Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist-Education & Training and Perinatal

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The pharmacy department at Gloucester Royal Hospital provides the clinical pharmacy and dispensing services to Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC) under a service level agreement.

The post is responsible to the Lead Pharmacist for Community Mental Health Teams, and involves managing some staff within the mental health pharmacy team. 

For full details refer to the job description. 

Within the Pharmacy department at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHSFT, we are committed to supporting the South West Inclusive Pharmacy Practice manifesto (https://pwds.nhs.uk/associates/sw-ipp/ ), creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We recognise that a diverse team enhances our ability to provide patients with the best possible care and innovative solutions.

 We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or socioeconomic background. We are dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities in all aspects of employment, from recruitment to career development. We like members of our team to feel empowered to carry out their duties to the best of their abilities and we actively promote a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect.

 If you require any adjustments or support during the application process or in the workplace, please let us know. We are here to ensure that all candidates and employees can contribute fully and thrive in their roles.

Join us in making a difference—together, we can build a workplace that celebrates diverse perspectives and experiences.

Perinatal Services

Develop the governance and strategic aspects of the clinical pharmacy services to perinatal mental health services.

Develop the clinical pharmacy provision to the perinatal services.

Deliver an advanced clinical pharmacy service to perinatal service including regular participation in the MDTs.

Deliver direct patient care, undertake domiciliary visits, when appropriate.

Provision of specialist perinatal clinical advice to primary care prescribers.

Develop, implement and monitor medication related clinical policies and procedures for perinatal services.

To develop and undertake an independent prescribing role.

To initiate, collaborate in, analyse and report on multidisciplinary improvement projects and research involving the perinatal service.

Education and Training

Develop and lead a clear education and training strategy for the mental health pharmacy team and rotational members of staff. This covers all staff groups including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and assistant technical officers (ATOs).

Lead and coordinate delivery of this strategy to the team delegating duties as appropriate.

Oversee the design and review of the training programme for the rotational pharmacists coming in to mental health, ensuring that it is delivered as intended.

To act as a mentor for the mental health sections of the clinical pharmacy diploma and the specialist psychiatric pharmacy certificate/diploma to enrolled students.

Proactively support the learning of others about mental health pharmacy within the wider pharmacy team

Support the development, implementation and maintenance of education and training relating to medicines use for multidisciplinary clinical staff (e.g. nurses, doctors) working within GHC and GHFT.

Undertake the role of foundation pharmacist tutor as required.

To organise and co-ordinate the holiday work-experience for pharmacy degree undergraduates.

To push boundaries by creating initiatives regarding providing educational and support to patients and carers.

Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice and engage in supervision.

Undertake all mandatory training.

Clinical Pharmacy Services to Inpatient Wards and Community Mental Health Teams

Be responsible and accountable for providing a clinical pharmacy service to allocated inpatient wards and community teams:

Ensure that designated ward and team bases are visited by a pharmacist at agreed intervals.

Regularly attend and contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings.

Proactively review, rationalise and optimise patients’ medications.

Review all prescriptions regularly, ensuring adherence to legislation, national and local guidelines and formularies.

Advise on individual drug treatments, including possible adverse effects and interactions.

Undertake medicines reconciliation assurance in conjunction with the medicines management technicians.

Deal with and report medication incidents.

Work to improve patients’ concordance with medication.

Provide information to staff, patients and their representatives, including individual counselling on newly prescribed medicines and discharge counselling.

Produce comprehensive patient medication histories as needed.