Senior Pharmacist - Critical Care

Job overview

The post holder will work as part of a dedicated pharmacy team to lead, provide, develop and evaluate operational and clinical pharmacy services to Queen Mary’s Hospital (QMH) and will support operational services at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH). The post holder will support the Specialist Pharmacist in managing the operational and clinical services and team. The post holder will liaise between pharmacy, clinical areas and departments to ensure that services are tailored to meet Pharmacy and Care Group needs wherever possible.

Main duties of the job

• Deputise for the Specialist Pharmacist and for the operational and clinical pharmacy services at QMH.

• Act as a role model in operational and clinical management at QMH, and clinical and pharmacy care groups.

• Support the Specialist Pharmacist to lead, manage and develop operational and clinical pharmacy services at QMH and contribute to the provision and management of operational services at PRUH.

• Participate in operational and clinical activities to deliver and promote high quality, cost-effective and patient-focused pharmaceutical care.

• Ensure operational and clinical pharmacy input to the care of patients, providing interface liaison and support.

• Provide patient and carer education and support and close liaison across the interface.

• Promote safe drug use within dispensary, clinical specialties and clinical areas.

• Develop, implement and audit local guidelines, policies and procedures.

• Supervise and train pharmacy staff.

• Provide education and training to healthcare professionals within and outside the Trust.

• Participate in practice and clinical research and audit.

• Work with the Deputy Chief and Principal Pharmacists and Principal and Lead Technicians to extend the boundaries of professional practice.

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. Transforming Healthcare is the vision at the heart of the King’s Strategy – 2026 to 2031. Together, we are pursuing six strategic ambitions: delivering high-quality patient care; being a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability. Achieving these ambitions will require all of us to work as one Team King’s, united by a shared commitment to our values of being caring, collaborative, inclusive and innovative. By living these values every day, we will transform healthcare for our patients, our communities and each other

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full job description and outline of main responsibilities please see attached documents.

Policy/Service Development

• To manage and develop the operational and clinical services at QMH, working with principal and lead technicians and pharmacists, and contribute to the development of operational services at PRUH.
• To lead and manage pharmacy technicians and assistant technical officers within operational services at PRUH and QMH.
• To ensure that operational and clinical processes, policies and procedures are followed by all staff.
• To maintain and develop high quality, consistent, patient-focused pharmacy services in conjunction with operational and clinical staff.
• To adhere to and maintain quality standards and performance indicators for safe medicines use.
• To support the agenda for medication waste and sustainability within the Trust by developing systems that are sustainable and minimise waste.
• To support stock management and control and initiatives to optimise these processes.
• To participate in pharmacy and clinical audits and research.
• To follow departmental procedures and dispense and check medication accurately.
• To develop procedures, policies and guidelines pertaining to the pharmacy service.
• To use pharmacy computer systems correctly and enter data accurately and ensure that data is stored and archived appropriately in accordance with local and other agreed guidelines.
• To develop and support initiatives for patient centred care.
• To support the delivery of compliant homecare services across the Trust.
• To encourage and support compliance with the formulary and departmental policies & procedures.
• To highlight operational and clinical incidents using the incident reporting system and investigate and develop corrective or preventive action plans in conjunction with the pharmacy leads for reported incidents.

· To ensure that operational and clinical services satisfy all legislation and good practice recommendations relating to the safe storage and supply of medicines.

· To provide regular activity and quality monitoring information and to use this information to develop the service and improve and/or maintain a quality service.

· To be responsible for and manage the distribution of FP10 prescription pads, ensuring secure storage arrangements in the pharmacy and when in use throughout the hospital.

· To support the safe and secure management of controlled drugs as per the legal requirements and standard operating procedures including weekly and monthly cycle counts, adjusting ward stock levels, and managing the introduction of new practice or drugs. To understand the use of the Omnicell system and train staff when required.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• NVQ 3 in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent
• Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Mandatory CPD to maintain fitness to practice
• Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician qualification

Desirable criteria

• Successful completion of short courses relevant to practice, to include supervisory/management qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of pharmacy computer systems
• Good knowledge of MS Word and MS Excel applications
• Good Management Practice
• Significant experience relevant to Hospital Pharmacy Practice with assessed competencies

Desirable criteria

• Experience of research and audit work

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Be able to provide and receive complex information on medicines use, ward and dispensary services
• Be able to communicate effectively and accurately in both written and verbal formats with staff and patients
• Track record of successfully working within teams
• Be able to analyse information relating to service provided or individual patients where there are a range of facts requiring analysis and where a range of options need to be compared
• Be able to analyse and interpret information relating to medicines and their uses

Desirable criteria

• Be able to use presentational aids

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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