Clinical Pharmacist

Meridian PCN

Job Title

PCN Clinical Pharmacist

Line Manager

Meridian PCN Pharmacy Team Lead

Accountable to

Meridian PCN

Hours per week

37.5 hours per week

Location

Remote and Practice based

Closing date: 16 June 2023 (please note we may close the application early when sufficient number of applications have been received)

Proposed interview date week commencing 26 June 2023.

Job Summary

To be responsible for implementing a safe and effective medicine management system within the practice, including cost-effective prescribing, providing advice and support for both patients and colleagues. In addition, the post-holder will also support the multi-disciplinary team, in line with the strategic objectives of the practice and PCN.

Mission Statement

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are a new way of working that enables health and other services to work together to provide better access for patients.

GP practices are working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as primary care networks (PCNs).

PCNs build on existing primary care services and enable greater provision of proactive, personalised, coordinated and more integrated health and social care for people close to home. Clinicians describe this as a change from reactively providing appointments to proactively caring for the people and communities they serve.

Our PCN

The Meridian PCN is a collaboration of six GP surgeries across Cambridgeshire and North Hertfordshire; supporting a patient population of +48,000.

• Bourn Surgery
• Comberton & Eversden Surgery
• Harston Surgery
• Orchard Surgery Melbourn
• Royston Health Centre
• Roysia Surgery

Our Vision

We aim to provide high quality services adhering to principles of best practice, promoting equal opportunities and working positively with diversity.

Our Aims

• Support the local interpretation and implementation of NHS transformation plans
• Design and deliver primary care services at scale; such as the COVID vaccination centre
• Provide the operational people and infrastructure to allow practices to collaborate
• Be a voice for Primary Care, one that enables what we all want; sustainable and clinically-excellent general practice.

Generic Responsibilities

All staff at Meridian PCN have a duty to conform to the following:

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I creates and environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do, and it is required by law.

Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.

Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that you treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.

Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)

This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities to for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.

Confidentiality

This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters, pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times. It is essential that if, the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained that all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

Quality & Continuous Improvement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of our output, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do, but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.

This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver health care with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement, where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.

Induction Training

On arrival at the practice all personnel are to complete a practice induction programme; this is managed by the Deputy Practice Manager.

Learning and Development

The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by the training coordinator, as well as participating in the practice training programme. Staff will also be permitted (subject to approval) to undertake external training courses which will enhance their knowledge and skills, progress their career and ultimately, enable them to improve processes and service delivery.

Collaborative Working

All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working. Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments. Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.

Service Delivery

Staff at Meridian PCN must adhere to the information contained with practice policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are adhered to at all times. Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.

Security

The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. Staff must ensure they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager. Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks to anyone and are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured.

Professional Conduct

At Meridian PCN, staff are required to dress appropriately for their role. Administrative staff will be provided with a uniform whilst clinical staff must dress in accordance with their role.

Leave

All personnel are entitled to take leave. Line managers are to ensure all of their staff are afforded the opportunity to take a minimum of 27 days (for full time) leave each year and should be encouraged to take all of their leave entitlement.

Primary Responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the clinical pharmacist. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels. Consultations maybe taken face-to-face, via video link or telephone:

• Carry out consultations with patients for general medication queries and minor illnesses, and provide advice and support for patients with self-limiting conditions
• To undertake medication reviews and medication optimisation in GP practice(s) and nursing homes. Ensure monitoring tests are arranged.
• Discuss patient and prescribing issues (e.g. complicated regimes/polypharmacy, compliance difficulties, multiple adverse effects, medication reduction regimes, social support) with other clinicians as necessary.
• Review medications for newly registered patients
• To undertake Long Term Condition reviews (e.g. COPD, asthma, hypertension, CHD, chronic pain) based on own knowledge and training and according to practice guideline
• To reconcile medicines following patients discharge from hospital or clinic appointments
• Review safety alerts and ensuring the required actions are taken
• To perform medication monitoring (e.g. high risk medicines, anticoagulants) and implement a recall system
• Encourage cost-effective prescribing within the practice
• Implement and embed a robust repeat prescribing system
• To reauthorise medication for repeat prescribing within scope of practice
• Identify patients suitable for repeat prescribing, liaising with the relevant clinicians as required
• Support clinicians with the management of patients suffering from drug and alcohol dependencies
• Actively signpost patients to the appropriate healthcare professional, including social prescribers
• Assist with QoF and IIF targets
• To take responsibility for own professional development and performance.

Secondary Responsibilities

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the clinical pharmacist may be requested to:

• To be proactively involved in quality improvement and to partake audit as set out by the practice
• Provide advice and education on medicines for the clinical team. Review the latest guidance ensuring the practice conforms to NICE, CQC, CCG etc. Monitor and inform colleagues as relevant about ongoing prescribing issues, e.g. new guidelines (national and local), new products being asked for by secondary care, manufacturing and supply problems, new prescribing restrictions or contraindications.
• Participate in review and setting of policies relating to medicines management and prescribing and help ensure practices prescribe in accordance with local guidelines and formulary
• Act as the practice point of contact for all medicines related matters, establishing positive working relationships

The person specification for this role is detailed overleaf.

Person Specification – PCN Clinical Pharmacist

Qualifications

Essential

Desirable

GPhC Registered Pharmacist

GPhC Independent Prescriber Qualification

CPPE Primary Care Pathway

Experience

Essential

Desirable

Minimum of two years working as a pharmacist

Experience in working in a PCN/ GP practice

Broad knowledge of General Practice/ Primary Care

Skills

Essential

Desirable

Excellent communication skills (written and oral)

Strong IT skills

Clear, polite telephone manner

Competent in the use of Office and Outlook

EMIS / SystmOne user skills

Ability to promote best practice regarding all pharmaceutical matters

Effective time management (Planning & Organising)

Ability to work as a team member and autonomously

Good interpersonal skills

Problem solving & analytical skills

Ability to follow policy and procedure

Personal Qualities

Essential

Desirable

Polite and confident

Flexible and cooperative

Motivated

Forward thinker

High levels of integrity and loyalty

Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations

Ability to work under pressure

Other requirements

Essential

Desirable

Flexibility to work outside of core office hours

Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check

Evidence of continuing professional development

This document may be amended following consultation with the post holder, to facilitate the development of the role, the practice and the individual. All personnel should be prepared to accept additional, or surrender existing duties, to enable the efficient running of the practice.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £44,000.00-£50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Work from home

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Cambridge, CB23 2SH: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Cambridge, CB23 2SH

Application deadline: 16/06/2023
Reference ID: Clinical Pharmacist