Prescribing Pharmacist

Responsible for implementing an effective medicine management system within the Practices, including cost-effective prescribing, working as an Independent Prescriber, providing advice and support for both patients and colleagues. In addition, the post holder will also support the multi-disciplinary team in line with the strategic objectives of the PCN.

The post-holder will work within their clinical competencies as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide expertise in clinical medicines management, provide face-to-face structured medication reviews, manage long-term conditions, management of medicines on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing, manage repeat prescription authorisations and reauthorisation, acute prescription requests, whilst addressing both the public health and social care needs of patients in the GP Practice(s) that make up the PCN.

The post holder will perform face-to-face medication reviews of patients with polypharmacy, especially for older people, people in residential care homes and those with multiple co-morbidities. The post holder will provide leadership on quality improvement and clinical audit as well as managing some aspects of the Quality and Outcomes Framework. This role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and operational efficiencies so requires motivation and passion to deliver an excellent service within General Practice.

• Provide expertise in clinical medicines review and address public health and social needs of patients in GP practices.
• Reduce inappropriate poly-pharmacy and wasteful prescribing through clinical medication review.
• Reconcile medicines following hospital discharge and work with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post-discharge.
• Contribute to reductions in medicine-related hospital admissions and readmissions by supporting patients to get the best outcomes from their medicines and identifying and addressing medicines-related issues.
• Interface with community and hospital pharmacy colleagues and develop referral processes between primary care professionals including the promotion of the repeat dispensing service.
• Manage the repeat prescribing reauthorisation process by reviewing requests for repeat prescriptions and medicines reaching review dates.
• Manage patients' and health care professionals' medicine queries.
• Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms such as audit and PDSA cycles.
• Manage practice formularies to improve the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of prescribing.
• Implement drug withdrawals and alerts e.g. MHRA aimed at improving medicines safety.
• Work with primary care professionals and patients to implement NICE and other evidence-based guidelines.
• Run face-to-face clinics where medicines are the main interventions e.g. anticoagulant monitoring clinics.
• Run normal on-the-day booking face-to-face clinics.

Founded in 1937, Primrose Hill Surgery was one of the first NHS practices in Camden and the first to operate an appointment system.

• Conduct comprehensive medication reviews and assessments to identify therapeutic needs and ensure safety and efficacy.
• Prescribe medications and treatments for specific conditions under collaborative practice agreements, while considering patient preferences, age, and medical history.
• Monitor patient progress, evaluate the outcomes of prescribed treatments, and make necessary adjustments.
• Provide patient education regarding medication usage, side effects, and potential drug interactions.
• Collaborate with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to optimize patient care.
• Maintain accurate patient records, documenting all prescriptions, assessments, and recommendations.
• Keep abreast of current medical literature, treatment guidelines, and new medications to ensure evidence-based practice.
• Respond to clinical queries from patients, caregivers, and the healthcare team regarding pharmaceutical care and drug-related issues.
• Participate in clinical audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Working within the practice-based team to undertake medication reviews particularly in high-risk groups such as frail elderly, poly-pharmacy, renal impairment, hepatic impairment, substance misuse, and patients on high-risk medicines.
• Improve prescribing practice through educational support for all prescribers within the practice.
• Lead on where changes in evidence require changes in prescribing across the patient population e.g. where a drug is withdrawn or indications change.
• Liaise with colleagues in community pharmacy to align support for medicines adherence such as MUR and NMS.
• Support improvements in clinical care through practice-based audit and implementing change.
• Provide prescribing advice to prescribers in practice e.g. temporary non-availability of drugs.
• Ensure patient safety when they are transferred between care providers through reconciliation of prescribed medicines.

• Experience of working in a GP.
• Experience holding Clinics.

• Completion of an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy, and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Minimum of 2 years post-graduate experience in pharmacy, as demonstrated within a practice portfolio.
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
• Member of or working towards (through foundation) RPS Faculty membership.
• May hold or be working towards a prescribing qualification.
• May hold or be working towards a postgraduate pharmacy qualification.
• Has an awareness of the breadth of common acute and long-term conditions that are likely to be seen in a general medical practice.

• Demonstrates general pharmaceutical skills and knowledge in core areas.
• Is able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general pharmaceutical care programmes for patients in core areas, including disease states/long-term conditions identified by local Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment.
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision as an individual.
• Demonstrates ability to use skills in a range of routine situations requiring analysis or comparison of a range of options.
• Recognises priorities when problem-solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.
• Is able to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct.
• Involves patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence as per NICE guidance.

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.