Clinical Pharmacist

Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility Expected to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role to clinically assess and treat patients using expert knowledge of medicines for specific disease areas Be a prescriber, and work with and alongside the general practice team Be responsible for the care management of patients with chronic diseases and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage people with complex polypharmacy, especially the elderly, people in care homes, those with multiple co-morbidities (in particular frailty, COPD and asthma) and people with learning disabilities or autism (through STOMP Stop Over Medication Programme) Provide specialist expertise in the use of medicines whilst helping to address both the public health and social care needs of patients at the PCNs practice(s) and to help in tackling inequalities Provide leadership on person-centred medicines optimisation (including ensuring prescribers in the practice conserve antibiotics in line with local antimicrobial stewardship guidance) and quality improvement, whilst contributing to the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services Deliver a programme of structured medication reviews to support patients to take their medications to get the best from them, reduce waste and promote self-care Undertake a leadership role in supporting further integration of general practice with the wider healthcare teams (including community and hospital pharmacy) to help improve patient outcomes, ensure better access to healthcare and help manage general practice workload Develop relationships and work closely with other pharmacy professionals across PCNs and the wider health and social care system Undertake a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols, clinical research with medicines, liaison with specialist pharmacists (including mental health and reduction of inappropriate antipsychotic use in people with learning difficulties), liaison with community pharmacists and anticoagulation services Be part of a professional clinical network and undertake appropriate clinical supervision. Collaborative Working Relationships Recognises the roles of other colleagues within the organisation and their role to patient care Demonstrates use of appropriate communication to gain the co-operation of relevant stakeholders (including patients, senior and peer colleagues, and other professionals, other NHS/private organisations e.g. CCGs) Is able to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriate colleague(s) when necessary Actively work toward developing and maintaining effective working relationships both within and outside the practice and locality Foster and maintain strong links with services across locality Explores the potential for collaborative working and takes opportunities to initiate and sustain such relationships Liaises with CCG Medicines Optimisation Team on prescribing related matters to ensure consistency of patient care and benefit Liaises with other stakeholders as needed for the collective benefit of patients including but not limited to patients GP, nurses and other practice staff Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required Has an experience/awareness of the breadth of common long-term conditions that are likely to be seen in a general medical practice. Minimum of 3 years post graduate experience in pharmacy Holds or is working towards an independent prescribing qualification Able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general pharmaceutical care programmes for patients across core areas, including disease states/long term conditions Accountable for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision Uses skills in a range of routine situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options Recognises priorities when problem-solving and identifies deviations from normal pattern and is able to refer to GPs/ANPs when appropriate Able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct Involves patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE guidelines Leadership Demonstrate understanding of the pharmacy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace Demonstrate understanding of, and contributes to, the workplace vision Demonstrates ability to improve quality within limitations of service Reviews yearly progress and develops clear plans to achieve results within priorities set by others Demonstrate ability to motivate self to achieve goals Management Demonstrate understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and/or service Demonstrate understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation Demonstrate understanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice Follows professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management Education Training and Development Understands and demonstrates the characteristics of a role model to members in the team and/or service Demonstrates self-development through continuous professional development activity Keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice. Ensure there is appropriate clinical supervision in place Engaged with the review and appraisal systems within the practice Research and Evaluation Demonstrates ability to critically evaluate and review literature Demonstrates ability to identify where there is a gap in the evidence base to support practice Demonstrates ability to generate evidence suitable for presentations at practice and local level Demonstrates ability to apply research evidence base into working place Demonstrates understanding of principles of research governance Health and Safety/Risk Management The post-holder must comply at all times with the Practices Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures and reporting incidents using the organisations Incident Reporting System The post-holder will comply with the Data Protection Act (1984) and the Access to Health Records Act (1990) Equality and Diversity The post-holder must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Co-workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc. Respect for Patient Confidentiality The post-holder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role Special Working Conditions The post-holder is required to travel independently between practices and practice sites (where applicable), and to attend meetings etc. hosted by other agencies