Senior Rotational Pharmacist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In addition to maintaining a high level of generalist pharmaceutical knowledge, to actively develop and maintain a specialist level of therapeutic and pharmaceutical knowledge in a chosen speciality providing specialist support, education and development to junior pharmacists.

To provide professional, managerial and clinical leadership to the team of pharmacy staff involved in the delivery of pharmaceutical services across the division. To provide active support and mentorship to the Foundation Pharmacists to further develop their leadership potential.

To support the Lead Divisional and Directorate Pharmacist in developing, implementing and monitoring pharmacy services to the speciality, to ensure the service is consistent with Divisional priorities and requirements and is aligned to the over-arching patient focussed ethos of the pharmacy service whilst ensuring compliance with medicines legislation. To provide the division and Lead Divisional and Directorate Pharmacist with regular assurance that the pharmacy service is meeting agreed Key Performance Indicators.

To actively manage the day to day activities of Foundation Pharmacists, Medicines Management Pharmacy Technicians, Medicines Management Assistants and Pre-Registration Pharmacists to deliver a safe and responsive clinical and operationally effective service that meets the needs of patients and other healthcare staff.

To provide appropriate clinical supervision and mentorship of Foundation Pharmacists, pre-registration pharmacists, MSc students and pharmacy undergraduates in the provision of pharmaceutical care for patients on the legal, ethical, safe, clinical and cost-effective use of medicines, ensuring compliance with medicine legislation and national clinical guidelines.

To use specialist clinical knowledge to contribute to the development and implementation of policies and guidelines which ensure the safe and cost-effective use of medicines.

To identify developments to improve the management of medicines and medicine optimisation requirements of patients across acute medical wards and support the Lead Pharmacists in the development of appropriate outline business cases.

To review adverse clinical incidents relating to medicines use and support the Lead Pharmacists and Medication Safety Pharmacist in developing strategies to minimise risks during the use of medicines.

To provide Medicines Governance support within the multidisciplinary team responsible for the care of the patient group.

With the support of the Lead Pharmacists develop and interpret financial reports on medicines use within the Division, using specialist clinical knowledge to advise the Division on the cost effective use of medicines and identifying potential areas for cost minimisation.

To line manage and appraise Foundation pharmacists and Medicines Management Pharmacy Technicians and as requested by the Clinical Pharmacy Services Manager.

To actively participate in consultant and/or Registrar ward rounds within the division, taking the lead for inpatient prescribing and real-time prescribing of discharge medicines on ePMA during the rounds. To proactively provide advice and prescribing recommendations, in real time, to support adherence to national guidelines and formulary choices, cost-effective and safe prescribing optimised to the individual patient. To provide ad-hoc advice to junior Foundation years doctors making use of every teaching moment

To directly provide and monitor the delivery of pharmaceutical supply and medicines optimisation services to patients within the division according to their needs and ensuring compliance with medicines legislation. This includes prescription review and clinical screening, medicine supply, patient medication counselling and other activities associated with medicines management and optimisation.

To ensure seamless pharmaceutical care during admission and on discharge. This includes responsibility for ensuring that patients’ medication histories are correctly entered and maintained on the pharmacy computer system and that medicines are optimised for the patient with full engagement with the patient as a partner wherever possible

To support clinical risk management activities in medicine use and the safe and secure supply and storage of medicines.

To participate in the induction training and ongoing education of other healthcare professionals in aspects of medicines use including intravenous injection/infusion training and use of ePMA

To consistently deliver the Keogh standards across the division ensuring medicines optimisation for all patients has been undertaken within 24 hours of admission

To support the division in fulfilling their medicines management responsibilities through active involvement in the development of:

medication use protocols and policies

shared care protocols

formulary reviews and evaluations

patient group directions

multidisciplinary team working

To promote safe, economic and cost effective prescribing by

provision of specialist clinical pharmacy advice

encouraging correct use of the hospital formulary by challenging non-formulary prescribing and suggesting alternatives

utilisation of clinical drug use review and critical literature appraisal skills to inform specialist practice

encouraging evidence based prescribing

active support of Divisional QIPP objectives

To provide specialist pharmaceutical advice:

to clinicians on medicine choice / use, monitoring parameters

to patients, either individually or as part of a group, on the use of medicines and provide medicines optimisation activities

Audit, Research and Development

Participate in multi-disciplinary research or audit within own area of clinical practice including clinical trials

Participate in the pharmacy undergraduate, pre-registration, diploma and MSc student research activity in a specified patient population or directorate/clinical speciality

To actively participate in clinical audit programmes designed to develop and evaluate pharmaceutical care for the specified patient population or directorate/clinical speciality

Speciality Prescribing Practice

To take prescribing responsibility for the appropriate management of patients referred for medicines optimisation / reconciliation input or who otherwise fall within the agreed scope of practice when appropriate qualification obtained

In consultation with the Lead Directorate Pharmacist to identify and develop a specialism in a designated therapeutic area, developing specialist knowledge and obtaining Pharmacist Independent Prescriber qualifications as soon as appropriate.

Education and Training

Participate in the provision and evaluation of training in prescribing for junior medical staff

Participate in the provision and evaluation of training in pharmaceutical care for undergraduates, pre-registration and all grades of pharmacists including those studying for a Diploma/MSc in Clinical Pharmacy. This may include being a pre-registration pharmacist tutor and/or a Diploma tutor

Deliver education and training to pharmacy and other staff, including medical and nursing staff in relation to safe, clinical and cost-effective use of medicines in the Medicine Division

Provide education and training for patients and their carers on the safe and effective use of their medicines

Participate in regular specialist training in-house and in local and national specialist training events

Participate in the regular clinical training and supervision of Foundation and other grade pharmacists and pharmacy technicians

To personally fulfil the General Pharmaceutical Council CPD requirements and support managed staff to do the same

Please see full Job Description and Person Specification attached. If further information is required, please speak to our contact on the advert.

Bedfordshire Hospitals Pharmacy Department

Bedfordshire Hospitals Clinical Pharmacists  

Bedfordshire Hospitals Medicine Use and Quality 

Bedfordshire Hospitals Pharmacy – what our staff have to say  

Bedfordshire Hospitals – I love pharmacy because…