Lead Pharmacist, Medicines Safety Officer

National Health Service; Coventry; On-site; GBP 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is seeking a Medicines Safety Officer to lead and promote the safe use of medicines across the organisation. You will be the named lead for encouraging incident reporting, analysing themes and driving action plans with risk management input.

The role involves collaboration with national and regional networks, oversight of shortages, and development of policies and procedures to support safe, evidence-based practice across pharmacy services.

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy (4 years + 1 year pre-registration)
• Registered as a practising pharmacist with the GPhC
• Evidence of up to date CPD
• Post-graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Lead medicines safety for the pharmacy department and assure safe, effective services.
• Encourage medication incident reporting and analyse themes to drive action.
• Collaborate on projects to improve medication safety with risk mitigation.
• Oversee management of medicine shortages and advise on decisions.
• Support policy development and audit of pharmacy services.
• Input into digital systems (EPMA) to improve safety.
• Lead internal and external communications on medicines safety and shortages.

Skills

Communication

Analytical skills

Leadership

Presenting skills

Team leadership

Education

Masters Degree in Pharmacy

GPhC registration

CPD evidence

Post-graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy

Tools

Datix

Job description

Job summary

Lead as the named individual within the organisation for encouraging medication incident reporting and learning. Identify themes or trends with medicines incidents and oversee development and deployment of appropriate action plans and advise risk management where reporting could be improved.

Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

Main duties of the job

The Medicines Safety Officer (MSO) promotes the safe use of medicines across their organisation and is expected to be an expert in this area. You will have the opportunity to be an active member of both the National Medication Safety Network and Regional Medicines Safety Group in order to keep up to date with current priorities.

About us

We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.

Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.

We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire ( )

By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.

The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.

Job responsibilities

• Lead on medicines safety for the pharmacy department and provide assurance to the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy SLT that pharmacy services are safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led and represent efficient use of resources.
• Lead as the named individual within the organisation for encouraging medication incident reporting and learning. Identify themes or trends with medicines incidents and oversee development and deployment of appropriate action plans and advise risk management where reporting could be improved.
• Lead on collaborative workstreams related to improving medication safety by communicating medication risks and associated mitigation strategies.
• Lead and oversee programme of work to manage medicines shortages, contribute to and support local decision making processes and prioritisation for new medicines or new uses of medicines, in line with national priorities (e.g. critical shortages) and statutory policy, ensuring decision makers are aware of clinical and financial implications of decisions made.
• Support the Associate Director of Pharmacy on service evaluation and audit of all aspects of the pharmacy service including planning and overseeing an audit programme to ensure that appropriate statutory, professional and service obligations are met and quality targets achieved.
• Support the Associate Director of Pharmacy on the development of and maintain both local and organisational policies and standard operating procedures that are evidence based and comply with legal and current guidance thus providing tools to maintain the safe and secure handling of medicines.
• To input into the use of digital solutions available to improve the safety of medicines use, support the implementation, maintenance and monitoring of pharmacy information systems including electronic prescribing and medicines administration (EPMA).
• Lead on internal communications (related to medicines safety and shortages) within the pharmacy department and external communications to key stakeholders, using effective and appropriate means, including websites and social media.
• To develop, monitor and implement the Trust strategy around medication safety through clinical leadership.
• To work closely with the Director of Pharmacy on the system-wide strategy on medicines safety, including key areas of risk (polypharmacy, high risk drugs, dependence forming medicines, antimicrobials, etc.).

Pay and Contract

Band 8b Salary 66,582 to 77,368 a year per annum

Contract Permanent

Working pattern Full-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference Number

218-HSS-B8B-8403023

Job Locations

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Clifford Bridge Road Coventry CV2 2DX United Kingdom

Qualifications & Training

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy 4 years + 1 year pre-registration training or equivalent
• Registered as a practising pharmacist with the GPhC
• Evidence of up to date CPD
• Post-graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent

Experience

• Substantial Hospital pharmacy experience post registration
• Experienced at working with and influencing senior medical and nursing staff
• Experience managing difficult situations/ difficult conversations

Desirable Experience

• Experience of project management
• Have research or quality improvement work published in related journals
• Experience in line managing staff and conducting appraisals
• Use of Datix incident management system

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of audit & research
• Good sound Clinical Knowledge
• Up to date knowledge of Medicines Legislation
• Specialist knowledge of area of Clinical responsibility

Desirable Knowledge

• Understanding of Human Factors
• Understanding of NRLS Data Quality Standards
• Use of Excel/Access databases

Skills & Abilities

• Communicate effectively in a calm, courteous manner to patients and all levels of colleagues
• Maintaining situational awareness and provide appropriate advice in situations where a patient may have come to harm.
• Able to work in multidisciplinary teams and independently and supervise the work of others.
• Able to present clinical and complex information to groups and individuals
• To provide written information in a concise readable manner for patients and colleagues
• High level of analytical skills
• Able to undertake a level of handling & moving.
• Pass OH clearance
• Able to participate in weekend, late, on call and bank holiday rota as needed

Desirable Skills & Abilities

• Identify the costs associated with prescribing changes in your given clinical area for the Director of Pharmacy
• Proven ability to cope in stressful situations and under pressure.
• Demonstrable evidence of effective leadership, negotiation and motivations skills

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

• Evidence of demonstrating the Trust Values (Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect) and the associated Values in Action behaviours in the workplace.
• For posts with managerial responsibility only Evidence of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and ensuring fair and equitable practices throughout your work experience. Evidence of promoting a culture which helps individuals live behaviours aligned to our Trust Values (Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect)

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

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust Address University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Clifford Bridge Road Coventry CV2 2DX United Kingdom Employer's website

Additional information

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