Advertised role location: Antrim Hospital Site
Official document: Job Description / Personnel Specification (docx)
Specialist Case Management Pharmacist, Care Homes (18.75 hours/week)
(with emergency duty commitment)

Job Description

Specialist Case Management Pharmacist, Care Homes (18.75 hours/week)
(with emergency duty commitment)

Job Description


The Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) is responsible for the delivery of safe and effective health and social care (HSC) services to the population of the Northern Trust area in Northern Ireland.
We provide compassionate care with our community in our community. In order to do this we require the commitment of a highly skilled and professional workforce that meets the need of the service.
The diagram below outlines our values and our objectives which support the delivery of compassionate care within our community.

The below diagram details the values and associated behaviours that we expect staff working within Health and Social Care (HSC) to display at all times;

HSC Value
 What does this mean?
 What does this look like in practice? - Behaviours

Working Together

We work together for the best outcome for people we care for and support. We work across Health and Social Care and with other external organisations and agencies, recognising that leadership is the responsibility of all.
 

I work with others and value everyone’s contribution
I treat people with respect and dignity
I work as part of a team looking for opportunities to support and help people in both my own and other teams
I actively engage people on issues that affect them
I look for feedback and examples of good practice, aiming to improve where possible

 Compassion

We are sensitive, caring, respectful and understanding towards those we care for and support and our colleagues. We listen carefully to others to better understand and take action to help them and ourselves.
 

I am sensitive to the different needs and feelings of others and treat people with kindness
I learn from others by listening carefully to them
I look after my own health and well-being so that I can care for and support others

 
Excellence

We commit to being the best we can be in our work, aiming to improve and develop services to achieve positive changes. We deliver safe, high-quality, compassionate care and support.
I put the people I care for and support at the centre of all I do to make a difference
I take responsibility for my decisions and actions
I commit to best practice and sharing learning, while continually learning and developing
I try to improve by asking ‘could we do this better?’

Openness & Honesty

We are open and honest with each other and act with integrity and candour.

I am open and honest in order to develop trusting relationships
I ask someone for help when needed
I speak up if I have concerns
I challenge inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour and practice


JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Specialist Case Management Pharmacist - Care Homes (18.75 hours / week)

BAND: Band 8a

DIRECTORATE/DIVISION: Medical and Governance

INITIAL LOCATION: Antrim Area Hospital to cover Antrim / Ballymena / Larne / Carrickfergus / Newtownabbey localities

REPORTS TO: Lead/Consultant Pharmacist for Older People

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management

FLEXIBLE WORKING
PROVISIONS AVAILABLE: Fixed working pattern

JOB SUMMARY:

To lead, manage, co-ordinate, develop and deliver specialist clinical pharmacy services for older people living within care homes across the Antrim / Ballymena / Larne / Carrickfergus / Newtownabbey localities in the Northern Trust area.
To work with patients, healthcare professionals and other professionals in primary and secondary care to meet the medication related needs of older people living in care homes.
To work closely with the Consultant Pharmacist for Older People, Consultant Geriatricians, secondary and primary care multidisciplinary teams to deliver high quality specialist pharmaceutical care to older people within the Trust area.

KEY RESULT AREAS / MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Practice

Provide specialist input on all matters relating to medicines in older people within Care Homes in the Specified localities within the Northern area, to ensure the safe and effective delivery of drug therapy and management of older people.
Lead, develop and implement a clinical pharmacy service to older patients with complex medicines management needs as they reside either within the Care Home setting and at times when they move between the primary / secondary care interfaces.
Participate in the provision of a comprehensive clinical pharmacy service including medicines reconciliation, prescription chart review, producing pharmaceutical care plans.
Manage a caseload of patients over a 6-week period. Pharmaceutical responsibility may be maintained beyond these time frames depending on the complexity of the identified pharmaceutical care needs.
Work closely with the Lead/Consultant Pharmacist for Older People to deliver on priority areas for action e.g. antipsychotic prescribing in people with dementia, medicines and falls, bone protection, pain management, reducing drug-related Emergency Department admissions etc.
Lead and develop communication/referral pathways between the Care Home/primary care and the secondary care pharmaceutical services for patients discharged from hospital or identified as requiring additional pharmaceutical care support or review in a clinic setting.
Build access to and referral from a broad range of older people’s services and be seen as a resource for teams within Primary Care and Older Peoples Directorate pathways e.g. rapid access clinics, older people assessment liaison services, outreach services.
Gather feedback from hospital and community and General Practice pharmacists, physicians, nurses and AHPs to inform further redesign and development of the pharmaceutical care needs of older people across the secondary/ primary care interface.
Link with and develop pharmaceutical models to enable integration with the voluntary and private sectors. Involve service users in the development of pharmaceutical case management within these settings and across the interface using personal and public involvement initiatives.
Provide cover for priority services within the Medicines Optimisation for Older People (MOOP) team.
Work closely with both the Lead/Consultant Pharmacist for Older People, and within the Medicines Optimisation for Older People (MOOP) team to develop, deliver training and guidance to promote medicines optimisation. Share and disseminate learning from older patients with complex medicines needs to the wider network and beyond.
Work as an independent non-medical prescriber for a group of vulnerable complex older people within the Trust area, within a supporting governance framework. Support other non-medical prescribers to develop their competencies in this area.
Proactively develop good working relationships with community pharmacists, care home staff, GPs and GP Pharmacists within the allocated network e.g. through attending and contributing to practice meetings, local launch of guidelines etc.
Be responsible for ensuring that the legal and statutory requirements in relation to medicines are met and ensure that the delivery of pharmaceutical care to patients in the defined clinical area meets both national and local standards.
Act as a role model/ leader for more junior pharmacists, participate in clinical ward rounds and multi-disciplinary team meetings (MDT).
Lead in the development of Patient Group Directions within specialized areas where applicable.
Demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost-effective use of medicines in accordance with Trust policies, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. This will include prescription review, advising on dosage and side effects and on safe administration of medicines. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieved in specific circumstances.
Proactively input to the delivery of regional priorities including, for example, Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework, Transforming Medication Safety in NI, Valuing Medicines Strategy to optimise medicines for older people.
Implement the managed entry of new medicines according to the agreed policy thus contributing to the overall management of the drugs budget.
Ensure the security of medicinal products in all settings that the post-holder comes into contact with including wards, clinics and the main pharmacy Department.
Play a key role in the investigation of medicine related incidents and agreement of action plans to address any issues identified.
Provide quarterly feedback to multi-professional teams on issues relating to clinical governance e.g. pharmacist near miss data and incident reports and ensure that remedial action is taken.
Where appropriate, be an expert member of Network, Trust, and Directorate specific committees and national bodies & networks relating to the use of medicines with the aim of proving expert advice within the defined clinical area e.g. Medicines Management Committee, Risk Management Committees, UKCPA.

Leadership

Responsible for leading a team providing clinical pharmacy support.
Report key performance indicators (KPIs) as appropriate to the service. e.g. Number and % medicines reconciliation, medicines reviews, interventions etc.
Identify and promote excellence in pharmacy practice.
Ensure compliance with the Trust Medicines Code and Policies and delivery of the clinical governance agenda in relation to medicines use.
Act as a mentor and facilitator for other pharmacists and demonstrates the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost effective use of medicines to older people. Motivate and inspire others within the speciality, pharmacy department and the wider field of pharmacy.
Recognise and utilise innovative practice and extend the boundaries of the profession in the best interest of the profession
Ensure that strategic issues related to pharmaceutical care are represented effectively within the Care Home pharmacy services.
Contribute to strategic groups affecting the direction of the Care Home pharmacy service at a local, regional or national level.
Represent the Care Home pharmacy service and pharmacy at regional meetings and conferences.
Work collaboratively with senior pharmacy and medical staff, the multi-professional team and management.
Proactively develop the Care Homes pharmacy service in line with local, regional and national objectives.

Management
Review, redesign, implement and monitor medicines optimisation policies and processes for medicines in this clinical service
Use evidence of harm from individual cases/adverse events to review processes.
Produce and implement policies and procedures and ensure compliance with relevant legislation and standards within the specialist area.
Develop the service to meet any changing needs and contribute to strategic planning.
Monitor, audit and report on any medicines related incidents, complaints or clinical governance issues from the service and explore ways of minimising risk of future re-occurrence or risk to patients and staff. Make appropriate recommendations to support improvement in these areas.
Contribute to the investigation of medicine related incidents and agreement of action plans.
Help evaluate the performance of other members of pharmacy staff in association with the Lead/Consultant Pharmacist for Older People.
Deputise for the Lead/Consultant Pharmacist for Older People, or other members of the MOOP team, during their absence when required
Maintain good staff relationships and morale amongst the staff reporting to him/her.
Promote the Trust’s policy on equality of opportunity through his/her own actions and ensure that this policy is adhered to by staff for whom he/she has responsibility.
All staff have a responsibility to ensure that a high standard of cleanliness is maintained throughout Trust facilities as this is essential for the delivery of Health and Social Care Services.
The post holder is required to be familiar with and adhere to Trust policies and guidelines related to infection prevention and control.
Meet regularly with the Lead/Consultant Pharmacist for Older People to ensure progress regarding pharmacy plans, innovation and improvement work in line with Trust directorate plans.
Participate and encourage others to participate in Trust SQE, (Safety Quality and Experience) programme.
Responsible for individual and team performance through the setting of objectives, personal development plans and appraisals.
Manage sickness and return to work interviews in line with Trust policy
Participate in the recruitment, selection and appointment of staff as required
Carry out other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade which may be assigned from time to time by the Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management.

Financial Responsibilities
This post holds no budgetary responsibility but contributes to the control of cost and expenditure within the scope of the role.
Identify areas where drug expenditure may be minimised and negotiate/influence practice within the multi-disciplinary team to realise these cost improvements.
Support, as required, applications for new drugs in accordance with Trust Policies.
Provide drug forecasting information and advice on options to help control budgets effectively.
Contribute to financial initiatives.

Education and Training
Educate patients and/ or their carers on their treatment and assess their understanding of their therapy.
Provide education for healthcare professionals about medication including development of information resources and support.
Identify training needs of staff in order to undertake the roles required.
Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff.
Provide and evaluate education and training to pharmacy staff/students and other staff (e.g. nursing staff/students, medical staff/students, etc.).
Participate in the mentoring, teaching and training of pharmacists e.g. for post-graduate courses
Participate in the mentoring, teaching and training of band 6 pharmacists on the Foundation Programme, as well as Foundation Training Year (FTY) Trainee Pharmacists and university undergraduate programme students. For FTY trainee pharmacists this may include acting as a practice supervisor (PS), or Educational Supervisor (ES) or Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP).
Participate in the mentoring and teaching of pharmacy technicians on the Medicines Management Accredited Programme (MMAP).
Participate in relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and apply knowledge gained to current and future work in the clinical area as appropriate.
Undertake all mandatory training required for the role.
Monitor the core competencies of the staff providing the pharmacy service and produce action plans for any shortfall.
Provide education and training to staff from other NHS Trusts/ organisations and non-NHS personnel on request/ as required.

Research and Development
Develop practice research within your speciality.
Integrate research evidence into practice and identify gaps in the evidence base.
Undertake own research and audit, guide and support others undertaking research and audit. Contribute to trust and pharmacy quality plans by sharing and publishing of result.
Liaise with and support the Lead Pharmacist-Clinical Trials/ Clinical Research Nurses in relation to pharmaceutical aspects of clinical trials in patients.
Support the development, implementation and monitoring of patient group directions (PGDs) where appropriate and according to the needs of the Service.
Develop and put into practice changes that meets the needs of the service and contribute to strategic planning in collaboration with clinical leads.
Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate protocols and guidelines.
Actively seek to improve the clinical services provided

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES/ DUTIES

Act as the Responsible Pharmacist as required
Acquire and/or retain the core technology skills required to support the use of digital healthcare systems e.g. EPIC.
Promote team working among other areas within pharmacy e.g. patient services, specialist services and procurement.
To participate in extended hours duties and bank holiday working as part of the pharmacy department rotas.
To participate in the Saturday and Sunday weekend rota as per the needs of the pharmacy service.
To participate in the out-of-hours emergency on-call rota.
Any other duties as required in response to changing demands of the service.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Ensure the appropriate governance and risk management arrangements are in place for the services you are responsible for and take appropriate action to identify and manage risk and to maintain safety of users, staff and others in accordance with relevant regulations, policies and procedures;
It is essential to ensure that the highest standards of infection prevention and control are maintained to ensure patient and client safety and maintain confidence in the Trust. As a Manager, you must ensure that you implement all instructions/ policy in this area and that all staff are made aware of and fully comply with these;
Where the post-holder has responsibility for managing a budget, ensure that services are managed and developed both in accordance with agreed and funded priorities as set out on a yearly basis and in accordance with Standing Financial Instructions, particularly ensuring your compliance with payroll documentation procedures and timescales;
Ensure the necessary arrangements are in place in regard to the ‘Knowledge and Skills Framework’ outlines, where this applies, for the posts for which you have management responsibility and ensure that each member of staff has an annual development and performance review, a personal development plan and that arrangements are in place to ensure that staff have maximum opportunity to progress through gateways in their pay bands and to contribute effectively towards our objectives;
Promote a culture of continuous service improvement amongst your staff, encouraging their participation and that of service users in reviewing and modernising current services and in service development;
Make sure you are trained and competent in the relevant policies and procedures which apply to the management of staff and other resources and abide by these policies; seeking advice as necessary from senior management or specialist staff as necessary;
Communicate effectively with staff and maintain productive working relationships amongst your staff and with others;
Delegate appropriate responsibility and authority to staff in order to ensure optimum and effective service delivery and decision-making, whilst retaining overall accountability and responsibility for outcomes;
Promote a culture of learning and development and facilitate arrangements for and participate in training and development of staff as agreed for the performance of their duties. Where training is in accordance with relevant standards make sure you have the relevant competences in order to carry out this responsibility;
Promote equality of opportunity for all by personal action, both in the management of your staff and in the provision of care to service users in accordance with the Trust’s Equality of Opportunity Policy and Equality Scheme;
Take responsibility for ensuring appropriate standards of environmental cleanliness and for encouraging staff to maintain standards in their work area. Have an awareness of environmental issues and take appropriate action, for example to ensure the efficient use of energy and other resources, recycling etc.;
Make sure that staff are aware of Trust policies regarding the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and Records Management and that they must not disclose, withhold, retain or dispose of any information unless legally authorised.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Employees of the Trust will be required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:-
At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner

At all times demonstrate practice the HSC values of Working Together, Excellence, Openness & Honesty and Compassion

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in a manner which assures patient and client safety

Comply with all instructions in regard to Infection Prevention and Control

Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them

Comply with the Trust’s Smoke Free Policy

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with health and safety policy and statutory regulations

Adhere to equal opportunities policy throughout the course of their employment

Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in service provision

Adhere to the Code of Conduct for HSC Employees which aims to guide staff, managers and employers in the work that they do and the decisions and choices they have to make. Professional staff are expected to follow the code of conduct for their own professions as well as this code.

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the NHSCT Raising Concerns Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

The post holder will, in the event of a concern being raised with them, ensure that it is managed correctly under the NHSCT Raising Concerns Policy, and ensure feedback/learning is communicated at individual, team and organisational level regarding the concerns, and how they were resolved.

RECORDS MANAGEMENT
All employees of the Northern Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant and to comply with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust policies on Information Governance including (for example) the ICT Security Policy, Data Quality and Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and to seek advice if in doubt.

SALARY
BAND 8a £55,690 - £62,682 per annum (pro-rata for part-time)

RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK
Please note this role may not meet the requirements for a Skilled Worker visa (including a Heath and Care Worker visa) and the Trust therefore would be unable to employ anyone that requires Sponsorship. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration).

HOURS
Normal full-time hours of duty are 18.75 hours per week, exclusive of meal times

MEDICAL
Appointment will be subject to a successful pre-employment health assessment.

HOLIDAYS
27 days each year; 29 days after 5 years’ service; 33 days after 10 years’ service and 10 statutory and public holidays, pro rata for part-time

PENSION
The post-holder can participate in the Health Social Care Pension Scheme.

NORTHERN TRUST BENEFITS
You can explore the benefits on offer to you in the Northern Trust by clicking here

PROBATIONARY PERIOD
You will serve a probationary period of normally six months.

WAITING LIST
A waiting list will not be compiled for this post.

PAY PROTECTION
Legacy Trust Staff who apply for a promotion after 1 April 2011 should be aware that they will lose their legacy protection arrangements and will be entitled to pay protection in accordance with circular HSS (JNF)(1) 2011. This circular will also apply to legacy staff who are currently in receipt of protection and who move post on promotion.

Completed application forms should be returned to the BSO Recruitment and Selection Shared Services Centre, on or before the closing date as stated in the advertisement.

Canvassing, either directly or indirectly, will be an absolute disqualification.

We will review this Job Description and it may include any other duties and responsibilities we determine in consultation with the jobholder. We do not intend it to be rigid and inflexible but rather to provide guidelines within which the jobholder works.

July 2026

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Title of Post: Specialist Case Management Pharmacist - Care Homes (18.75 hours / week)

Band of Post: Band 8a

Notes to applicants:
You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.
Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.
Volunteering experience may be considered appropriate in particular for roles within the context of direct patient/client care.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA


SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor
Criteria

Method of Assessment

Qualifications/ Registration

Experience
MPharm or equivalent and eligible to register with the Pharmaceutical Society of NI.
Postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy or equivalent relevant to the post
Independent Pharmacist Prescriber course completed and registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of NI
Two years’ experience in hospital as a band 7 pharmacist or above.
Be able to participate in the emergency duty rota -applicants must be able to reach the hospital within 45 minutes when on call.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other
Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities
Excellent communication skills to meet the needs of the post in full
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all relevant professionals.
Self-management skill with regard to time management
Self-motivation and ability to work to tight time scales whilst meeting deadlines.
Ability to identify solutions to problems and implement them effectively.
Ability to coach and motivate staff
Excellent influencing and negotiating skills.
Demonstrate a commitment to the provision of high quality and safe services with an ability to drive a culture of continuous improvement.
High motivation and drive in order to actively develop the pharmaceutical service.
Ability to use Microsoft office products including at least one of the core packages i.e. Outlook (Email), Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
Interview / Test

Knowledge
Knowledge and understanding of Frailty as a long term condition
Knowledge of medicines optimisation and cost-effective prescribing initiatives and strategies
Knowledge of the Medicines Optimisation Regional Efficiency (MORE) Programme
Knowledge of the NI Formulary and associated resources
Clinical Pharmacy knowledge
Knowledge of current trends in the HSC impacting on Pharmacy Services.

Interview / Test

Value Based Recruitment
Value Based Recruitment is a process adopted by the Northern Trust to attract and select employees on the basis that their individual values and behaviours align with those of the Trust.
It focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ people do what they do.
Candidates who are short-listed for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required knowledge, skills, competencies and values to be effective in this new role.
In answering the value based questions you have the opportunity to share examples of when you have demonstrated values relevant to the Northern Trust.

Criminal Offences, Investigations and Charges
Having a criminal record will not necessarily debar you from working with the Trust.  This will depend on the nature of the position, together with the circumstances and background of your offences or other information contained on a disclosure certificate.  Where it is necessary to obtain an Access NI disclosure the Trust operates in line with the Access NI Code of Practice (www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/accessni-code-practice).

If you require further information or a copy of the policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders or the policy on the Secure Handling, Use, Storage and Retention of Disclosure Information, please contact the Trust Human Resources Department.

Essential Leadership Capabilities

The successful candidate will need to provide evidence and demonstrate their Leadership capabilities against the required dimension on the NHS Leadership framework.
A shortlist of candidates for interview will be prepared on the basis of the information contained in the application form. It is therefore essential that all applicants demonstrate through their application how and to what extent their experience and qualities are relevant to this post and the extent to which they satisfy each criterion specified. An assessment centre may also be used as part of the short-listing process.
Candidates who are short-listed for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required competencies to be effective in this demanding leadership role. The dimensions concerned are given in the Healthcare Leadership Model details of which can be found at http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/healthcare-leadership-model.
Particular attention will be given to the following:
Leading with care
Connecting our service
Sharing the vision
Engaging the team
Developing capability
Influencing for results

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

THE NHSCT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants:
may be required to attend for a Health Assessment
can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range  of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post.  If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.
have the right to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance.
July 2026