Job opportunities

Clinical Pharmacist – Launceston Medical Centre

Hours: 37.5
Salary: Dependent on experience
Closing date: 11/04/2024

Summary

Launceston Medical Centre has a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Clinical Pharmacist to become part of our amazing team. We are a busy, committed team working together in a recently extended and refurbished Practice in Launceston, close to the beautiful beaches of the north coast of Cornwall and surrounded by moorland countryside. The successful candidate will work within the support team to the GPs, already comprising of a Nurse Practitioner, Minor Illness Nurse and 6 Paramedics, in addition to our Nurses and HCAs. We have 6 Partners and 7 Salaried GPs (including remote GPs) with very experienced Management, IT, Reception, and Administration support. Additional allied professionals who work within our team are our Clinical Psychologist, Pharmacist, Physiotherapists and Social Prescriber. We are also proud to be a training practice.

The work ethic at Launceston Medical Centre is that we place people first in everything we do. We run our own Primary Care Network together with our neighbourhood Practice, Tamar Valley Health, and we use our resources for the benefit of the whole community inclusively. We recognise and accept our responsibility in playing our part in making our community healthier and happier.

The benefits of working within our team are that we value each person as an individual and respect their aspirations. We are honest, open, trustworthy, and supportive and encourage our team to improve and advance their skill base. We also benefit from living and working in one of the most beautiful parts of the country!

The ideal candidate will be able to provide the full Clinical Pharmacist services.

The post is for 37.5 hours a week, with the requirement to cover any absence of your colleagues, therefore flexibility is an essential requirement. The ideal candidate will be able to commute daily to Launceston Medical Centre.

Rate of pay is dependent upon relevant experience.

For More information, please contact Beth Aston, HR Administrator.

The Clinical Pharmacist will improve the quality and safety of care offered to our patients. They will have regular contact with patients and work alongside the GPs. Our ideal candidate is an independent prescribing Clinical Pharmacist who has a keen interest in providing long term conditions management with our patients. The clinical pharmacy in general practice model is supported by the direction of national policy including the Five Year Forward View and GP Forward View where there is a need to better utilise the role of pharmacy professionals within primary care to pro-actively help patients stay safe and well and out of hospital as well as helping to reduce the demands on general practice. This is an exciting time to be involved in general practice and to be part of shaping primary care for the future.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Identify patients that require medication reviews and conduct appropriate medication review clinics or home visits if required by the practice.

Liaising with carers, Community Health teams or social care staff to optimise drug therapy, reduce polypharmacy and minimise unnecessary waste, communicating directly with patients as necessary.

Provide medicines and long-term disease advice and support to GP practice staff, practice registered patients, and the wider practice team such as community staff (district nurses, midwives, and physiotherapists) where appropriate.

Discuss complex and sensitive information with patients during medication reviews, including medical history, lifestyle and personal circumstances and refer to external service providers and medical professionals as appropriate.

Improve patient and carer understanding of, confidence in and compliance with their medications.
Help support the safe and effective operation of the prescribing system in the GP practice, including updating repeat medication regimes, issuing of appropriate acute prescriptions, ordering relevant laboratory testing, and if required, when necessary, completing patient referrals (for example audiology, x-ray, diabetes prevention schemes).

Provide pharmaceutical support to the GPs to enable them to develop, implement and monitor an agreed prescribing plan which meets the objectives of the medicine’s management plan.
Assist practice and care settings in developing formularies, guidelines and policies to ensure the implementation of NICE guidelines, National Service Frameworks and the requirements of the medicines-related aspects of the GMS contract.

Advise GPs, care staff and primary health care teams on risk management processes relating to the prescribing and monitoring of specialist drugs e.g. controlled drugs and those subject to shared care arrangements.
Support practice to review specific areas of prescribing, specified by the line management or identified with the GP prescribing lead, including the interpretation of e-PACT data and the use of practice information to review prescribing and identify areas for action.

Assist with the development and ongoing review of practice policy with regard to repeat prescribing systems and repeat dispensing to encourage the implementation of prescribing guidance and monitoring guidelines where appropriate.

Liaise with Community Pharmacists to encourage them to reinforce changes made, encouraging them to identify savings which can be achieved with regard to generics, dose optimisations etc. and to assist in building their relationship with the practice.

Answer any medicine related queries from GPs, care settings, practice staff, PALS, social care staff and the patients in a timely and appropriate manner, using professional judgement where specific guidance is unavailable.

Provide advice and support to improve the disease registers within each practice to ensure all suitable patients are identified and offered suitable treatment and monitoring for their condition.

Facilitate and participate in multi-disciplinary meetings related to prescribing topics and to engage in the training of other healthcare professionals and practice staff on matters relating to medicines usage.

Attend primary/secondary care interface meetings in designated specialist therapeutic areas to improve the cost effective and evidence-based use of medicines across locality and develop links with the hospital pharmacists involved in these areas.

Undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade as allocated by line management.

Undertake clinical medication reviews.

QOF & Enhanced Services areas of responsibility to maximise achievement

Encourage cost effect prescribing within the practice.

Review all safety alerts, ensuring the required actions are taken.

Review medication for all newly registered patients.

Person Specification:

Essential:
Registration with GPhC

Master’s degree in pharmacy (MPharm) or equivalent

Independent prescriber

In depth clinical knowledge and understanding of evidence-based healthcare

Ability to make informed clinical decisions and maintain accountability.

Excellent written and verbal communication skill

Demonstrate ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understanding form to patients and healthcare professionals.

Understand the importance of medicines optimisation in the management of long-term conditions.

Recognise priorities when problem solving and identify when referrals are appropriate.

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

Demonstrate ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

Self-motivated

Flexible and willing to adapt.

Desirable:
Post graduate diploma or equivalent.

Minimum 5 years post-registration experience.

Understanding the nature of general practice and current pressures on primary care.

Full driving licence.

Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their Carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety
The post-holder will ensure the promotion and management of their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the organisations Health & Safety policy and the Infection Control policy and published procedures.

Equality & Diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues.

Personal/Professional Development
The post holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of their employment, such training to include participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development. Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrate skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality
The post holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice and will alert other team member to issues of quality and risk. Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision. Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. Participate in audit where appropriate.

Contribution to the implementation of Services
Will apply Practice policies, standards and guidelines and will discuss these with other members of the team as to how they will affect their own work.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

To apply for this job please contact:

Beth Aston (HR Administrator)

Launceston Medical Centre

[email protected]

(01566) 772131

https://launcestonmedicalcentre.co.uk/