Primary Care Clinical Pharmacist | NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit

Midlands and Lancashire CSU; Kingshurst; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in England seeks a Clinical Pharmacist to enhance patient care within a dynamic PCN. The role involves managing long-term conditions, conducting medication reviews, and collaborating within a multidisciplinary team. Ideal candidates will possess primary care experience and a pharmacy degree. Opportunities for independent prescribing training are available. Join us to make a tangible difference in primary care and support our local community.

Qualifications

• Must have demonstrable primary care experience as a GP or in a PCN.
• Passionate about making a difference in primary care.
• Keen to develop advanced clinical skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage long-term conditions and carry out structured medication reviews.
• Provide clinical support within a multidisciplinary team.
• Develop and quality-assure prescribing processes within the PCN.

Skills

Primary care experience

Independent prescribing

Medication reviews

Chronic disease management

Education

Pharmacy degree

Job description

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Clinical Pharmacist who must have demonstrable primary care experience (GP or Primary Care Network (PCN)) to join North Solihull PCN (full time and part time considered). This is a pivotal role in improving patient care, supporting GP practices, and optimising the use of medicines across our population and you will be contributing to the delivery of high quality care across six GP Practices serving a patient population of 40,000. As a Clinical Pharmacist within our PCN, you will work across a group of GP practices, supported by experienced GPs and multi-disciplinary team that includes GPs, nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists, social prescribing and more. You will play a vital role in managing long-term conditions, carrying out structured medication reviews, and supporting safe prescribing. You will also be given the opportunity to run pharmacist-led clinics and, where appropriate, manage minor illnesses. This role is ideal for pharmacists who are passionate about making a real difference in primary care and are keen to develop advanced clinical skills. Independent prescribing training and mentoring will be supported where not already in place.

• The post holder is a clinical pharmacist, who acts within their professional boundaries, supporting and working in the GP practices within the PCN. In this role they will be supported by a GP lead who will discuss the development of the role and offer mentorship. They will work autonomously and travel between allocated surgeries to ensure that the population of the PCN has equitable access to their service.
• The post holder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team. This will include roles such as GPs, nurses, HCAs, physiotherapists, paramedics, social prescribing link workers, Health and Wellbeing Coaches and administrative staff. The Clinical Pharmacist will bring their expertise around medicines and prescribing to assist the team in providing holistic care.
• The post holder will take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the practice and undertake clinical medication reviews to manage proactively patients with complex polypharmacy. Areas of focus might include CVD, COPD, Asthma, Diabetes, Frailty, etc.
• North Solihull Primary Care Network consists of 6 practices working closely together to provide high-quality, patient-centered care. As a PCN we serve a population of approximately 40,000 patients, with our purpose being to support GP practices in collaborating to develop and deliver network-based services that respond to the needs of our local community. Our aim is to sustain real improvements in both patient care and our working lives. We take pride in providing excellent clinical support and care to both patients and colleagues. With this commitment, we focus on the continued development of our teams. We are looking for two dynamic and enthusiastic clinical pharmacist to further strengthen our PCN team. If this sounds like you, apply now!

  PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

  1. Clinical-LongTermConditions/ChronicDiseaseManagement-viapharmacistledclinics,telephoneandofficebasednotesreviews a. Undertake disease focused medication reviews, particularly of high risk groups (elderly, renal/hepatic impairment, patients on high-risk medicines, etc.) to improve effectiveness and safety, and to ensure appropriate compliance with national and local guidelines. b. These may be patients with single or multiple medical problems where medicine optimisation is required (e.g. respiratory, hypertension). c. Ensure the care for patients taking high risk drugs e.g. DMARDs, anticoagulation, are safe and appropriate. d. Review the on-going need for each medicine. e. Titrate medication according to need and guidance. f. Review monitoring requirements and arrange appropriately, ensuring recalls are placed on the IT system. g. Use the opportunity to support patients with administration of their medicines. h. Telephone advice to patients with LTCs on specific medicines management issues. i. Provide health promotion where appropriate, including flu vaccinations. j. Discuss where necessary any recommendations or concerns with Senior Clinicians or GPs. k. Undertake audits and reviews of LTC groups where bulk changes are required. 2. Clinical-RepeatPrescribingandMedicationReviews Develop and quality-assure improved, safe and efficient repeat prescribing and medication review processes within the practices/PCN, and implement changes as required. a. Undertake focused and structured clinical medication reviews with individual patients and produce a management plan on future prescribing and monitoring, with a focus on maximising effectiveness and reducing harm. b. Review processes will update repeat prescribing in line with local and national policies to align to best practice and reduce wastage. c. Medication reviews will be undertaken via clinics in the practice, domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes. These may be face to face or records based reviews. d. Ensure computer records are updated and accurate, and recall / review dates are entered appropriately. 3. Clinical-AcuteIllnessPharmacistledclinics Pharmacists may be involved in clinics assessing patients who present with undifferentiated minor illness, working within their scope of practice and limits of competence. a. Undertake initial assessment of common general practice presentations, working through differential diagnosis, identifying potential serious disease and referring to GPs and other healthcare professionals where appropriate. b. triaging and managing minor illness, with particular focus on educating patients on self-care, and signposting to minor ailment schemes, minor eye complaints service, dental services, etc. c. telephone advice to patients with acute illness queries. 4. RiskStratificationaroundmedicationharmandavoidablehospitaladmissions Review the use of medicines most commonly associated with unplanned hospital admissions through audit and individual patient reviews with the intent of reducing avoidable admissions. a. Put in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to high-risk patient groups b. Identification of cohorts of patients at high risk of harm from medicines through practice computer searches. This might include risks that are patient related, medicine related, or both. 5. Managementofmedicinesatdischargefromhospital To reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into/from care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post-discharge. a. Set up and manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high-risk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes). b. Reconcile patient's computer records with discharge medication and discuss discrepancies or concerns with hospital doctors/pharmacists c. Ensure changes to discharge medication are in concordance with national and local policies, and to ensure optimisation of treatment and reduce inappropriate or wasteful prescribing. d. Ensure instructions and recommendations are enacted within the practice, including organising reviews, blood test monitoring and appropriate up/down titration. e. ensure patients are informed and aware of any changes to their medication. 6. MDTSandCaseConferences Attend and refer patients to multidisciplinary case conferences where appropriate. 7. TeamInformation,EducationandTraining Answers relevant medicines and prescribing related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff, other healthcare teams (e.g. community pharmacy) with queries about medicines. a. To consider the skills of the reception team and develop plans for training as necessary to ensure safe and efficient prescribing processes. 8. Implementationoflocalandnationalguidelines,safetyalertsandformularyrecommendations Implement changes to medicines and prescribing that result from MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local and national guidance a. Assessing the practice's compliance with NICE guidance and advise on the implementation of new guidance b. Assist practices in maintaining and complying with a practice/PCN/Locality formulary. c. Monitor practice prescribing against the local health economy's RAG list / formulary and make recommendations to GPs for medicines that should be prescribed by hospital doctors (red drugs) or subject to shared care agreements (ESCAs) for amber drugs. d. Provide newsletters or bulletins on important prescribing messages. 9. AuditandMonitoring To plan and undertake prescribing audits to identify areas where improvement is needed, develop action plans and implement appropriate changes. a. To provide regular support and feedback on prescribing action plans b. Analyse practice complex prescribing data to inform GPs and non-medical prescribers on their collective and individual performance. c. Analyse, interpret and present medicines management / prescribing data to highlight issues and risks. d. Lead on the identification, implementation and monitoring of medicines management targets and initiatives including QOF, QIPP and CCG prescribing targets e. Undertake specific audits on the effectiveness of the role, and where improvements or review of service/role are needed f. Assist with the implementation and monitoring of CCG medicines management targets and initiatives, including the medicines management QIPP plan and national prescribing targets. g. Support the implementation of actions resulting from audit findings when necessary. h. To agree all auditing and monitoring priorities in discussion with the practice. 10. Service development Provide medicines management advice for the development and implementation of new services that have prescribing and therapeutics components. 11. Regulators and Inspections Work with the PCN and practices to ensure compliance with CQC standards, CCG and other contractual requirements where medicines are involved.