Lead Pharmacist - Antimicrobials

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust; Leigh on Sea; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS healthcare provider is seeking an experienced pharmacist to lead the pharmacy clinical service in their AMS team. This role involves developing training programs, implementing guidelines, and supporting excellence in antimicrobial prescribing. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in clinical pharmacy and strong interpersonal skills. A Band 8a position based in Leigh on Sea, with opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Experience across various clinical areas, with a focus on antimicrobials.
• Proven track record of delivering change in dynamic environments.
• Ability to work alone during On-call Pharmacist shift.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical service to wards, discharge, and outpatient services.
• Attend clinical ward rounds and multidisciplinary meetings.
• Supervise trainee pharmacists and nursing staff.

Skills

Clinical service provision

Service delivery and management

Excellent communication

Relationship building

Education

Experience as a pharmacist

Independent prescribing qualification (desirable)

Job description

You will lead the pharmacy clinical service within the AMS team at the Southend Hospital site, supporting the Trust's Principal Pharmacist to support the development of a culture that reduces associated infection and supports excellence in antimicrobial prescribing. You will help develop and implement training programmes and policies related to AMS, liaising with Trust's consultants on all 3 sites. You will lead, plan and undertake audits on compliance with local policies and antimicrobial prescribing and identify potential cost savings associated with AMS within the Trust.

You will work closely with the other lead antimicrobial pharmacists based at the other Trust sites at Basildon and Broomfield hospitals.

You will need to be an experienced pharmacist that has worked across a variety of clinical areas and is now ready to specialise in antimicrobials.

Have experience in service delivery and management and a proven track record of delivering change within dynamic environments.

An independent prescribing qualification is desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Providing a clinical service to the wards, discharge and outpatients service
• Attend clinical ward rounds, clinical and multidisciplinary meetings as appropriate
• Regularly record clinical interventions and activities
• Provide specialist pharmaceutical information and advice to medical, nursing and other staff within the Trust where appropriate
• Promote the safe, appropriate and economic use of drugs
• Counsel and advise patients on the appropriate and effective use of medicines
• Take part in the emergency On-call Pharmacist rota. Working alone as the On call Pharmacist, you will provide medicines information, advice and supply out of hours, including sourcing of urgently required drugs from external suppliers and other hospitals
• To support the Trust Medication Safety Officer and Pharmacy Risk and Governance Team with the medicines optimisation and governance agenda
• Monitor the safe and secure storage of medication both within the pharmacy department and on the wards
• Implement local and national guidelines where appropriate e.g. NICE
• Supervise trainee pharmacists, undergraduate students and ward-based technicians

Working for our organisation

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers. We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

This is a great opportunity for a highly motivated, open minded and dynamic pharmacist who is an excellent communicator with strong interpersonal / relationship building skills.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application.

Band and Organisation Context

Band 8a

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population. Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust. There are also three main community and mental health service providers who work together through a community collaborative. We collaborate with other valuable partners, including three Healthwatch organisations, nine voluntary and community sector organisations and three top tier local authorities, with seven district, borough and city councils, as well as our local universities.