information from a range of sources, which may not be in agreement, to formulate a response. In such situations, it may be necessary to find a novel solution to an unusual clinical situation. The pharmacist will have developed negotiating and persuasive skills with other clinical team members, patients and relatives Experience of dealing with a wide variety and grade of hospital staff (including senior medical and managerial staff) on a regular and ongoing basis Specialist knowledge of clinical area/department which demonstrates ability to manage a caseload, preferably within the clinical speciality PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY Clinical Lead the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients and the multidisciplinary team within a given clinical speciality. Supports the Trust's Prescribing Standards and challenges practice where prescribers have not adhered to the Medicines Code. Demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost-effective use of medicines in accordance with Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. This will include individual prescription review to optimise therapy, advising on dosage and side effects and on safe administration of medicines. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieve in specific circumstances. Pharmacists who are registered as prescribers will, with the agreement of the clinical director of the speciality, prescribe within their level of competence, to support patient care. Plan, manage, monitor and review individual patient care plans. Participate in consultant ward rounds and multi-disciplinary team meetings. Manage difficult and ambiguous problems, often when information is limited. Undertake risk management, including investigating clinical incidents in the clinical area and ensuring compliance with medicine legislation. The post holder will be expected to identify, where necessary, areas that require service changes and develop a strategy to carry out the change through consultation with senior colleagues within and outside the pharmacy. Manage the introduction of new drugs, including unlicensed drugs, into the clinical speciality. Manage the clinical pharmacist input into clinical trials. Develop and update policies for the safe, effective and economic use of medicines through discussion with medical and nursing staff. Communication with Primary Care about medicines policies or guidelines specific for their area of practice. Management Monitor and interpret expenditure on medicines within own clinical speciality. Provide the Directorate with regular reports to assist in the management of the drug budget a. Attend the monthly Clinical Speciality Management meetings to advise on medicine use and financial implications - Horizon scan for new drugs and advise the clinical speciality meetings on the financial implications b. Co-ordinate Medicines Use Savings Projects c. Review prescribing data from out-patient clinics Contribution to financial initiatives Write or respond to business cases for service development to secure additional funding. Responsible for day to day supervision / management of specialist clinical pharmacists in clinical speciality (some staff) Research and Education Occasionally participates in research and development within clinical speciality Undertakes own research/audit within clinical speciality Supervise, teach, and assess junior pharmacy staff completing training modules within the clinical area. This input varies, mostly based on the experience of the post holder, and will typically include: - Acting as a trainer to pre-registration and junior pharmacists in their area of specialist practice - Being a named tutor for a pre-registration and/or diploma pharmacist - Lecturing on clinical issues relevant to the specialty, as part of the pre-registration training program, the clinical diploma, and any other in service training. The post holder is also expected to participate in the training of other clinical professionals within their specialist area as requested. Develop the role of a specialist pharmacist through national links. Other Provide a service commitment, typically a four hour session to a specific area within the pharmacy department e.g. dispensary, aseptics or medicines information Perform other duties as directed by manager Participate in the weekend service and where contracted, the emergency duty service