The post holder supports the delivery of safe, effective and efficient pharmacy and medicines management services to a defined group of patients and service users, including sessions on the Oncology ward.

To act as an authorised Pharmacist providing supervision of the Aseptic Unit.

To provide and support the delivery and development of pharmacy and medicine management services within the trust, including involvement in research and audit.

The post holder will provide clinical pharmacy services, with particular emphasis on medicines reconciliation during transfers of care and medicines optimisation to both in-patients, day cases and out-patient clinics as required.

To maintain and develop a portfolio of personal clinical activity within the Trust at a level commensurate with a specialist pharmacist.

To deliver education and training for pharmacists in the Cancer Services team.

Main duties of the job

The post holder is responsible to and managed by the Lead Pharmacist and is professionally accountable to the Chief Pharmacist

The post holder will act as the Authorising Pharmacist if needed, and in so doing will be required to supervise a team of clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support workers, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and efficient clinical pharmacy and medicines management services to an agreed standard and to a designated group of patient and service users

Provide medicines management, medicines optimisation and medicines reconciliation services to help achieve department priorities and targets on a designated ward or group of wards, day case units or clinics as decided by the Lead Pharmacist

They work closely with patients and healthcare professionals including consultant staff and Care Group leads to ensure services are developed and delivered in a manner that is consistent with the priorities and needs of patients and other service providers.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented

From April 1 2024 we are unable to offer sponsorship for healthcare roles that do not meet the minimum salary �23,200, to apply you must have Right to Work in the United Kingdom. If you are in the UK on a VISA please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents

Job description

Job responsibilities

To contribute to the dispensing and preparation of Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment to patients within the Trust.

To act as an authorised Pharmacist, releasing pharmaceuticals prepared under a Section 10 exemption of the Medicines Act 1968.

To provide supervision to the aseptic services unit under the direction of the Accountable Pharmacist.

To support the Lead Technician and Accountable Pharmacist to ensure safe staffing levels within the aseptic unit in accordance with the capacity plan and recommended notice periods.

To participate in the Aseptic Units Quality Management System.

To support senior pharmacy leaders in the delivery of the pharmacy strategic plan and the medicines management strategy with particular focus on medicines reconciliation and medicines optimisation at appropriate places within the patient flow through the service.

To contribute to the implementation of clinical services development.

To deliver an agreed standard of medicines reconciliation as set out by the departments Medicines Reconciliation policy.

To deliver an agreed standard of pharmaceutical care and medicines management to identified patients on a ward. This would include: advising nursing and medical staff regarding drug choice and drug administration (including therapeutic drug monitoring) and on local prescribing policies & guidelines educating patients about their medication and assuring safe medication practice at all times.

To liaise with primary care colleagues to implement and develop systems that improves pharmaceutical care across the primary and secondary care interface.

To manage and develop the medicines management service according to the needs of the patients.

To supervise other pharmacy staff involved in the delivery of the medicines management service to their specified caseload, e.g. pharmacy technicians, pre-registration pharmacists, training-grade pharmacists. This will include planning day-to-day activities of the team, monitoring and reporting on activity to ensure that services provided deliver an agreed standard of pharmaceutical care.

To participate in ward rounds and provide specialist advice to nursing and medical staff regarding drug choice and drug administration (including therapeutic drug monitoring) and on local prescribing policies and guidelines.

To co-ordinate a professional screen for out-patient, day case, in-patients and discharge prescriptions.

To report all appropriate adverse drug reactions to the MHRA via the national reporting scheme.

To continually audit own practice and identify areas for CPD.

Participate and develop the research and audit activities of the department. To contribute to work published by the department.

To participate in the work of the dispensary and other operational elements of the service. Dispensary duties will include the supervision of other pharmacy staff, initial checking of all prescriptions, dispensing and final checking of prescriptions and ward orders if required and the counselling of patients when issuing outpatient prescriptions. Pharmacists will also be involved in the dispensing, checking, issuing and destruction of controlled drugs in line with current legislation.

To participate in, and support the work of, pharmacist-managed out-patients clinics under the supervision of a senior clinical pharmacist, or senior medical doctor. This may include acting as an Independent, non-medical prescriber.

To provide high quality patient education on medicines use. This includes formal presentations to large patient groups as well as individualised information.

To contribute to the education and training of pharmacy staff and other health professionals both on a one-to-one basis and through formal presentations.

To act as a mentor to junior grades of staff, providing regular feedback and highlighting training opportunities. To support training-grade pharmacists to achieve the competencies set out in the Foundation Level Framework and support their learning through the clinical diploma.

To review and advise on medicines policies and procedures.

To support the implementation of medicines management issues identified from national and local guidelines.

After appropriate training, the post holder may be required to undertake initial clinical checks and final release checks on aseptically prepared products including chemotherapy where it is appropriate to their area of clinical work or in the absence of the Senior Clinical Pharmacist (Aseptic & Cancer Services).

An individual pharmacist, or a group of pharmacists, may be asked to undertake specific tasks or to take on extra responsibilities within the department to meet the needs of the directorate and for their own personal development. These may include acting as pre- registration pharmacist tutors, first aid practitioners, COSHH and Health & Safety representatives or to sit on various working groups.

The duties of a pre-registration pharmacist tutor include recruitment, organisation of training programmes as well as on going supervision, objective setting and appraisal of the students.

Pharmacists are involved in the administration of specific clinical trials and in the supply of clinical trial material to individual patients.

To take part in the emergency out-of-hours service this will include provision of advice to hospital staff, outside agencies and patients and carers concerning all aspects of medicines management, the supply of medication to the trust or other trusts, the sourcing of supplies of medicines not held within the department and dealing with unexpected and unpredictable requests from other hospital staff.

To participate in the extended opening hours of the Pharmacy department this may include weekend working and extended working days.

To participate in the interview process for applicants applying to various positions within the directorate as appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent.
• Completed a suitable postgraduate qualification (eg Clinical diploma) or demonstrated sufficient experience to meet RPS post-registration foundation competence standards.
• Evidence of CPD and education.
• Independent Prescriber or willing to work towards.

Desirable

• Post qualification training or experience in the relevant subject area, preferably to Post graduate Masters level.
• Formal training in Aseptic Services.

Experience

Essential

• Sufficient experience to be able to provide near-patient clinical pharmacy services.
• Able to work as an autonomous practitioner in all areas of pharmacy practice.
• Ability to build working relationships with other healthcare professionals.

Desirable

• Experience of delivery of formal education and training sessions.
• Hospital pharmacy experience.
• Experience within the relevant subject area/specialty.

Statutory Registration

Essential

• Registered as a Practicing Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

Desirable

• Membership of RPS or a relevant Clinical Pharmacy Organisation appropriate to the subject area.

Special Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Good understanding of medicines reconciliation and how it fits into the larger function of hospital pharmacy.
• Ability to apply theoretical knowledge to ward/clinic based situation.
• Supervision and training of others.
• Provision of complex information on medicines use, clinical pharmacy and financial issues to senior Consultants and managers.
• Sound knowledge of MI resources.
• Good understanding of current pharmacy/NHS issues

Desirable

• Ability to demonstrate an area of expertise within a field of pharmacy practice.
• Examples of clinical audit and involvement in service development.
• Examples of development of evidence-based clinical guidelines and protocols.

Special Requirements

Essential

• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Able to build good relationships with colleagues, and influence the practice and behaviours of others in a positive way.
• Self-motivation and ability to motivate others.
• Team player.
• Desire to develop clinical skills.
• Able to prioritise own workload.
• Reliable work record.

Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

C9439-24-0906