Mental Health Pharmacist - Community Services Trust wide

NHS; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A health service provider in the UK is looking for a Mental Health Pharmacist to enhance community pharmacy services and ensure adherence to pharmaceutical care standards. Responsibilities include developing clinical pharmacy services for mental health, reviewing prescriptions, liaising with healthcare professionals, and managing medication education. Candidates should possess a Master's in Pharmacy, relevant experience in mental health, and possess strong communication skills. The role offers generous benefits and development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Flexible working opportunities

Access to Continued Professional Development

Health and Wellbeing activities

Qualifications

• Previous experience of working in mental health is necessary.
• Experience in a variety of clinical pharmacy practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide and develop a specialist clinical pharmacy service to mental health community services.
• Review prescriptions for safe and effective prescribing.
• Liaise with primary care for patient care.
• Conduct medication education sessions.
• Ensure compliance with medicines legislation.

Skills

Good written and verbal communication skills

Ability to work alone and in team

Education

Master's degree in Pharmacy

Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council

Post graduate clinical pharmacy qualification

Evidence of continuing professional development

Job description

Mental Health Pharmacist - Community Services Trust wide

The (Community Services) pharmacist (CSP) will be responsible for the provision and continued development of a clinical pharmacy service for community services under the supervision of the senior CSP.

The post holder will link closely with both inpatient teams and home treatment teams ensuring a seamless care approach as well as through joint working with primary care pharmacy teams.

The post holder will cooperate in ensuring the provision of high quality patient focused pharmaceutical care.

The post holder will work under the supervision of the senior CSP.

The post holder will work as part of the Community Service pharmacy team but also as required as the sole pharmacist in community services taking responsibility for their own workload and decision making.

Main duties of the job

To provide and develop a specialist clinical pharmacy service to mental health community services. This will include:

• Maintaining and developing clinical pharmacy services to nationally approved standards in conjunction with the CSP senior pharmacist and pharmacy team thereby ensuring safe and appropriate use of medicines in order to maximise benefit and minimise risk.
• Ensuring that the pharmacy service provided meets the standards laid down by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and national standards for the delivery of the medicines management in mental health trusts.
• Working with the senior community services pharmacist and wider pharmacy team to ensure the production, consultation and implementation of all Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust policies and procedures that impact on medicines management and AFC 27/8/25 JME-227-25 Mental Health Pharmacist Community Services Band 7 pharmaceutical care but in particular those related to shared care and physical health monitoring.
• Developing close links with inpatient wards, community teams, the primary care pharmacy teams and the PCFT pharmacy team to ensure smooth transfer of care.

About us

We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're really proud of our#PennineCarePeopleand do everything we can to make sure we're a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
• Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
• Access to Continued Professional Development
• Involvement in improvement and research activities
• Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
• Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Reviewing and advising on prescriptions to ensure safe and effective prescribing appropriate to the individual patient.

Liaising with primary care to support transfer of care and physical health monitoring

Giving medicines management advice to medical, nursing and other staff and medicines information to all patients, carers, and members of staff.

Recommending monitoring of mental and physical health when indicated.

Attending multidisciplinary care planning reviews to advise on matters relating to choice and use of medicines.

Preparing drug history reports for patients detailing positive, negative and adverse responses to past treatment with recommendations for future treatment.

Undertaking medicines reconciliation on admission and supporting transfer

Conducting medication education sessions for patients and carers, either on a one-to-one or in groups.

Involvement in the discharge planning process and liaising with General Practitioners and community pharmacists to ensure that the medicines management needs of patients in the community are fulfilled.

Participating in the promotion of evidence based effective practice

Contributing to other groups such as the Managing Prescribing Risk Subgroup and supporting learning from incidents.

Acting as an expert source of pharmaceutical advice for health and social care staff, patients and carers.

Working with primary care and GMMMG through the senior CSP to improve shared care.

Management and Administration

Ensuring compliance with medicines legislation

Ensuring that the medication provided to community services bases is stored appropriately to maintain quality and potency.

Ensuring that any concerns in prescribing practice are reported appropriately.

Ensuring policies and guidelines are followed

Contributing to relevant Trust committees and meetings, such as the sub-groups of the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee and community services meetings.

Working in close liaison with pharmacists in primary care settings to develop a common approach to shared care / transfer of care

Working with the Chief Pharmacist and senior clinical pharmacist to monitor drug expenditure

Using Word, Excel and PowerPoint to prepare reports and presentations.

Using the internet to obtain up to date therapeutic information on medicines related issues.

Providing sickness and absence cover for other pharmacists employed by the Trust when requested to do so by the Chief Pharmacist

Delivering teaching sessions on medication and medication management for healthcare professionals, including as part of the Trusts induction program.

Deputising for the senior pharmacists as required

Managing students and technicians when required

Identifying changes in prescribing practices that may impact on the drugs budget

Professional

Undertaking and record Continuing Professional Development as required for continued registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

Contributing to the provision of supervision, training and assessment of pre-registration pharmacists, technicians or rotational pharmacists.

Information Technology

Becoming involved in the continuous improvement of information on the Trust web page

Becoming involved in the implementation of electronic prescribing / robotic dispensing as appropriate to the mental health setting.

Using advances in IT to change how medicines management functions are delivered.

Research, Development and Audit

Demonstrating a critical approach towards pharmacy practice

Integrating research evidence into practice

Supporting others undertaking research

Undertaking clinical audit as part of the multidisciplinary audit process.

Monitoring community services drug use.

Other

Working in a busy environment where there may be confused, agitated or distressed patients or relatives

Able to manage interruptions during periods of work, which require high levels of concentration to avoid error

All employees have a duty and a responsibility not only for their own health and safety but for the health and safety of colleagues, and patients within their care.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

• Master's degree in Pharmacy
• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Post graduate clinical pharmacy qualification

Skills

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work alone and in team

Experience

• Variety of clinical pharmacy practice
• Previous experience of working in mental health

Knowledge

• Broad clinical knowledge
• Knowledge of mental health issues
• Broad knowledge of specific mental health issues

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.

Lead Pharmacist, Community Mental Health Teams