Specialist Pharmacist - Clinical and EPMA

NHS; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in Hampshire seeks a Specialist Pharmacist to contribute to clinical safety through EPMA system design and oversight for 12 months. The role encompasses high-quality pharmaceutical care within an innovative team, focusing on medicine management and patient safety.

Qualifications

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Significant post-registration experience as a pharmacist.
• Knowledge of medicines legislation and clinical medicine.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist clinical pharmacy service to mental health wards.
• Ensure safe prescribing and medication administration adhering to best practices.
• Support digital transformation and EPMA configuration.

Skills

Communication

Attention to Detail

Problem-Solving

Education

Masters Degree in Pharmacy

Tools

EPMA Systems

Job description

Go back Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Pharmacist - Clinical and EPMA

The closing date is 29 June 2025

Are you a specialist pharmacist with experience of working in a EPMA environment? If you are then this could be your opportunity to join Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (HIOWH) on a fixed term of 12 months, to cover maternity leave. We are seeking a specialist pharmacist to contribute to the team revolutionising how we manage medicines, with a particular focus on ensuring clinical safety through EPMA system design, implementation and ongoing operation.

We are seeking a hands-on and passionate individual who can thrive in a transformation environment. You will need excellent communication skills, thorough attention to detail, a commitment to clinical safety and the ability to work with diverse stakeholders.

The post holder will receive induction training and be mentored by experienced pharmacy colleagues to provide a specialist pharmacy service to inpatient wards and dispensary 50% of the time, and EPMA the other 50%.

Please note: we would be happy to accept a secondment to the post

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work in conjunction with the clinical pharmacy leads and others in the team to deliver an efficient, high quality, professional and well-coordinated clinical pharmacy and EPMA services that meets all statutory, regulatory and NHS requirements. Includes provision of advice for prescribing and medicines management to consultant teams, nursing and AHP personnel and patients at ward/clinic level.

Responsible for the supply, storage and handling of medicines.

*Act as a specialist pharmacist providing advanced level clinical pharmacy service to specified clinical specialities involving complex/high risk patient populations.

*Brings creative problem-solving skills to configure EPMA systems across diverse healthcare settings

*Building innovative safety mechanisms into EPMA to reduce medication errors

*Proactively identifies and implements best practice in medication safety and implements this in the electronic prescribing system

*Utilise pharmaceutical expertise, working in partnership with patients, carers and healthcare professionals to minimise medicines-related harm and facilitating medicines optimisation.

*To give specialist clinical pharmacy advice to divisional governance, medicines safety and EPMA advisory groups.

*Proactively designs, and implements, audit and reporting tools for all EPMA users

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do. Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients. By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.

Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.

Job responsibilities

To deliver highly specialist clinical pharmacy and medicine management service to designated mental health wards, including attending relevant consultant ward rounds, MDTs and guiding doctors to ensure patients receive a high standard of pharmaceutical care.

Ensure prescribing and administration of medication, and the set up for the EPMA system, adheres to best evidence and practice and to Trust policy.

Promotes and delivers multidisciplinary training on medications and best practice with EPMA

Participate in and develop dispensary services to wards, clinics and community and mental health services.

To support and provide medicines optimisation to promote best pharmaceutical outcomes for patients

Facilitate seamless transfer of care for medicines across all interfaces. Support in the design of safe transfer of care practices with respect to EPMA.

Support the implementation of local and national recommendations, including local formularies, Medicines Management Group, NICE, and MHRA.

Provide advice to ensure the safe and cost-effective use of medicines.

Monitor medicines expenditure reviewing trends or by working closely with individual teams.

Act as an authorised witness for the disposal of controlled drugs in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations and guidance when required.

To provide representation at relevant Committees and groups where and when appropriate

To provide co-ordinated medicines information to patients during their inpatient stay and as part of the discharge-planning process.

To liaise with members of clinical team and external agencies as part of discharge planning and to undertake needs assessment for individual patients e.g. compliance aid requirement.

To document clinical pharmacy contacts, interventions, and records such as drug histories and treatment plans on the trust electronic system.

Ensure medicines related incidents, and EPMA incidents, are reported and investigated through the appropriate incident reporting systems.

Provide support to the Lead Clinical Pharmacist in reviewing and monitoring medicines related incidents; provide support in reporting back trends to clinical teams.

Support the development of policies, standard operating procedures and governance frameworks for both EPMA and clinical pharmacy

Provide support to colleagues in the wider Medicines Management Team as needed, by being able to help provide cover to other wards, advice and support

Undertake clinical screening, dispensing and checking of medicines in accordance with the dispensary SOPs, for inpatients and outpatients.

Identify potential risks to patients when screening prescriptions and resolve relevant issues prior to dispensing.

To act as second professional for patients requiring assessment under the Mental Health Act 1983 (post section 118)

EPMA specific responsibilities

Support digital transformation across the organisation, promoting EPMA benefits while ensuring safety remains paramount through periods of change

Configure and test the EPMA system, ensuring it meets clinical safety standards and user needs

Support with maintaining any current EPMA systems

Work with the EPMA team to develop and implement electronic prescribing workflows, protocols and clinical decision support

Take responsibility for specific aspects of the clinical configuration of the EPMA system

Build and maintain drug files, formulae, and algorithms within the EPMA system, ensuring they are clinically appropriate

Provide floor-walking support to clinical areas to support system use

Support clinical safety reviews and documentation

Use experience from clinical pharmacy service provision to ensure EPMA configuration reflects real-world needs

Support the transition from any current EPMA systems to new EPMA system, ensuring clinical safety and continuity of service is maintained.

Clinical Safety

Support clinical governance processes for EPMA

Attend and contribute to clinical governance groups and Trust level meetings

Participate in clinical safety reviews of system configuration, particularly around high-risk medicines and vulnerable patient groups

Assist in maintaining clinical safety documentation (in accordance with clinical safety standard DCB 160)

Support the management of patient safety and operational risks relating to the EPMA project

Contribute to the investigation of complaints, incidents, and errors related to EPMA

Support initiatives to reduce medication errors through:

Data

Support the definition of reporting requirements for EPMA

Assist with the design and creation of EPMA system reports

Monitor and analyse system data to identify potential safety issues

Maintain clinical skills through regular clinical practice to ensure EPMA configuration reflects real-world needs

Support the development of audits for EPMA benefits realisation

Please see attached job description for full details of the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy.
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Experience

• Significant post registration experience working as a pharmacist
• Presentation to, and negotiation with, a range of internal and external stake holders.
• Experience in clinical audit
• Experience in clinical governance and risk management.
• Experience of quality improvement projects
• Experience of writing policies and procedures
• Experience of working in a constantly changing environment
• Post registration experience working in an acute NHS Trust or community mental health NHS Trust.
• Experience at band 7 level
• Experience of working with Older Persons
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries
• Experience of managing change in a clinical setting

Additional Criteria

• Knowledge of, and experience in using, EPMA systems
• Knowledge of medicines legislation, medical terminology, and clinical medicine use
• Knowledge of current clinical workflow and pathways
• Strong clinical knowledge and ability to apply it to digital systems.
• Excellent attention to detail and analytical skills
• Knowledge and understanding of prescribing and drug costs and how they relate to the local health economy.
• Knowledge and understanding of the national agenda for prescribing, pharmacy services and medicines management
• Commitment to continuous professional development
• Proven ability to prioritise workload effectively
• Evidence of problem-solving skills in clinical settings
• Ability to manage own workload and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work autonomously and under pressure while maintaining attention to detail.
• Tactful and resilient -- able to secure agreement, input, and co-operation from stakeholders
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Strong communication skills at all levels
• Experience in managing projects.
• Experience with clinical system implementation.
• Knowledge of NHS digital maturity standards
• Knowledge of Clinical Safety Standard DCB160
• Ability to explain technical information to different audiences

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.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St.Mary's Community Health Campus (Portsmouth)

£46,148 to £52,809 a yearbased on full time hours

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

348-COR-7800

Job locations

St.Mary's Community Health Campus (Portsmouth)