Job summary
The post holder is an experienced pharmacist who, acting within their professional competency, will provide clinical and pharmacological care to facilitate safe, effective, rational and cost-effective prescribing.

They will demonstrate safe clinical decision-making and expert care for patients within the general practice. They will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary general practice team to meet the needs of patients and to support the delivery of policy and procedures.

It will be necessary to have knowledge of current Primary Care contracts, e.g. The Quality and Outcomes Framework, GMS contract and locally commissioned ICB contracts as this is a vital element of the post.

It is envisaged that the role will include the mentoring and management of our Pharmacy Technician within in the practice and working collaboratively with other pharmacists and technicians within the Primary Care Network.

Additionally, the successful candidate will be encouraged and supported to undertake any further training required to ensure appropriate role development.

Main duties of the job
The post-holder will provide primary support to general practice staff with regards to prescription and medication queries. They will help support the repeat prescriptions system, deal with acute prescription requests, medicine reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing, providing expertise in clinical medicines advice while addressing both public and social care needs of the patients.

The post-holder will provide clinical leadership on Structured Medication Reviews, Medicines Optimisation and quality improvement and manage some aspects of the quality and outcomes framework and enhanced services.

The post-holder will take responsibility for areas of chronic disease management within the surgery and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage patients with complex polypharmacy.

The post-holder will ensure that the practices liaise with community and hospital pharmacy to help utilise skill mix, improve patient outcomes, ensure better access to healthcare and help manage workload.

About us
Come and join our high achieving QOF, very friendly GP training practice with a list size of approximately 8,000. Supported by 2 GP partners, 2 Salaried GP, 3 highly skilled and experienced Nurse practitioners, 1 Advanced Practitioner, 2 Practice nurse, 2 HCAs and in-house Prescribing technician, along with our very experienced and supportive admin and reception team.

Job responsibilities
The post holder is an experienced pharmacist who, acting within their professional competency, will provide clinical and pharmacological care to facilitate safe, effective, rational and cost-effective prescribing.

They will demonstrate safe clinical decision-making and expert care for patients within the general practice. They will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary general practice team to meet the needs of patients and to support the delivery of policy and procedures.

It will be necessary to have knowledge of current Primary Care contracts, e.g. The Quality and Outcomes Framework, GMS contract and locally commissioned ICB contracts as this is a vital element of the post.

It is envisaged that the role will include the mentoring and management of our Pharmacy Technician within in the practice and working collaboratively with other pharmacists and technicians within the Primary Care Network.

Additionally, the successful candidate will be encouraged and supported to undertake any further training required to ensure appropriate role development.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Assist GPs to help deliver effective implementation of medicines management for patients
• Contribute to the development of policies / protocols / guidelines within the Practice.
• Use of computer for monitoring, recording, recall and management of all patient information - (Practice uses EMIS Web)
• Aid the Practice team with implementation of new initiatives in the delivery of medicine management services.
• Formulate reports as required for the Practice Management and/or GP Partners.
• Support the implementation of evidence-based guidelines in conjunction with the Practice team.
• Encourage the development of integrated services within primary care to include integrated Practice based teams and multidisciplinary working.
• Engage in continuous professional development and promote this with other members of the team.
• Recognise the opportunities for working in partnership with the Primary Health Care team.
• Participate in an annual appraisal.

Clinical Administration

• Medication queries and acute requests
• Support the practice medicines management team with medicines reconciliation
• Signposting
• Authorising repeat prescriptions
• Medicines information
• Interpreting pathology
• Signing prescriptions

Clinical Delivery

• Clinical medication reviews
• Polypharmacy reviews
• Home visits
• Care home support
• Care planning
• Triage
• Support the Practice Nursing team with Long-term condition management

Leadership and Integration

• Leading on medicines management
• Integration with community pharmacy
• Integration with hospital pharmacy
• Leading on QOF domains, Local Enhanced Services & Medicines Optimisation where appropriate

Practice Process and Performance

• Best practice prescription management
• QOF optimisation and prevalence finding
• CQC support
• Local incentive scheme support
• Clinical audits
• Education and training of staff

Prescription Management

• Review, manage and implement any appropriate changes to the practice repeat prescribing policy
• Manage the repeat prescribing reauthorization process by reviewing medications reaching review dates; make necessary changes as an independent prescriber in collaboration with the general practitioners
• Ensure implementation of the practice high risk drug monitoring process ensuring patients are booked in for necessary monitoring tests when required
• Medicines reconciliation (with support from the practice medicines management team)
• To reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and highlighting any concerns to the GP who is the patients usual doctor.
• Work with community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medication they need post discharge
• Ensure a post discharge medication care plan is in place including any dose titration or follow up tests

Medication review and Long Term Condition management

• Undertake clinical medication reviews with patients with multi-morbidity and polypharmacy and implement clinically indicated prescribing changes as an independent prescriber, working to protocols agreed with the partnership.
• Visit housebound or vulnerable patients to undertake clinical medication reviews, attending multidisciplinary team meetings as required.
• To prescribe safe, effective and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework and within own scope of clinical competence.
• When seeing patients for medication advice, provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care.
• Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an on-going plan of care/support, with an emphasis on prevention and self-care.
• Promote health and well-being through the use of health promotion, health education, screening and therapeutic communication skills.

Acute/minor illness and patient medicine queries

• Provide patient facing appointments and telephone support for those with questions, queries and concerns about their medicines
• Answer all medicine related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff and other healthcare teams(e.g. Community nurses and pharmacy)

Quality improvement, training and development

• Identify and act upon national and local policy and guidance that effects patient safety through the use of medicines including MRHA alerts, product withdrawal and emerging evidence from clinical trials
• Work with practice teams and patients to implement NICE guidelines
• Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms such as audit and PDSA cycles
• Work with ICB medicines optimisation team to deliver local objectives
• Ensure the practice is compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved.
• Provide education and training to primary healthcare team on therapeutics and medicine optimisation

Research, Audit and Quality

• Undertake audits as requested by the ICB and encourage the development of a Practice audit strategy and action plan for Primary Care. Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Contribute to the provision of equitable, high quality services for patients in the locality.
• Help support the integration across primary, secondary and tertiary care services.
• Maintain an interest in national research initiatives and disseminate appropriate information to health professionals if asked to do so.
• Ensure all care is evidence based using up to date validated resources.
• Contribute to research and development programmes where required to improve clinical practice.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Lead the monthly Prescribing meeting, contribute to and attend other Practice meetings as necessary.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services
The post-holder will:

• Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Person Specification
Personal Qualities
Essential

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated, forward thinker
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Effectively utilises resources
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort

Skills
Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Able to obtain, analyse and interpret complex information
• Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Problem solving & analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes
• Experience with clinical risk management

Qualifications
Essential

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy (MPharm)
• Registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Independent prescriber qualification

Desirable

• Minor Ailments certification
• Medicines Management Qualification

Experience
Essential

• Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience
• Experience of managing pharmacy services in primary care
• Experience using clinical systems such as EMIS web
• Broad knowledge of General Practice

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).