Advanced Specialist Gastroenterology Clinical Pharmacist, Band 8a

Job overview

Advanced Specialist Gastroenterology Clinical Pharmacist, Band 8a (Fixed-term)- 15 hours a week

We have an opportunity for a clinically confident and patient focused clinical pharmacist to deliver and develop our clinical pharmacy service for inflammatory bowel disease . Working alongside gastroenterology consultants and inflammatory bowel disease specialist nurses and in close collaboration with homecare, biologics and formulary pharmacists, you will play a vital role in the development of clinical pharmacy services for gastroenterology.

Utilising your independent prescribing qualification, you will manage the inflammatory bowel disease homecare prescribing of biologic therapies and will undertake patient consultations and counselling for newly prescribed therapies.

You will provide expert advice on gastroenterology therapies to support the review and development of guidelines and patient education resources and assist with biosimilar switches.

Additional working pattern details: Plus weekend/bank holiday working rota

Job description

The postholder(s) will work within the Gastroenterology team, and-

- Conduct outpatient clinic appointments

- Prescribe and Monitor specialist medicines for inflammatory bowel disease

- Registering patients for homecare and completing prescriptions

- Requesting, reviewing and monitoring lab results and other relevant investigations

- Infusion prescribing and chart rewrites for case day admissions

- Counselling patients on complex medication

- Participate in MDT

- Consultation with patients between appointments where required to resolve medication and prescription issues.

- Respond to medication related questions from other members of the MDT

- Demonstrate excellent communication skills, verbal and written documentation.

- Review and write policies and procedures as required

- Implement new medicines when they become available/NICE approved (e.g. formulary, pathways, setting up homecare service where applicable)

For more information or to arrange an informal visit, please contact:David Richards (david.richards@nhs.net) Tel: 0300 422 6841

Job responsibilities

The post-holder will be responsible for delivering and developing an advanced clinical pharmacy service to the Gastroenterology Department, in particular for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. They will provide an expert pharmaceutical service for the management these patients, deliver high quality pharmaceutical care and improve patient safety. They will provide information and advice to the Gastroenterology team about drugs, doses administration and potential side effects, including initiating and modifying treatment. They will educate patients about changes to their medication and how to take specific medicines.

The post-holder(s) will be an independent prescriber and prescribe medicines for agreed patients within their own level of experience and competence, and in line with current legislation and local polices. They will mainly work within the outpatient setting (conducting outpatient clinic appointments) but as required by the service may cover an in-patient ward. They will review patients as part of a pharmacist led consultation which may include prescribing medication, ordering and interpreting bloods tests or other investigations and corresponding with Primary Care. They will access and interpret clinical information e.g., from the ePMA system (Sunrise Clinical Manager), the Patient administration system (TrakCare), Pharmacy computer system (EMIS) as well as case notes. They will work with the speciality to reduce waiting lists and streamline patient follow up.

As a member of the wider clinical pharmacy team, the post-holder(s) will be required to provide general pharmacist duties within the department and to other clinical specialities as the service requires. This would involve provision of a ward clinical pharmacy service. The post holder(s) would be responsible for:

- Reviewing prescriptions to ensure they are legal, safe, cost effective, clinically necessary and appropriate, accurate and complete.

- Undertaking medicines optimisation and reconciliation

- Arrange for drugs to be supplied to a patient, ward or department

Participation in pharmacy department late night, weekend and bank holiday rotas will be required. Based on the needs of the service and at the discretion of the Associate Pharmacy Directors, the post holder(s) may be required to work at both the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital sites.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

- Four year Vocational Masters degree with one years postgraduate competency assessment with examination to enter the register otherwise Bachelor of Pharmacy degree or Bachelor of Science degree along with equivalent skills gained through experience

- Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

- Provide evidence of Continuing Professional Development to comply with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) requirements

- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent skills gained through significant experience as a clinical pharmacist within hospital pharmacy

- Pharmacist Independent Prescribing qualification

- Knowledge of current therapeutics within area of clinical responsibility and promote evidence based practice

- Able to work alone and unsupervised

- Ability to organise and prioritise own workload including dealing with frequent interruptions

- Effective oral and written communication with colleagues, staff and patients.

- Ability to write reports and make presentations to a range of colleagues in various settings

- Intermediate competence in standard range of IT programs

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1.Provision of Clinical Services/Clinical Responsibilities

The postholder(s) will work within the Gastroenterology team, and-

- Conduct outpatient clinic appointments

- Prescribe and Monitor specialist medicines for inflammatory bowel disease

- Registering patients for homecare and completing prescriptions

- Requesting, reviewing and monitoring lab results and other relevant investigations

- Infusion prescribing and chart rewrites for case day admissions

- Counselling patients on complex medication

- Participate in MDT

- Consultation with patients between appointments where required to resolve medication and prescription issues.

- Respond to medication related questions from other members of the MDT

- Demonstrate excellent communication skills, verbal and written documentation.

- Review and write policies and procedures as required

- Implement new medicines when they become available/NICE approved (e.g. formulary, pathways, setting up homecare service where applicable)

As a member of the wider clinical pharmacy team, the post-holder(s) will be required to provide general pharmacist duties within the department and to other clinical specialities as the service requires. This would involve provision of a ward clinical pharmacy service. The post holder(s) would be responsible for:

- Reviewing prescriptions to ensure they are legal, safe, cost effective, clinically necessary and appropriate, accurate and complete.

- Undertaking medicines optimisation and reconciliation

- Arrange for drugs to be supplied to a patient, ward or department

2. Professional Development, Education and Training

Participate in the departmental clinical pharmacy induction and development programme through;

- Involvement in the devising of training and development programmes

- Provide clinical supervision of less experienced pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and vacation students as required

- Act as a clinical diploma tutor for junior pharmacists as appropriate

- Develop and deliver education and training in line with local and national objectives and contribute to pharmacy modernisation initiatives being undertaken within the department.

- Be involved in, and lead where appropriate, the recruitment, selection, induction and appraisal of new staff.

Conduct formal and in-formal teaching sessions for medical professionals and nursing and pharmacy staff on;

- Therapeutics within area of clinical responsibility.

- The prescribing and administering of medicines and appropriate Trust policies.

Support clinical placements for undergraduate pharmacy students and participate in the programme through;

- Supervision of ward-based activities

- Tutorials

- Assessment of students participation and work produced during placement, and the provision of formal feedback to the university as required.

3. Management and Leadership

- Promote positive and effective communication

- Act as the central point of contact between the Pharmacy Department and the Gastroenterology Department

- Represent the service, and the department, as part of multi-professional teams, and at meetings (Departmental and Divisional)

- Support the Clinical Governance agenda by advising on strategy for reducing medication errors and improving safety in conjunction with the Associate Pharmacy Directors and Lead Clinical Pharmacists

- Investigate individual adverse incidents related to drug use within the speciality in collaboration with the Clinical Risk and Effectiveness Department.

- Monitor trends associated with errors in prescribing, dispensing or administering drugs

- Produce financial reports as appropriate.

- Work with the Biologics Pharmacists to co-ordinate the adoption of best value bio-similars.

- Work with the Formulary Pharmacy team to monitor drug expenditure, horizon scan for new medicines within speciality and support the implementation of NICE technology Appraisals

- Act as a role model for junior pharmacy staff

- Line management of junior pharmacists (including appraisals, career development interviews and performance management)

- Manage and/or supervise MOTs and junior Pharmacists as necessary

- Deputise for Line Manager where delegated/instructed

4. Research and Development

- Maintain safe systems of work at all times, being responsible for the quality and accuracy of all work undertaken

- Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to deliver an evidence based service.

- Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources

- Understand and contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies/ protocols/ guidelines relevant to the specialist area.

- Contribute to the clinical pharmacy service strategy including participation in the clinical pharmacy meetings.

- Work with departmental leads to enhance service where appropriate in order to increase efficiency and modernise the department e.g. prepare business plans for proposed new service developments.

- To be responsible for implementing changes in clinical pharmacy practice and reducing variation in prescribing practice.

- Plan, undertake and participate in project work and clinical audit to monitor and develop the service.

To promote a research culture within the pharmacy department e.g. by encouraging pharmacy staff to publish articles, to integrate research evidence into practice, and to identify gaps in the evidence base.

About the organisation

We take pride in placing people at the centre of everything we do, working together as a united team. Driven by a shared ambition to continually grow, develop, and learn, we recognise and value every contribution. By combining our experience and skills, we not only support our vibrant, diverse communities, but also support one another.

With a team of over 9,000 employees, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire and rank among the top 10 largest Trusts in the South West region. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from an excellent package that includes exclusive benefits, flexible working opportunities and the chance to gain valuable experience in one or both of our innovative hospitals.

As well as generous annual leave allowance, you will have access to the excellent NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, access to two on-site nurseries, discounted public transport, reward and recognition and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Active registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• UK recognised Degree in Pharmacy
• Qualified as a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber

Desirable

• Health assessment skills qualification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Extensive knowledge of medicines optimisation acquired through Post graduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or equivalent experience or training
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written. Able to produce a range of written documents, including drug usage reports, SOPs, policies and guidelines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Able to challenge inappropriate prescribing and influence prescribing decisions of all healthcare professionals including senior medical colleagues.
• Able to effectively and appropriately escalate concerns to reduce risk & promote safety
• Be proficient in IT and applications including Word, Excel, Outlook

Experience

Essential

• Significant clinical experience working in a UK hospital at minimum band 7 level equivalent or above, covering a wide range of duties
• Experience delivering and developing a clinical pharmacy service
• Evidence of significant personal development, professionally and managerially

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Self-motivated, able to use initiative & prioritise workload as well as work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Adaptable to the changing needs of the service including flexible working patterns (e.g. weekend working and working at both sites) and capable of working in a demanding environment with frequent interruptions
• Has a responsive, solution focused approach to addressing issues and barriers
• Positive and Enthusiastic about area of work and achieving results
• Demonstrate Trust values of Caring, Listening and Excelling within role and act as a role model to junior colleagues
• Awareness of professional and personal limitations, and willing to seek advice and support where necessary

Supporting documents

• 318-26-T0635 Job Description and Person Specification.docx (DOCX, 226 KB)