Prescribing Clinical Pharmacist

A new opportunity has arisen at The Elms Surgery to join our family friendly, patient centred, forward thinking practice based in the centre of Watford. We are looking for an enthusiastic, experienced pro-active, Practice Based, lead Prescribing Clinical Pharmacist. We are looking for someone who shares our commitment and passion to providing high quality patient care and who also has the desire to attain their own individual career goals.

Main Responsibilities and Duties include:

• Support the practice team and its patients
• Medication reviews
• Repeat prescription re-authorisation
• Support and manage long term condition clinics
• Regular Audits
• Support QOF and ECF targets
• Steer development of the prescribing team

About us:

The Elms Surgery has a list size of approximately 9500 patients, is based in Central Watford, with excellent commuter links (Watford Junction overground & Watford Metropolitan Line, on M25 and M1 junctions). The practice is in catchment of Watford Outstanding Primary and Secondary Schools. EMIS Web and Docman practice. High QOF achiever. Clinical team includes GPs, Physician Associates, Practice Nurse, HCA, First Contract Physios, Care Coordinators, Social Prescriber. Supported fully by competent and efficient Reception, Admin and Management team.

Job responsibilities:

• Fulfil locally defined outcomes
• Optimise medicines for patients who are on complex medicine regimes.
• Improve management of medicines to help reduce adverse effects to medicines.
• Maximise clinical outcomes for patients by focusing on patient engagement through medication reviews.
• Reduce potential waste medicines by medicine synchronisation and identifying non-adherent patients.
• Ensure cost effective use of investment in prescribing by ensuring full utilisation of resources and implementation of change to current prescribing.

Key responsibilities:

• Undertake and record reviews of discharge/clinical letters where medication is involved to ensure all changes are accurately recorded on the clinical system and patients contacted where changes to medication have occurred or further tests are required.
• Undertake and record medication reviews with direct patient contact for patients on complex medicine regimes/at high risk of harm from medicines.
• Proactively liaise with clinical staff to ensure this service is offered to patients who would benefit from having their medicines optimised.
• Record interventions made during medication reviews using template provided and details of interventions that may have prevented an admission.
• When undertaking medication reviews, where appropriate, consideration should be given to tapering, withdrawing, discontinuing or stopping medications to reduce over-prescribing, adverse drug effects and inappropriate or ineffective medication use.
• Undertake regular medication related audits and implement any actions identified.
• Communicate with staff of all levels in and outside the practice.
• Communicate effectively with clinicians of all disciplines on complex medication issues.
• Communicate medication issues to patients and carers showing discretion and understanding.

Leadership:

• Act as a support for patients with complex pharmaceutical needs, liaising with GPs, PAs, care coordinators, social care staff and others.
• Act as a Practice champion for medicines optimisation.
• Promote standards for the quality use of medicines to deliver medicines optimisation and ultimately improved patient outcomes.
• Work with care coordinators in the practice to support practice, local and national targets.
• Develop and support a prescribing team in the practice.

Education, training and development:

• To act as an expert in-house resource on medicines optimisation.
• Participate in clinical audit and lead on audit of medicines-related activities e.g. prescribing.
• Develop and deliver appropriate training for non-clinical practice staff and patients regarding medicines use.
• Keep abreast of current drug safety advice and alerts; ensure that relevant audits are carried out and guidance is circulated to GPs, pharmacists and other appropriate personnel in a timely fashion.
• Agree, implement and monitor actions required for the medicines management annual plan, as requested by the ICB.
• Attend regular prescribing meetings during the year and take part in biannual medicines optimisation practice meetings to support ECF targets.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of care pathways within the practice that involve medicines, taking into account national and local clinical guidelines, formularies and prescribing policies.

Clinical:

• Maintain professional accreditation and CPD as required by the GPhC.
• Prescribe acute and repeat medication for patient need within areas of competency.

Person Specification:

• Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy.
• A GPhC registration holder who has completed a CPPE pathway, such as the Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway (PCPEP) or the General Practice Pharmacist Training Pathway (GPPTP).
• Experience: More than 2 years previous experience in a GP practice.
• Disclosure and Barring Service Check: 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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.