Chief Pharmacist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Chief Pharmacist is responsible for the management of all aspects of pharmaceutical services provided to the Trust. The post holder is expected to provide professional leadership and pharmaceutical advice at an appropriate level throughout the Trust.

The Chief Pharmacist sets strategic direction for medicines optimisation and medicines management activities at RJAH through expert knowledge, clinical leadership, strategic planning and governance oversight.  From a governance perspective it is essential that the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Chief Pharmacist standards are adhered to and actively integrated into the responsibilities of this role:

·         Provide strategic and professional leadership for the Pharmacy Department and all aspects of medicines use within RJAH.

·         Develop a workforce with the right skills, knowledge and experience to be ensure delivery of a safe and effective Pharmacy service to all RJAH patients.

·         Ensure there is appropriate delegation and organisation of responsibilities and make sure there are clear lines of accountability.

·         Maintain and strengthen governance to ensure safe and effective delivery of pharmacy services and medicines use across the Trust.

The Chief Pharmacist is the Trust Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO).  The CDAO is responsible for the management of controlled drugs and related governance issues within the organisation. The roles and responsibilities of CDAOs are governed by the Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2013 and all CDAOs must be on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) list of CDAOs. The CDAOs are required to participate in Controlled Drugs Local Intelligence Networks (CD LINs), submit a quarterly report of incidents to them and to share intelligence, concerns and good practice within their area. 

Key Job Responsibilities and Priorities

 ·         Provide clinical leadership and expertise and have corporate responsibility for all aspects of medicines optimisation and medicines management (delegated from the Chief Executive and reporting through the Medical Director). This includes medical gases, advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and any investigational medicinal products (IMPs) that prescribed and administered in the Trust.  

·         Fulfil the statutory requirements of the Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs on behalf of the Trust.  

·         Provide clinical leadership in transforming the way the Trust handles medicines, in every way, to optimise their use. The expectation is strategic engagement at the highest levels. Trust Board assurance is provided by regular reports to the Quality and Safety Committee.

·         Have accountability for clinical governance and assurance within the Pharmacy Directorate and wider Trust regarding medicines optimisation and medicines management. This includes responsibility for all Trust medicines related policies and ensuring medicines related committees /meetings are in place.

·         Ensure that the Trust retains all statutory licenses it requires for its pharmaceutical activities.

·         Ensure that all pharmacy practice is compliant and provided within the boundaries described within the latest version of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Medicines, Ethics and Practice; standards provided by regulators Care Quality Commission (CQC), MHRA, GPhC, commissioners and other authoritative bodies (e.g. National Institute of Clinical Excellence). 

·         Ensure that all practice relating to Medicines Optimisation throughout the Trust broadly complies with the current legislative and regulatory framework and, where practice is found to be non-compliant, this is addressed through risk registers and relevant Trust processes.

·         Professionally and managerially accountable for the direct delivery of all pharmaceutical services provided to the Trust and other external customers via service level agreements. 

·         Perform the statutory legal responsibilities and duties of the ‘Superintendent Pharmacist’ (as required by the GPhC).

·         Attend relevant ICB, ICS and Trust Committees to represent the Pharmacy Directorate and ensuring medicines optimisation implications are considered.

·         Be a member of and contribute to key Committees within Trust and health economy including: Medicines Value Group; Integrated Medicines Optimisation Group; Drug and Therapeutics meeting, Regulatory Oversight meeting, Medical Gas Meeting, Patient Safety Meeting and any other meetings relevant to the strategic and professional role.

·         Continuing to develop the Medicines Optimisation strategic plan to align pharmaceutical and medicines related services to meet Trust-wide and ICS needs to drive both quality improvement and productivity gains. 

·         Leading and implementing on transformational change and a digital medicines roadmap.

·         Enabling excellent partnerships with Trust Finance team and commissioners to deliver contractual requirements. Includes:  formulary management and entry of new medicines; management of high-cost medicines, relevant medicines related budgets and cost improvement programmes; implementation of commissioning guidelines for medicines.  

·         Line management of all the relevant pharmacy staff (through relevant Human Resources policies and processes) and to be responsible for their performance management and annual personal development plans.  

·         Lead the development of the pharmacy workforce through implementing professional career pathways frameworks. 

·         Ensure that there is a proactive plan in place regarding staff engagement and well-being.  

·         Ensure that services provided are progressive, responsive to internal and external demand, are patient focused, safe, efficient and effective. 

·         Network at a Regional and National level with pharmacy professional leads including membership of national and regional pharmacy committees.

·         Support the strategic Trust objectives relating to education, research and innovation. This includes: working in collaboration with local education providers and the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network; delivery of clinical trials (commercial, Trust sponsored, portfolio) involving medicines and investigational medicinal products in accordance with MHRA Good Clinical Practice.

·         Lead and develop pharmacy practice research agenda.

·         Manage the Directorate’s pay, non-pay and income in accordance with Standing Finance instructions. Provide strategic input into the management of the Trust’s medicines budget by horizon scanning, forecasting cost pressures and identification of cost improvement programmes.  

·         Be a designated signature for medicines orders and invoices and ensure delegated authority is robust and in place for the procurement of medicines. 

·         Have accountability for the audit of all aspects of the pharmacy service against agreed standards and implementation of any remedial action plans and recommendations.

·         Contribute strategically as a member of the Specialist Unit senior leadership team and the Trust Management Group.

·         Provide professional and clinical leadership regarding medicines optimisation by working in collaboration with other provider Chief Pharmacists and Pharmacy leaders in the Integrated Care System to deliver efficiencies and building relationships with primary care providers as new clinical leadership structures emerge.

·         Professionally lead and manage the RJAH Medication Safety Officer.