Lead Pharmacist Early Intervention

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Worthing; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in England is seeking a clinical pharmacist and independent prescriber to improve medicines use within Early Intervention in Psychosis Services across Sussex. The role involves supporting clinicians and leading on prescribing in mental health. Candidates should hold a Pharmacy degree, and have registered status and relevant clinical qualifications. This permanent part-time position offers flexibility, competitive salary, and generous holiday entitlement, with a focus on team wellbeing.

Benefits

Access to psychological support

Flexible working opportunities

Generous holiday entitlement

NHS Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Degree in Pharmacy from a recognized institution.
• Clinical Pharmacy qualification such as a diploma.
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Responsibilities

• Lead on medicines optimisation within the EIPS.
• Support colleagues on medicines use within EIPS.
• Develop guidelines and policies related to EIPS.

Skills

Excellent clinical pharmacy skills

Demonstrable expertise in pharmacy specialism

Experience in mental health service provision

Ability to provide drug usage information

Education

Degree in Pharmacy

Clinical Pharmacy postgraduate qualification

Registered Member of General Pharmaceutical Council

Job description

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are seeking to appoint an exceptional clinical pharmacist and independent prescriber to support our Early Intervention in Psychosis Services (EIPS) across Sussex. The role has been pivotal in improving medicines use within the service. The role supports clinicians and operational leads across EIP services in all aspects of medicines use, including improving medicines use, education and training, clinical queries and support, medicines spend and running patient facing clinics and prescribing roles. The role also leads on all aspects of EIPS related prescribing, including shared care and guidance at Trust and Integrated Care System (ICS) levels.

The role is Trust-wide and there is flexibility regarding your base across Sussex as well as opportunities for flexible and part home‑working. The role will be required to support the six EIPS services across the Trust but will primarily be based within the West Sussex locality.

Main duties of the job

The Sussex Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (EIPS) has an integral role to play in supporting service users and their families/carers in a community setting. EIPS is founded on an extensive and compelling evidence base which has demonstrated early and sustained intervention in psychosis can contribute significantly to the amelioration of initial problems and improve long‑term outcomes in a cost‑effective manner. Effective early treatment can reduce the probability of the emergence of longer‑term ‘treatment resistant’ symptoms and contributes to the avoidance of the ‘revolving door’ syndrome of repeated relapse and, as suicide is highest in the first few years of First Episode Psychosis (FEP), can reduce the risk of suicide.

The main area of work is the delivery of care and treatment to young people and adults ages 14‑65 experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Help will be offered to reduce distress, maintain independence and integrity of care networks, shorten illness, prevent relapse, promote recovery/social inclusion, and minimise the impact of disabilities. Work with friends and family is seen as an integral element of the way care is delivered.

The EIPS service is an integral part of the Specialist division. The service is made up of 6 EIPS teams across Sussex, managed by a Trust‑wide Early Intervention General Manager and supported by a dedicated EIPS Clinical Lead. Teams are located in Horsham, Worthing, Bognor, Brighton, Hailsham and Hastings.

About us

Sussex Partnership is one of the largest mental health trusts in the UK. The physical health of our mental health patients is important to us and, with the life expectancy of patients with serious mental health conditions dying 15 to 20 years earlier, the trust is committed to reducing this risk and pharmacy play a key role in this. As a mental health trust Sussex Partnership places a huge focus on the wellbeing of our staff, as well as ensuring our reward packages reflect the immensely important work they do.

You can expect:

• Access to full psychological support, the wellbeing team
• Excellent supervision programmes
• Flexible working opportunities
• Access to a host of discount schemes (including gyms, shopping, restaurants and cars)
• A position within a trust rated as Outstanding for caring and Good overall by the CQC
• Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays)
• Excellent NHS Pension Scheme

Job responsibilities

The Lead Pharmacist role will lead on all aspects of medicines optimisation within EIPS across the six teams and contribute to the wider development of the service. The role will support clinical and operational colleagues on all aspects of medicines use within EIPS as well as leading on all aspects of medicines guidance and policies relating to EIPS within the Trust and in collaboration with the Medicines Optimisation groups at the local and national level.

Please note: the job description attached as a separate document is generic to all Lead Pharmacist roles within the Trust, however this role is specific to Early Intervention in Psychosis. The scope of the role will be discussed with the applicant with a full job plan given once in post. For any questions regarding the specifics of this role please contact [e-mail] or [e-mail] for more information related to the service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Pharmacy at a British School of Pharmacy, or recognised equivalent
• Clinical Pharmacy postgraduate qualification (e.g. certificate or diploma)
• Registered Member of General Pharmaceutical Council

Knowledge, Training and Experience

Essential

• To have demonstrable evidence of having met the full gateway KSF for 7 Specialist Pharmacist
• Experience of working with different healthcare professions and managers across the wider healthcare economy
• Can demonstrate an understanding of the key stakeholders the post is likely to be supporting and how they will be expected to support them
• Demonstrable expertise in highly relevant field of pharmacy specialism
• Significant experience of working within a hospital pharmacy department post qualification, including experience in mental health service provision
• Experience of working with working‑age mental health services
• Excellent clinical pharmacy skills with particular emphasis on medicines used in mental health
• Experience in providing both written and verbal information on drug usage
• Experience in carrying out Medicines Information queries, providing both verbal and written specialist advice

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Arun House

16 Liverpool Gardens

Worthing

BN11 1RY

Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

£55,690 to £62,682 a year (pro rata for part time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part‑time, Flexible working, Compressed hours