Rheumatology Specialist Pharmacist in Harlow

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave—a national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

Job summary

To be the lead pharmacist for rheumatology, leading, managing and developing medicines management initiatives for rheumatology patients at PAHT.

This is an innovative role with the majority of time spent on rheumatology duties. The post holder will be based in the rheumatology department

To lead work with the specialist nurses & consultants in rheumatology to implement biosimilar switching, to the benefit of the health economy and to maximise the income to the Trust from any switching.

To lead work with the specialist nurses & consultants in rheumatology in setting up and running biologics consent clinics to review long term patients prescribed biologics.

To report back on savings / income generation from biosimilar switching to the Family, Diagnostics and Community and Planned pathways (MSK and ENT Care Group) Divisions.

To develop, train, motivate and encourage staff working within the team

Scope and range

This is an innovative role with the majority of time spent on rheumatology duties. The post holder will be based in the rheumatology department.

To lead work with the specialist nurses & consultants in rheumatology to implement all biosimilar switching to the benefit of the health economy and in order to maximise the income to the Trust from biosimilar switching.

To report back on savings / income generation from biosimilar switching to the Family, Diagnostics and Community and Planned pathways (MSK and ENT Care Group) Divisions.

To lead work with the specialist nurses & consultants in rheumatology in setting up and running biologics review clinics to review long term patients prescribed biologics.

To further examine the opportunities for biologics.

This may include:

• Introducing new biosimilars when available and monitoring their outcomes
• Reviewing stopping criteria
• Monitor homecare deliveries to reduce waste, including patients in a partnership
• Help in moving appropriate patients to subcutaneous formulations as they become available
• To advise and develop biologic pathways in collaboration with the ICB when/ if new developments are made and/ or new biologics are introduced
• Conduct audit on patients due to start on biologics are instead started on MTX S/C (if appropriate) and the financial savings this could make vs starting patients on biologics
• Start biologic weaning clinic for stable patients with regular monitoring to wean patients off biologic safely resulting in reduced medication burden to patient and financial saving for trust
• Start moderate pathway initiating clinic as per NICE - starting patients early on biologics will reduce the health-economic impact.
• Counselling patients starting biologics and DMARD's thoroughly will help reduce calls to helpline and improve patient safety and compliance
• Safety checks for patients initiated on biologic can be done by nurse/ pharmacist as a telephone clinic - increasing clinic capacity in doctors clinic for new patients
• Combined counselling sessions for patients being started on DMARD's/ Biologics - having presentations to run through the information

Leads the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients within rheumatology. Cross covers the pharmaceutical service to other clinical specialities to maintain a safe patient service. Ensures medicines are used appropriately, safely, and cost-effectively in accordance with NICE guidelines, national guidelines, Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieved in specific circumstances.

Duties and responsibilities

1. Service Provision

1.1 To lead on the implementation of the biosimilar switching as appropriate to ensure patients are switched as smoothly as possible & within the Trust timeframe of the biosimilar implementation

1.2 To work with the specialist nurses to keep a database of all switches & ensure patients are followed up

1.3 To keep a record of failures to switch & the reasons why

1.4 To produce financial reports for the Family, Diagnostic and Community and Planned Pathways Divisions where appropriate

1.5 To improve mechanisms within Rheumatology to minimise ‘waste’ with Homecare biologics. Examples of mechanisms include: monitoring dose changes; monitoring prescription requests and monitoring drug supplies.

1.6 To ensure the smooth running, day to day management of the Homecare pharmacy service to the rheumatology patients, as well as ensuring the switch happens with no disruption to patients.

1.7 To optimise funding applications for biological therapies that are used outside of national guidelines

1.8 To assist the existing CNS Rheumatology team in setting up a Biologics Review Service to optimise the use of biological therapy within the Rheumatology Service

1.9 To ensure that service provision is flexible and responsive to patient and service needs

1.10 To ensure the safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of drugs within rheumatology

1.11 To attend MDTs as part of the multi-disciplinary team

1.12 To meet any medication-related needs of rheumatology patients

1.13 To ensure that all healthcare professionals working in rheumatology are trained appropriately and are aware of all medicine related policies and procedures relating to the service

1.14 To provide drug expenditure reports and identify potential cost savings within the service as requested

1.15 To design and carry out audits as required

1.16 To attend outpatient clinics as deemed appropriate

1.17 Undertake risk management, including investigating clinical incidents in rheumatology and ensuring compliance with medicine legislation.

1.18 The post holder will be expected to identify, where necessary, areas that require service changes and develop a strategy to carry out the change through consultation with senior colleagues within and outside the pharmacy including commissioners.

1.19 Communication with ICB and NHS England about medicines policies or guidelines specific for their area of practice and for funding requests

1.20 Review and deal with high cost drug challenges from ICB and NHS England

1.21 Undertakes research into homecare medicines management services, which may include the trial of novel methods of providing homecare medicines management, or services for medicines previously not managed through homecare.

1.22 Pharmacy lead in the achievement of short, and long term, objectives within rheumatology in relation to medicine optimisation, especially regarding DMARDS

1.23 Develop and manage biologic review meetings to discuss all biologic initiations and yearly reviews

1.24 Counselling patients and answering concerns on their medication including telephone support clinics

1.25 To manage non biologic patients through drug switching DMARD management

1.26 To implement NICE guidance

1.28 Write or respond to business cases for service development to secure additional funding.

1.29 Attend departmental meetings to advise on medicine use and financial implications

1.30 Horizon scan for new drugs and advise the rheumatology meetings on the financial implications

1.31 Co-ordinate Medicines Use Savings Projects

1.32 Review prescribing data from out-patient clinics

1.33 To develop shared care guidelines for rheumatology

1.34 Responsible for self-audit and data collection to evaluate the on-going effectiveness of the role of Advanced Clinical Pharmacist for rheumatology

2. Clinical Practice

2.1 To act as a clinical role model to all pharmacists and ensure the safe clinically effective/evidence based and cost efficient use of drugs

2.2 If the service needs require it to train and work as an Independent Prescriber according to Trust Policies and within your identified scope of practice, as appropriate to the role

2.3 To professionally screen/check prescriptions, thus taking professional responsibility, as required by legislation

2.4 To integrate research evidence into practice

2.5 To plan, monitor and review drug treatment protocols dosing including implementation of new drugs and treatment strategies

2.6 To optimise patient knowledge of their drugs including counselling patients and relatives on the use of their drugs.

2.7 To enhance the quality of patient care

2.8 To ensure that in-patients reviewed have accurate drug histories documented, any supplies of their own medication checked, and any medication required supplied as soon as possible. To ensure that all changes to medication are communicated to the GP.

2.9 To demonstrate expert clinical knowledge

2.10 To influence prescribers and recommend changes to patient’s treatment where appropriate

2.11 To make decisions with limited information

2.12 To work with a whole-system patient focused approach

2.13 To communicate with patients and health care professionals

2.14 To prioritise clinical interventions according to individual patient needs

2.15 To help with the monitoring and implementation of Clinical Management Guidelines and Formulary adherence

2.16 To contribute to the implementation of national guidance as needed

3. General Service Provision

3.1 To provide a high quality, patient focused pharmaceutical service to in-patients, outpatients, discharge patients and other patients as required by the rheumatology

3.2 To input prescription information using the Pharmacy Computer system

3.3 To be able to use the computerised e-prescribing & medical notes system used in the Trust

3.4 To dispense and supply drugs to patients (including using the automated dispensing system (‘Robot’))

3.5 To provide evaluated pharmaceutical advice and information, to all health care professionals and patients of the Trust using on-line data bases and primary sources

3.6 To have a working knowledge of pharmacy stock control and ordering systems

3.7 To collect and handle prescription monies according to Government and Trust policy

4. Training and Development

4.1 To participate in education and training of other healthcare professionals

4.2 To participate in education and training schemes and meetings organised within the Department (Pharmacy & Rheumatology)

4.3 To participate in other areas of pharmacy practice in order to ensure a broad base of pharmaceutical knowledge

4.4 To undertake continual professional development and maintain a CPD portfolio, in line with requirements of professional body, including continuing education and attendance at appropriate courses and study days

4.5 To participate in the pharmacy department and Trust appraisal system

4.6 To supervise pharmacy staff as appropriate to job role

5. General Duties

5.1 To participate in all relevant departmental meetings and contribute to effective communication within the department

5.2 To be aware of and apply, relevant legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, GMP and Medicines’ Act

5.3 To provide a high quality, customer focused pharmaceutical service to patients within the Trust (out-patients & in-patients)

5.4 To have a working knowledge of all procedures, legislation or national guidelines relating to the storage and dispensing of unlicensed medicinal products, controlled drugs, oral chemotherapy and clinical trials

5.5 To have a working knowledge of pharmacy stock control and ordering systems

5.6 To at all times practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the General Pharmaceutical Council

5.7 To uphold the security of drugs and the premises at all times

5.8 To participate in general department rotas including (but not exclusively) weekends, bank holidays and late duties

5.5 To attend clinical pharmacy meetings

6. Other Duties

6.1 To be actively involved in undertaking projects and audits to continually review and improve the quality of service provision

6.2 To attend courses & study days as deemed appropriate by the deputy chief Pharmacist/lead pharmacist - medicine

6.3 To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade as requested by the deputy chief pharmacist

7. Out of Hours/On Call

The post holder will be required to participate in the Pharmacy Out of Hours/On Call rota.

This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and the manager. All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure.