Job summary

It's a great time to join our Medicines Management team following a recent restructure and significant investment to support an enhanced service model under a newly established senior management team which is fully committed to delivering outstanding services and develop the Pharmacy workforce

We are excited to offer opportunities for highly motivated pharmacists to support our Primary Care Mental Health Teams in Halton and Warrington and our Knowsley Recovery Team

You will be based in a multidisciplinary community mental health team (CMHT), working closely with specialist clinicians to optimise medication and improve treatment outcomes for people with mental health conditions. You will receive Pharmacy professional support via a well-structured system of supervision and regular educational and CPD sessions.

Ideal candidates will be pharmacists with experience in mental health who are either qualified non-medical prescribers or willing to work towards pharmacist independent prescribing. We will also consider applications from experienced pharmacists seeking to further their expertise in mental health.

These roles present a fantastic opportunity for enthusiastic pharmacists with excellent clinical skills who are motivated by a desire to provide high quality patient care. Preferred candidates will be organised and adaptable team players with effective communication and interpersonal skills who are keen to develop the role of pharmacists within community mental health settings.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be responsible for leading, delivering, and developing a comprehensive clinical pharmacy service to the community mental health team, to maximise the pharmaceutical care of patients. The roles involve completing assessments and supporting service users with a diverse range of psychiatric needs to optimise medicines use. You will clinically check prescriptions, complete structured medication reviews and develop person-centred pharmaceutical care plans utilising local and national guidance.

The postholder will also provide professional leadership on mental health medicines optimisation and support with training and supervision of healthcare professionals within primary and secondary care and the wider system.

The roles will involve travel across services and may involve reviewing service users in their own home. Postholders must be able to meet these travel requirements. Business travel expenses will be reimbursed as per policy.

There are no current requirements to work Bank Holidays or weekends and there is no dispensary or on-call commitment. The Trust will consider requests for flexible hours and agile working which also meet the needs of the team.

Recruitment premia apply for new employees to the Trust. Successful candidates will receive �2,000 on joining the Trust and an additional �2,000 on completion of the first year of employment. Recruitment payments must be paid back in full if the employee leaves the Trust within two years of starting.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide.

Our ambition is to deliver perfect care to become the world's leading organisation in holistic health and well being.

Mersey Care's vision and values of Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respect, Enthusiasm and Support (CARES) drive our organisation and the way we work together to deliver services. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate, during recruitment and any subsequent employment with the Trust, that their behaviour supports our values.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide expertise and ensure appropriate procedures and medicines governance arrangements are developed for the prescribing and use of medicines.

To develop effective partnerships and be actively involved with other professions as part of a multi-disciplinary approach to medicines optimisation.

To provide specialist medicines information and support service users to make informed decisions about optimal use of medicines

To complete medicines reconciliation and conduct specialist pharmaceutical interventions to facilitate seamless pharmaceutical care of patients across primary and secondary care

To undertake clinics with direct patient contact, including home visits and independent prescribing as appropriate for individual patients

To record clinical interventions, key performance indicators and pharmaceutical care plans, in line with departmental procedures.

To report medication incidents including near misses to promote medicines safety and reduce medication harm.

To support the development, delivery and implementation of community mental health pathways, audits, policies, procedures, evidence-based treatment protocols and guidelines

To participate in pharmacist clinical supervision and deliver medication education sessions for healthcare professionals and service users

To act as a role model and mentor or tutor to other pharmacists and trainees.

Refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of role requirements.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Master of Pharmacy degree, or equivalent qualification
• Postgraduate diploma in Clinical Pharmacy, or equivalent experience
• Independent prescriber qualification, or willingness to work towards
• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Postgraduate qualification in Psychiatric Therapeutics/Clinical Pharmacy, or willingness to work towards

Desirable

• Membership of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP)
• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
• Leadership or management qualification/training

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Experience of working within pharmaceutical services
• Experience of working within an NHS organisation
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working
• Experience of undertaking audit within pharmaceutical services
• Experience of providing supervision
• Experience of providing education regarding medicines
• Understanding of the benefits and risks of psychotropic therapy and its place in patient care
• Understanding of how medicines optimisation contributes to high quality patient care
• Clear understanding of relevant legislation and guidance
• Awareness of local area prescribing committee processes
• Understanding and positive regard for the needs and rights of people with mental health problems or learning disabilities, and their carers
• Demonstrable evidence of commitment to self development and CPD

Desirable

• Experience of working in hospital pharmacy
• Experience of working within community mental health services
• Experience of provision of medicines information services
• Experience of line management of staff
• Knowledge of the evidence base relating to the prescribing of psychotropic medicines
• Knowledge of recent and upcoming initiatives within pharmaceutical services
• Experience of working within community pharmacy

Values

Essential

• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Respectfulness
• Enthusiasm
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Strong customer service belief
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented

Skills

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills
• Good IT skills
• Excellent communication skills: o - written o - verbal o - listening
• Ability to work both independently and as a team player
• Ability to work flexibly
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively to meet specified deadlines
• Self-motivated and able to use initiative
• Problem-solving skills
• Report-writing skills
• Ability to analyse data
• Negotiating and influencing skills
• Ability to adapt to changing environments, needs and demands
• Recognition of own limitations and ability to ask for support when necessary
• Professional manner
• Ability to travel between different sites

Desirable

• Project management skills

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

350-COR5310346