Lead Specialist Clinical Pharmacist – ePMA (e-Care)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job summary

To provide and oversee, in conjunction with the Chief Pharmacist, Deputy Chief Pharmacists and the Trust IT team, the clinical development of the medicines management component of the Trusts e-Care (ePMA) system in order to increase and maintain the effectiveness and quality of pharmaceutical patient care.

Lead and develop the e-Care Medicines Management Team in terms of technical skills, ensuring appropriate competence levels amongst the team are met and maintained.

Lead the e-Care Medicines Management Team on technical aspects of project implementations and transitions to Business as Usual (BAU) states.

To work with IT and Cerner colleagues to ensure the appropriate prioritisation of pharmaceutical and medicines management issues within the e-Care system.

To liaise with key stakeholders both within and outside of West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. Represent West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Medicines Management Team at regional, national and international level when required.

To provide a clinical pharmacy service to allocated wards and the dispensary.

Job responsibilities

EPMA (e-Care)

• Act as Lead Specialist Pharmacist in the e-Care Medicines Management Team, delivering and overseeing the medicines management and pharmaceutical aspects of the Trusts e-Care system, and providing a leadership role for junior members of the team.
• Act as the Pharmacy departments link with the Trust/Cerner e-Care team.
• In conjunction with the Deputy Chief Pharmacist ensure that the available Pharmacy resources are suitably trained and developed to ensure the effective provision of a comprehensive pharmacy service.
• Develop appropriate procedures and materials to facilitate the training of staff members in e-Care.
• In conjunction with the Pharmacy system manager ensure that the e-Care drug dictionary is maintained and updated.
• In conjunction with other Trust clinical pharmacists ensure that all e-Care content and functionality is up to date and fit for purpose.
• In conjunction with the Chief Pharmacist and IT/Cerner prioritise and plan any medicines management developments to the e-Care system.
• Where appropriate, make complex and significant clinical decisions affecting the implementation and functionality of the e-Care system.
• In conjunction with the Trust Medication Safety Officer review any e-Care related medication incidents to ensure that system related risks are highlighted and minimised.
• Develop and participate in medication related audit within the Medical Directorate.
• Lead on development and maintenance of system interfaces with e-Care.
• Plan, undertake and report audits regarding medicines management within e-Care as appropriate.
• To act as line manager to Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians within the e-Care medicines team.

Clinical Services

• Provide a clinical pharmacy service to allocated wards and the dispensary as rostered.
• Liaise with nursing staff and advise on appropriate action in respect of patient treatment.
• Take responsibility to educate and train medical and nursing staff on relevant matters.
• Participate in Pharmacy pre-registration and rotational pharmacist training programme.
• Liaise with nursing staff and advise on appropriate action in respect of patient treatment.
• Confirm patient medication history using appropriate resources and document as required.
• In conjunction with medical and nursing staff review patient medication and modify to maximise outcomes.
• Monitor prescribed medication to ensure compliance with agreed policies and Trust formulary.
• Record interventions.
• Ensure that clinical conditions are understood in relation to agreed therapy.
• Monitor appropriate biochemical results and advise medical team regarding necessary drug and dose modification.
• Pre-check patient TTOs, and advise medical staff on appropriate changes.
• Clarify any ambiguity on prescriptions.
• Identify patients requiring medication related counselling and refer to counselling technician or provide counselling directly as appropriate.
• Advising medical staff of any problems identified as part of the counselling process.
• Identify compliance issues and propose solutions to patients, medical and nursing staff.
• Ensure that if patients own drugs are brought into the Trust that they are utilised effectively.
• Minimise the non-administration of medicines.
• Liaise with ward based Pharmacy technicians, where in place, to ensure appropriate supplies are made.

Additional Duties

• Carry out pharmaceutical duties associated with the clinical checking and dispensing and final checking of all types of prescriptions for in-patients and out-patients, including supervision and checking the work of other pharmacists and technical staff, OTC sales, cash handling.
• Carry out pharmaceutical duties on wards as appropriate to the level of service agreed for that clinical area. This may include some or all of the following, depending on the level of service required: prescription screening, medication supply, medication history taking, therapeutic drug monitoring, TTO screening, patient counselling, liaising with ward technicians to ensure comprehensive pharmaceutical service delivered, liaising with all levels of medical, nursing and other professional staff to resolve any patient centred pharmaceutical problems.
• To participate in flexible working hours in accordance with Trust policy.
• To give professional advice on pharmaceutical matters to medical, nursing and other professional staff.
• To attend relevant training courses as appropriate.
• To undertake other reasonable duties within the framework of the post as directed by the Chief Pharmacist.
• To act as an ambassador for the pharmaceutical service at West Suffolk Hospital.
• To be involved in the training and education, as appropriate, of all other members of the Pharmacy team.
• On an ad hoc basis be available, by mutual agreement, for the provision of pharmaceutically related training sessions to nursing, medical, other professional groups and patient groups.
• To record, as stated in departmental procedure, pharmaceutical interventions.
• As part of Trust medicines management highlight any new changes in clinical practice to the Chief Pharmacist as necessary.
• Participate in the departments appraisal process.
• Participate in the departments seven day extended hours, late, weekend and bank holiday working roster.
• Adhere to GPhC Standards for Pharmacy Professionals.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• M.Pharm/B Pharm/BSc Pharmacy
• Registered with the GPhC
• Post Graduate qualification in clinical Pharmacy, or demonstration of equivalent experience.

• Membership of RPSGB

Experience and Knowledge

• Knowledge of hospital pharmacy
• Recent experience of working in hospital Pharmacy
• Knowledge and extensive experience of electronic prescribing and administration systems (ePMA)
• Experience of updating back office functions of electronic prescribing / record systems
• Extensive Medicines Management build knowledge and experience within Cerner Millennium
• Clinical pharmacy ward experience
• Experience of patient counselling
• Experience of using high level IT functionality

• Experience of out of hours Pharmacy service
• Experience of therapeutic drug monitoring

Skills & Abilities

• Expected to deal with members of the public and other health care workers in a professional manner
• Familiarity with ePMA systems at a higher level
• Close liaison with co-workers in the department and throughout the trust is vital
• Expected to have a broad knowledge of pharmaceutical issues
• Familiarity with standard IT systems
• Evidence of self-motivated professional development
• Expected to participate in Departmental 7 day working roster
• Ability to travel to all rural locations to carry out post

• Experience of training and mentoring a team and leading on processes of change

Personal Qualities

• Demonstrates a professional attitude and has an understanding of professionalism
• Good communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Ability to work calmly and in an organised fashion in a busy environment
• Demonstrates ability to plan and prioritise own workload to meet deadlines
• Approachable and supportive to peers and other staff
• Flexibility to work in different areas
• Good team member
• Ability to work well on own initiative
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and patients
• Ability to work to deadlines and achieve agreed objectives
• Positive attitude towards personal/self-development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Hardwick Lane

Bury St Edmunds

IP33 2QZ

https://www.wsh.nhs.uk