Advanced Clinical Pharmacist - Virtual Ward

The Methodist Church in Britain; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

On-site facilities

Flexible working options

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Advanced Clinical Pharmacist to join the Virtual Ward team. You will provide senior clinical pharmacy services across virtual wards, prescribing within scope, and lead initiatives in medicines optimisation, patient safety and cost-effective therapies.

You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, GPs and community pharmacists, contribute to research, teaching and service development, and support patient flow within the trust.

Qualifications

• Masters level degree in pharmacy.
• Diploma in clinical pharmacy or general pharmacy practice, or equivalent.
• Registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Responsibilities

• Provide an advanced clinical pharmacy service to virtual wards and clinics as part of the multidisciplinary team.
• Provide specialist pharmacist advice to the virtual wards, the MDT and patients under their care.
• Prescribe medicines for individual patients within the agreed scope of practice under the trust prescribing policy.
• Provide pharmacy leadership to the virtual wards.

Skills

Advanced clinical pharmacy

Prescribing (independent)

Leadership

Research

Teaching & education

Education

Master’s degree in pharmacy

Diploma in clinical pharmacy or general pharmacy practice

Tools

Pharmacy software systems

Electronic prescribing

Job description

This Advanced Clinical Pharmacist post sits in the Virtual Ward team at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which covers Addenbrooke's and the Rosie Hospital. The work is about giving hospital-level care to patients in their own homes, through remote monitoring, video and telephone consultations and prescribing, alongside a multidisciplinary team and local GPs and community pharmacists. It is a senior clinical role that also carries pharmacy leadership for the virtual wards and involves projects, research and teaching. Visa sponsorship is not available.

What the job involves

• Provide an advanced clinical pharmacy service to virtual wards and clinics as part of the multidisciplinary team
• Provide specialist pharmacist advice to the virtual wards, the specialist MDT and patients under their care
• Prescribe medicines for individual patients within the agreed scope of practice, under the CUH pharmacist prescribing policy
• Provide pharmacy leadership to the virtual wards
• Liaise with senior pharmacy, medical, nursing, allied health and management staff to promote safe, evidence-based and cost-effective medicines use
• Liaise with external stakeholders across the Integrated Care System, including GPs, primary care network pharmacists and district nurses
• Lead or take part in novel pharmacy projects, including pharmacist participation in outpatient clinics and optimising virtual ward patient management
• Identify and carry out research to inform practice developments and an effective, evidence-based pharmacy service
• Support the Trust with medicines and pharmacy aspects of patient flow

What’s required

Qualifications

• Masters level degree in pharmacy
• Diploma in clinical pharmacy or general pharmacy practice, or equivalent

Registration & licences

• Registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Experience

• Recent significant post-registration experience in prescription screening, medicines reconciliation (including level 2) and patient consultation
• Band 7 or 8a clinical pharmacist covering a range of specialities, including the designated specialist area
• Documenting pharmaceutical care in medical notes, and writing professional reports, drug policies and treatment guidelines
• Developing and reviewing patient group directions and shared care guidelines, and clinical audit with implemented outcomes
• Practical antimicrobial stewardship, managing high-cost and high-risk medicines, and leading service development projects

Skills & knowledge

• Advanced clinical knowledge of drugs and therapeutic trends in the specialist area, plus NICE, HEE and NPSA guidance and local implementation
• Knowledge of UK healthcare systems and NHS change, pharmacy computer systems and electronic prescribing, and Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Expert professional practice at Advanced Stage II of the RPS Advanced Pharmacy Framework
• Excellent written, verbal and consultation skills, influencing staff at all grades, and teaching and presenting across staff groups and students

Checks & eligibility

• Right to work for at least 6 months from the proposed start date

Other

• Behaves in line with the Trust values of safe, kind and excellent towards patients, visitors and colleagues
• Self-motivated, organised, and able to prioritise and work under pressure to deadlines
• Empathises with patients and carers, works well in a team and acts on the direction of senior staff

Nice to have

• Recent significant hospital experience, ideally in a teaching hospital and across more than one hospital
• Recent practical experience of independent prescribing for a designated patient group
• Band 8a or 8b experience in surgery, neurosciences, critical care, transplant, medicines information, or acute and emergency medicine
• Independent prescriber registration with the GPhC, or commitment to complete within 6 months of appointment
• MSc in clinical pharmacy, or equivalent
• Management qualification
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society membership, and faculty membership (or working towards) at Advanced Stage II
• Written pharmaceutical or educational publications, drug expenditure analysis and reporting, and horizon scanning

What’s offered

• Development opportunities
• On-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries
• Reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to the Cambridge University Hospital site
• Free Park and Ride between Babraham Road and Trumpington, and free routes to Cambridge train station
• Subsidised on-site parking for eligible staff
• Reduced cost hot food on campus, available 24/7
• Staff pod break space at the Deakin Centre, with free tea and coffee
• Flexible working, including part-time, job-share, term-time and flexible start and finish times