PCN Clinical Pharmacist

Weeping Cross Health Centre; Stafford; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in England is seeking a full-time Clinical Pharmacist to join its expanding Pharmacy Team. The role involves managing chronic disease areas, conducting medication reviews, and providing clinical medicines advice. Candidates must have a relevant degree, GPhC registration, and at least five years' experience in clinical pharmacy. This position offers a competitive salary and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Experience in clinical pharmacy, particularly in primary care.
• Minimum 5 years post-registration experience with at least 2 years in primary care.
• Advanced knowledge of clinical drug use and relevant NHS drivers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process and review patient requests.
• Contribute to reductions in medicine-related hospital admissions through optimal medicine guidance.
• Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues for better patient outcomes.

Skills

Strong written and verbal communication

Organisational and time-management skills

Attention to detail

Education

MPharm or equivalent

GPhC registration

Postgraduate qualification in clinical pharmacy

Tools

Word

Excel

EMIS Web

Job description

Overview

We are expanding our Pharmacy Team at Stafford Central PCN and are looking for a dynamic Clinical Pharmacist to join our team. Full time (37.5 hours) to work for Weeping Cross Health Centre and Mill Bank Surgery.

The post holder will work as part of a multi-site, multi-disciplinary team in a patient-facing role. They will take responsibility for managing targeted areas of chronic disease management within the practice and undertake structured medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex poly-pharmacy. They will provide support to the general practice staff with regard to prescription and medication queries, help support the repeat prescription system, deal with acute prescription requests, and perform medicines reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing. They will provide clinical medicines advice while addressing both public and social care needs of patients in the GP practice.

Main duties of the job

• Repeat prescribing review: oversee the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing patient requests for repeat prescriptions, reviewing medicines reaching review dates and flagging those needing a review. Ensure patients have appropriate monitoring tests in place when required. Reduce inappropriate poly-pharmacy and wasteful prescribing and address public health and social needs of patients through clinical medication review (level 3, reviewing full clinical condition including blood monitoring, interface care arrangements, and social isolation). Reconcile medicines following hospital discharge and work with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post-discharge. Contribute to reductions in medicine-related hospital admissions and readmissions by supporting patients to get the best outcomes from their medicines and identifying and addressing medicines-related issues. Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues and develop referral processes between primary care professionals, including promotion of the repeat dispensing service.
• Manage Practice formularies to improve the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of prescribing. Implement drug withdrawals and alerts (e.g. MHRA) aimed at improving medicines safety.
• Work across practices providing clinical guidance on medicines optimisation and quality improvement and manage aspects of the Quality and Outcomes Framework and enhanced services.
• Provide support to practices to meet individual needs; responsibilities may vary across practices and can include:
• Ensure patients have appropriate monitoring tests in place when required.
• Reconcile medicines after hospital discharge and work with patients and community pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines.
• Reduce inappropriate poly-pharmacy and address public health and social needs through clinical medication reviews.
• Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues and develop referral processes between primary care professionals, including promotion of the repeat dispensing service.
• Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms such as audit and PDSA cycles.
• Review daily pathology results for patients on known medicines (if required).

About us

Stafford Central PCN consists of 3 practices including Weeping Cross, Mill Bank Surgery and Gnosall Health Centre, serving approximately 40,000 patients. Weeping Cross Health Centre is located in the suburbs of Stafford Town, close to Cannock Chase and Shugborough Hall National Trust, with good local amenities and transport links. Mill Bank Surgery is located in the centre of town, near Stafford Park and close to the train station. We offer a broad range of services with opportunities for development and career progression and have ambitious plans for the future.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient-facing role and take responsibility for managing targeted areas of chronic disease management within the practice and undertake medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex poly-pharmacy. They will provide support to general practice staff with regards to prescription and medication queries; deal with acute prescription requests; perform medicines reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing; provide clinical medicines advice; and address public and social care needs of patients in the GP practice.

The post holder will work across a number of practices, providing clinical guidance on medicines optimisation and quality improvement, and manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide support to meet the individual needs of practices; responsibilities may vary across practices and include ensuring patients have appropriate monitoring tests and reconciliation of medicines after hospital discharge.
• Reduce inappropriate poly-pharmacy and wasteful prescribing; address public health and social needs through clinical medication reviews (level 3).
• Contribute to reductions in medicine-related hospital admissions and readmissions by guiding patients to optimal medicine outcomes and addressing issues.
• Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues and develop referral processes between primary care professionals, including promotion of the repeat dispensing service.
• Manage the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process and review medicines reaching review dates.
• Increase quality and safety of prescribing through audits and improvement cycles; manage Practice formularies; implement drug withdrawals and safety alerts (e.g. MHRA).
• Work with primary care professionals and patients to implement NICE and other evidence-based guidelines; participate in relevant clinics (e.g., anticoagulant monitoring, high-risk drug monitoring).
• Contribute to patient-facing multi-morbidity long-term condition reviews and multi-disciplinary reviews; review daily pathology results as required.
• Act as a source of medicines information for all staff and patients, provide education and training on therapeutics and medicines optimisation; signpost to community pharmacy and refer to GPs or other professionals as appropriate.
• Undertake patient-facing domiciliary and care home medication reviews and advise nurses or GPs on prescribing and monitoring; work with care home staff to improve safety of medicines ordering and administration.

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with sensitive information and have the right to expect privacy. All information obtained is strictly confidential and should be divulged only to authorised persons in accordance with practice policies and data protection legislation.

Leadership, personal and people development

Take responsibility for own development, participate in clinical supervision, and act as a positive role model. Support the development of others, promote the workplace as a learning environment, and lead changes within care. Lead and participate in the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards, and promote the pharmacist role in care provision. Ensure awareness of support resources (e.g., PALS) and provide information in accessible formats.

Health & Safety

Promote and maintain health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy. Identify risks, use training to update knowledge, and apply infection control measures and safe storage/disposal of vaccines and drugs where appropriate. Undertake mandatory training and align with local and national guidelines.

Management of risk

Manage and assess risk within areas of responsibility, monitor practices for safety, ensure compliant storage and documentation of controlled drugs, and participate in health, safety and security training.

Equality and Diversity

Support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, respecting privacy and dignity, and maintaining a welcoming, non-judgmental approach.

Personal/Professional Development

Participate in practice training, annual reviews, and ongoing development, maintaining records of personal/professional development.

Quality

Maintain quality and competence, produce accurate patient records, assess care delivery through self/peer review, and contribute to team performance and cross-agency collaboration. Manage time, workload and resources effectively.

Communication

• Recognise needs for alternative communication methods and respond accordingly; communicate with team and with patients and carers.

Implementation of Services

Apply policies and participate in audits and discussion with the team on how guidelines affect work.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• MPharm (4 years) or equivalent
• GPhC registration (pre-registration training)
• Postgraduate qualification in clinical pharmacy or equivalent experience
• Membership of relevant professional bodies

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of clinical drug use; understanding of disease physiology, medicine management, NHS drivers, and relevant laws/ethics
• Understanding of biochemical and haematological data

Experience

• Experience in clinical pharmacy and working with other healthcare professionals
• Experience of clinical audit, community and hospital pharmacy, PCN primary care
• Minimum 5 years post-registration with at least 2 years in primary care
• NHS Smoking Cessation Advisor
• Experience teaching/training staff; awareness of budget reporting on medicines; experience providing evaluated drug information

Skills

• Apply clinical knowledge across practice settings
• Strong written and verbal communication, attention to detail
• Organisational and time-management skills; ability to work independently or in a team
• Computer skills including Word, Excel, Email, ePACT; EMIS Web experience; ability to interpret prescribing data; project management experience

Personal Attributes

• High responsibility and initiative; commitment to professional development
• Professional appearance; flexibility; willingness to assume responsibility
• Adaptable to change; manage conflict; remain composed in challenging situations
• Respect privacy and confidentiality

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and will require a DBS disclosure.

Salary: £49,000 to £53,000 per year, depending on experience.