Advanced Specialist Dermatology Clinical Pharmacist

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting an Advanced Specialist Dermatology Clinical Pharmacist (Band 8a), 15 hours per week. You will lead the dermatology clinical pharmacy service, work with dermatology consultants, specialists, and homecare, and provide expert prescribing for biologics and inflammatory conditions.

The role includes outpatient clinics, homecare prescribing of biologics, lab result reviews, patient counselling, and contributing to guidelines and formulary

Responsibilities

• Lead dermatology clinical pharmacy service and provide independent prescribing for inflammatory conditions.
• Conduct outpatient clinic appointments and manage homecare prescribing of biologics.
• Review labs, monitor therapies, counsel patients on complex regimens.
• Develop patient information leaflets and contribute to guidelines and formulary decisions.

Job description

Advanced Specialist Dermatology Clinical Pharmacist, Band 8a (15 hours a week)

We have an opportunity for a clinically confident and patient focused clinical pharmacist to lead our clinical pharmacy service for dermatology. Working alongside dermatology consultants and dermatology specialist nurses and in close collaboration with homecare, biologics and formulary pharmacists, you will play a vital role in the development of clinical pharmacy services for dermatology. Utilising your independent prescribing qualification, you will manage the dermatology homecare prescribing of biologic therapies and will undertake patient consultations and counselling for newly prescribed therapies. You will provide expert advice on dermatology therapies to support the review and development of guidelines and patient education resources and assist with biosimilar switches. Additional working pattern details: Plus weekend/bank holiday working rota

Main duties of the job

The postholder(s) will work within the Dermatology team, and- Conduct outpatient clinic appointments Acting as a pharmacist independent prescriber, prescribe and monitor specialist medicines for inflammatory dermatological conditions Registering patients for homecare and completing prescriptions Requesting, reviewing and monitoring lab results and other relevant investigations Infusion prescribing and chart rewrites for case day admissions Counselling patients on complex medication to provide patients with an understanding of the expected outcomes of treatment, the monitoring requirements and potential side-effects. Development and maintenance of patient information leaflets for dermatology therapies Participate in MDT Consultation with patients between appointments where required to resolve medication and prescription issues. Respond to medication related questions from other members of the MDT Demonstrate excellent communication skills, verbal and written documentation. Review and write policies and procedures as required Implement new medicines when they become available/NICE approved and support formulary biologic switches to ensure adoption of best value biologic (e.g. formulary, pathways, setting up homecare service where applicable), The post-holder(s) will be responsible for leading the development of an advanced clinical pharmacy service to the Dermatology Department, in particular for patients with inflammatory dermatological conditions. They will provide an expert pharmaceutical service for the management of these patients, deliver high quality pharmaceutical care and improve patient safety. They will provide information and advice to the Dermatology team about drugs, doses administration and potential side effects, including initiating and modifying treatment. They will educate patients about changes to their medication and how to take specific medicines. The post-holder(s) will be an independent prescriber and prescribe medicines for agreed patients within their own level of experience and competence, and in line with current legislation and local polices. They may work within the outpatient setting (conducting outpatient clinic appointments) or ward setting, as required by the service. They will review patients as part of a pharmacist led consultation which may include prescribing medication, ordering and interpreting bloods tests or other investigations and corresponding with Primary Care. They will access and interpret clinical information e.g. from the ePMA system (Sunrise Clinical Manager), the Patient administration system (TrakCare), Pharmacy computer system (EMIS) as well as case notes. They will work with the speciality to reduce waiting lists and streamline patient follow ups. As a member of the wider clinical pharmacy team, the post-holder(s) will be required to provide general pharmacist duties within the department and to other clinical specialities as the service requires. This would involve provision of a ward clinical pharmacy service. The post holder(s) would be responsible for: Reviewing prescriptions to ensure they are legal, safe, cost effective, clinically necessary and appropriate, accurate and complete. Undertaking medicines optimisation and reconciliation Arrange for drugs to be supplied to a patient, ward or department Participation in pharmacy department late night, weekend and bank holiday rotas will be required. Based on the needs of the service and at the discretion of the Associate Pharmacy Directors, the post holder(s) may be required to work at both the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital sites.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provision of Clinical Services/Clinical Responsibilities The postholder(s) will work within the Dermatology team, and- Conduct outpatient clinic appointments Acting as a pharmacist independent prescriber, prescribe and monitor specialist medicines for inflammatory dermatological conditions Registering patients for homecare and completing prescriptions Requesting, reviewing and monitoring lab results and other relevant investigations Infusion prescribing and chart rewrites for case day admissions Counselling patients on complex medication to provide patients with an understanding of the expected outcomes of treatment, the monitoring requirements and potential side-effects. Development and maintenance of patient information leaflets for dermatology therapies Participate in MDT Consultation with patients between appointments where required to resolve medication and prescription issues. Respond to medication related questions from other members of the MDT Demonstrate excellent communication skills, verbal and written documentation. Review and write policies and procedures as required Implement new medicines when they become available/NICE approved and support formulary biologic switches to ensure adoption of best value biologic (e.g. formulary, pathways, setting up homecare service where applicable)
• Professional Development, Education and Training Participate in the departmental clinical pharmacy induction and development programme through; Involvement in the devising of training and development programmes Provide clinical supervision of less experienced pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and vacation students as required Act as a clinical diploma tutor for junior pharmacists as appropriate Develop and deliver education and training in line with local and national objectives and contribute to pharmacy modernisation initiatives being undertaken within the department. Be involved in, and lead where appropriate, the recruitment, selection, induction and appraisal of new staff. Conduct formal and in-formal teaching sessions for medical professionals and nursing and pharmacy staff on; Therapeutics within area of clinical responsibility. The prescribing and administering of medicines and appropriate Trust policies. Support clinical placements for undergraduate pharmacy students and participate in the programme through; Supervision of ward-based activities Tutorials Assessment of students participation and work produced during placement, and the provision of formal feedback to the university as required.
• Management and Leadership Promote positive and effective communication Act as the central point of contact between the Pharmacy Department and the Dermatology Department Lead and develop the clinical pharmacy service to Dermatology Represent the service, and the department, as part of multi-professional teams, and at meetings (Departmental and Divisional) Support the Clinical Governance agenda by advising on strategy for reducing medication errors and improving safety in conjunction with the Associate Pharmacy Directors and Lead Clinical Pharmacists Investigate individual adverse incidents related to drug use within the speciality in collaboration with the Clinical Risk and Effectiveness Department. Monitor trends associated with errors in prescribing, dispensing or administering drugs Produce financial reports