Clinical Pharmacist (Primary Care)
Job Description
Job summary
- This is an exciting new opportunity for a Clinical Pharmacist to develop their career in a primary care setting. Connexus Primary Care Network supports over 50,000 patients registered with five GP Practices in South-East Bristol.
- To provide a comprehensive pharmacy service to the patients of the Connexus Primary Care Network (PCN), working with theSenior Clinical Pharmacist (AP) tosupport of the PCNs Pharmacy Hub and Pharmacy Technicians in delivery of service.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role. The post holder will take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the practice and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex polypharmacy.
The post holder will provide clinical leadership on patient centred medicines optimisation and quality improvement, whilst contributing to the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services.
The post holder will be a prescriber or will be completing training to become a prescriber and will work alongside the general practice teams.
About us
Connexus Primary Care Network comprises five General Practices serving over 50,000 patients in South East Bristol. The PCN currently employs a Senior Prescribing Pharmacist (AP), Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, who work closely with Practice employed Pharmacists, prescribing clerks and medicines management leads to ensure the provision of high quality clinical services.
You will be part of a larger team of around twenty additional roles staff, including physiotherapists, community paramedics, mental health workers and social prescribers.
We offer a competitive salary, 25 days annual leave plus statutory holidays, and the opportunity to join the NHS Pension Scheme
Job responsibilities
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Patient facing Long-term condition reviews - Take responsibility for the care management of patients with chronic diseases where medicine optimisation is required. E.g., COPD, asthma.
Patient facing clinical medication reviews - Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients and make appropriate recommendations for the clinical team on prescribing and monitoring. Through structured medical reviews the post holder will support patients to take their medications to get the best from them, reduce waste and promote self-care.
Patient facing care home medication reviews - Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients and make appropriate recommendations for the clinical team on prescribing and monitoring. Work with care home staff to improve safety of medicines ordering and administration.
Management of common/minor/self-limiting ailments whilst working within a scope of practice and limits of competence. Signposting to community pharmacy and referring to GPs or other healthcare professionals as appropriate.
Management of repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing requests for repeat prescriptions and medicines reaching review dates.
Provide specialist expertise in the use of medicines whilst addressing both the public health and social care needs of patients in the Connexus PCN and help in tackling inequalities.
To have a leadership role in supporting further integration of general practice with the wider health care teams (community and hospital pharmacy) to help improve patient outcomes, ensure better access to healthcare and help manage general practice workload. The role has the potential to significantly improve the quality of care and safety for patients.
Develop relationships and work closely with other pharmacy professionals across PCNs and the wider health and social care system.
Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols, clinical research with medicines, liaison with specialist pharmacists, community pharmacists and anticoagulation.
To support the PCN Prescribing Hub
An approximate amount of time will be dedicated to supporting the PCN Prescribing Hub at Brooklea Health Centre.
Process repeat prescriptions on a daily basis ensuring compliance with the prescribing hub protocols.
Perform regular searches on drugs requiring monitoring hence minimising the risk of adverse effects.
Ensure all current medication have relevant, current authorisations.
Promote cost-effective prescribing at the practice through switching drugs to the generic preparation when appropriate and encouraging the use of local primary care trust formulary medication choices.
Deal with prescription queries from a range of healthcare professionals including; GPs, nurses, community pharmacists, nursing home staff as well as reception/administration staff at the practice.
Deal with medication changes from all hospital letters, removing old medication, and adding new or making changes. Add any relevant monitoring diaries.
Perform searches and act upon drug alerts.
Add new patient medication. Pass to registered GP for approval highlighting any concerns found, add relevant diary entries/recall. Liaise with patient via phone call, SMS or letter. Liaise with patients pharmacy regarding changes, if necessary.
Liaise with Pharmacies regarding monthly dosette box prescriptions.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Demonstrate understanding of the pharmacy role in governance and is able to implement this appropriately within the workplace
- Demonstrate understanding of, and contribute to, the PCN vision for the improvement of services for our patients, and the effective use of resources to manage workloads in primary care
- Demonstrate ability to improve quality within limitations of service
- Demonstrate ability to motivate self and others to achieve goals
- Demonstrate understanding of the implications of national priorities for the team and service
- Demonstrate understanding of the process for effective resource utilisation
- Demonstrate ability to identify and resolve risk management issues according to policy/protocol
- Follow professional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performance management
- Demonstrate the ability to extend boundaries of service delivery within the team
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to pharmacy colleagues
- Experience of delivering educational events for a general clinical audience
- Ability to critically evaluate and review literature
- Ability to generate evidence suitable for presentation at local level
- Understanding of principles of research governance and ability to work as a member of the research team
- Awareness of health inequalities in the Connexus area and the role of primary care in addressing them
- Understanding of data protection, information governance and confidentiality requirements in primary care
Other
Essential
- Flexibility to work occasional evenings or Saturdays in support of Primary Care Contract requirements
- Ability to travel between the five member Practices
Qualifications
Essential
- Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
- Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent)
- Independent prescriber or working towards/intent of gaining independent prescribing qualification
- Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience.
Desirable
- See Attachment
Experience
Essential
- See Attachment.
Desirable
- See Attachment.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Connexus PCN
Address
Brooklea Health Centre
Wick Road
Bristol
BS4 4HU
Employer's website
https://www.nightingalevalleypractice.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
