Advanced Specialist Pharmacist Neurology B8a (Attracts 5,000 RRP)

Transformationunitgm; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking healthcare institution as an Advanced Specialist Pharmacist in Neurology. This role offers the opportunity to provide specialized pharmacy services to patients with complex neurological conditions. You will be part of a dynamic multidisciplinary team, contributing to innovative practices and strategies in patient care. Enjoy a supportive environment that encourages professional development, including opportunities for further education and research. With a competitive salary and additional benefits, this position is perfect for those looking to enhance their clinical skills while making a meaningful impact in the healthcare sector.

Qualifications

• Proven knowledge of clinical pharmacy and drug use in Neurology.
• Experience in teaching, training, and developing pharmacy services.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality clinical pharmacy service for Neurology patients.
• Lead the ward-based pharmacy team and ensure effective service delivery.
• Engage in strategic planning and development of clinical pharmacy policies.

Skills

Clinical Pharmacy

Neurology Knowledge

Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Teaching and Training

Education

Master’s Degree in Pharmacy

Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate

Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma

Job description

Main area Band 8a Grade Band 8a Contract Permanent: This post will attract a Recruitment & Retention Premia (RRP) totalling £5,000, payable upon appointment Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 216-AH-C7086630

Employer University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Derriford Hospital Town Plymouth Salary £53,755 - £60,504 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 22/05/2025 23:59

Advanced Specialist Pharmacist Neurology B8a (Attracts 5,000 RRP)

Band 8a

Job overview

Are you an enthusiastic, motivated and dynamic clinical pharmacist with an interest in Neurology (Stroke, Epilepsy & Neurosurgery)?

Would you like to work as one of two advanced specialist pharmacists providing specialist pharmacy input to neurology & neurosurgery patients?

Are you at the stage of your career where you are looking to develop your clinical skills and work within well-respected and proactive multidisciplinary teams, managing the pharmacy service to Stroke, Epilepsy & Neurosurgery patients?

Would you like to work towards credentialing for a consultant post alongside utilising your skills as a non-medical prescriber, across the Neurology service line?

Do you want to be part of an innovative Department that have had an ambitious 5-year strategy and workforce plan approved by the Trust Board?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

If you would like further information, or to know the full terms of the Recruitment and Retention Payment and/or the Relocation Allowance, please contact [e-mail] for further details.

Candidates who meet the qualifications for this post but may not yet demonstrate the full knowledge or experience required at Band 8a will still be considered for this role as a Band 7 to Band 8a progression opportunity. The successful candidate will receive the necessary support to achieve the required progression milestones and demonstrate the expected level of practice before progressing to an advanced specialist Band 8a role.

Main duties of the job

• Post holder will be responsible for the provision of a high-quality patient focused clinical pharmacy service for patients within the Neurology focusing on Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery.
• Act as team leader for the ward-based pharmacy team and as team member of the clinical pharmacy team.
• Undertake teaching and clinical supervision of pharmacy staff and other healthcare employees.
• Provide specialist clinical pharmacy services and advice to the clinical specialities, demonstrating a high level of clinical effectiveness.
• Work closely with care group lead pharmacist & associate chief pharmacist for clinical services on the strategic development of clinical pharmacy services and establish clearly defined roles for pharmacist non-medical prescribers within Neurology.

Depending on the stage of your career, further study will be encouraged and supported. Practice research is also encouraged in this role.

This post will attract a Recruitment & Retention Premia (RRP) totalling £5,000, payable upon appointment, (covering 36 months of service) in addition to a relocation allowance (subject to eligibility). The RRP payment is for external candidates only and is pro rata for part time employees.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS is the largest hospital on the Southwest Peninsula providing comprehensive secondary & tertiary care to a population of around 2,000,000 people who can access our specialist services including cardiothoracic surgery, kidney transplantation, neurosurgery, & the regional trauma Centre.

The Neurology department UHP is the largest neurology unit in the peninsula offering both specialised & general neurology services to patients. The Trust also has an Acute Neurology & Stroke Unit whilst also providing of sub-speciality clinics in cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, headache, motor-neurone disease, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, neurofibromatosis, neuroinflammation & neuromuscular disease. The Acute Neurology & Stroke Unit Clinical care is complemented by an active research programme both in laboratory-based neurosciences & in clinical trials of new treatments.

Working collaboratively with the other Advanced Specialist Pharmacist for Neurology –pharmacy will be an integral member of the multidisciplinary team supporting these services joining a team of clinicians, nurse specialists & other allied healthcare professionals.

From September 2024, the highly-ranked University of Bath MPharm degree will be available to study at the University of Plymouth. There will be opportunities for pharmacist colleagues to participate in these educational activities, with the potential for more formal roles in the future.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Responsible to the Associate Chief Pharmacist Clinical Services for strategic planning and delivery of clinical pharmacy services to patients within Neurology.
• Support the Chief Pharmacist / Deputy Chief Pharmacist / Associate Chief Pharmacist and Care Group Lead Pharmacist in developing, monitoring and reporting on drug expenditure and medicines budget and the delivery of financial savings as part of the pharmacy CIP.
• Development, implementation and update of clinical pharmacy policy in conjunction with senior pharmacists within the clinical pharmacy team and Neurology & SEN.
• Work as a member of the Clinical Pharmacy Team, Neurology Service Line and wider UHP pharmacy team.
• Monitor, review and report on medicines related incidents within Neurology.
• Provide highly specialist clinical pharmacy care to patients in the neurology and neurosurgical areas and related units.
• To manage, lead and co-ordinate the clinical pharmacy team including junior pharmacists and technicians in the provision of a safe, effective and efficient clinical pharmacy service in accordance with local and national standards and strategy and to ensure all members of the pharmacy team are trained and competent for their roles.
• To act as a role model as a clinical pharmacist and team leader, to pharmacists, technicians, ATOs and all other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• To be a lead and role model in the field of focusing on Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery care locally, regionally, and nationally.
• To work collaboratively with the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist for Neurology – PMH (Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Headache).
• To practice as an independent prescriber.
• To work towards advanced clinical practice.
• To engage with Quality Improvement and practice research.
• To write and review policies and procedures relevant to pharmacy practice in Neurology, and Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery.
• Monitor and evaluate medicines related protocols and guidelines in Neurology including Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery.
• Ensure an appropriate level of clinical pharmacy service is provided to the Neurology care areas including Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery.
• Propose policy or service changes which improve services and may have multidisciplinary and resource implications
• Configure and implement inductions for pharmacists in Neurology/Neurosurgery and the pharmacy department with support from the Associate Chief Pharmacist Clinical Services Care Group Lead Pharmacists.
• Assist in the development and implementation of PGD’s and non-medical prescribing initiatives, when appropriate.
• Ensure that expertise within your area is seen as a resource within and outside the Trust and form working partnerships with other health and social care service providers.
• Recommendation of appropriate therapy for individual patients where evidence is not available, controversial evidence exists or other professionals may challenge advice
• Contribute to the organisations wider antimicrobial surveillance programme, implementing local programmes ensuring appropriate antimicrobial prescribing
• Attendance at Consultant/GP white board/MDT meetings/ward rounds to actively facilitate and provide advice on treatment, including highly complex patients.
• Promote compliance by prescribers and other healthcare staff with local/national policies and the South and West Devon Formulary.
• Application of highly complex knowledge of the evidence base behind drug therapies used.
• Manage day to day medicines queries, including face to face consultations with patients identified to have compliance or other problems in medicine administration.
• Refer patients to other community services where appropriate.
• Liaise with all levels of healthcare staff, patients and carers in all areas of work.
• Analysis, interpretation and monitoring of clinical data including but not limited to: drug levels, U&E’s, blood counts and microbiological sensitivities to guide diagnosis and drug therapy.
• Assess clinical requirements of patients as a clinical pharmacist and an independent prescriber through interpretation of clinical data and examination. If required request appropriate tests and examinations for patients directly under your care.
• Contribute to pharmaceutical initiatives that help with the seamless transfer of patients between different healthcare settings.
• Provide education and training to all healthcare professionals including medical students.
• Pharmacists are expected to work largely unsupervised and to act on their own professional judgement.
• Clinical supervision from another health professional can be arranged and is to be encouraged.
• Clinical roles are supported by policies and guidelines within which the pharmacist is allowed to exercise professional discretion / interpretation.
• Participate in any wider departmental rotas where needed.

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

• Excellent proven knowledge of clinical pharmacy and drug use with the area of Neurology focusing on Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery
• Demonstrable experience in a range of clinical specialties
• Excellent proven knowledge of general clinical pharmacy and drug use
• Senior demonstrable pharmacy management experience within a recognised area of pharmacy practice
• Proven skills in effective leadership, successful communication, negotiating, persuasion and influencing
• Proven knowledge of strategic care agendas
• Proven understanding of NHS priorities and how to apply these locally
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to address highly complex issues
• Report writing skills.
• Proven evidence of CPD
• Demonstrable experience of teaching, training and people development
• Demonstrable experience of providing diploma mentorship and/or preregistration tutorship
• Proven knowledge of treatment pathways and commissioning of therapies for drug used areas of neurology (Stroke, Epilepsy and Neurosurgery)
• Previous demonstrable experience of providing support to the management of a hospital directorate or division
• Demonstrable experience of designing and developing pharmacy services
• Demonstrable experience in presenting research
• Demonstrable experience in budget management and staff management

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in Pharmacy.
• Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate.
• Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma
• Non-medical prescriber (or must be willing to undertake this when requested)
• Current registration with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Member of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA)
• Active member of Neurosciences Group within UKCPA or equivalent pharmacist specialist interest group

Aptitude and Abilities

• Good communication skills, written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness at all levels.
• Demonstrate potential management ability
• Proven knowledge and understanding of financial issues

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.

If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included .

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Vivek Soni Job title Deputy Chief Pharmacist Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01752 430454 Additional information

For an informal discussion or to arrange a site visit please contact Vivek Soni, Deputy Chief Pharmacist, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust [e-mail] or Dr Anneka Mitchell, Lead Pharmacist for Healthcare Elderly, Frailty and Medicine University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust [e-mail]