GP Practice Clinical Pharmacist in England

We are a forward-thinking practice and our team works collectively with agile leadership. Our practice aims to ensure that our staff come first, by fostering good working practices that build the resilience required for modern-day primary care. Our entire team is able to deliver not just consistently but drives towards sustainable and exceptional patient care for our 13,000-list size.

Would you like to experience being part of a strong primary GP Practice team, delivering improved access and online consultations, high achieving QOF, rated Outstanding by CQC? Would you like to be part of a practice that has a very active and national award-winning Patient Participation Group involved in supporting our local clubs, school, local football club community trust and local council to help promote physical and mental well-being in our local population?

Main duties of the job

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, PCN contract and locally commissioned ICB contracts as this is a vital element of the post. It is envisaged that part of the role will include the mentoring of our Pharmacy Technician and Prescribing clerks. Additionally, the successful candidate will be encouraged and supported to undertake any further training required to ensure appropriate role development.

About us

The Thornton Practice

Mission: To provide high-quality medical care, including appropriate health promotion and disease prevention activity, to all patients registered at our practice.

Vision: To be a high performing practice for patient experience and clinical outcomes.

Values:

• Teamwork: Together with the team you can achieve more.
• Respect: Treat everyone with respect and courtesy.
• Quality: Engage the right people with the right enquiry.
• Integrity: Exhibit honesty and integrity at all times.
• Caring: Maintain respectful relationships with staff, patients and our communities.

Job responsibilities

• Assist GPs to help deliver effective implementation of medicine management of 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 requests.
• Signposting.
• Authorising repeat prescriptions.
• Interpreting pathology.
• Signing prescription (if qualified).

Clinical Delivery

• Clinical medication reviews.
• Polypharmacy reviews.
• Home visits.
• Care home support.
• Minor illness clinics.
• Triage.
• Support the Practice Nursing team with Long-term condition management/clinics.

Practice Process and Performance

• Best practice prescription management.
• QOF optimisation and prevalence finding.
• CQC 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 reauthorisation 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.
• 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 patient's 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 form medication advice, provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care.
• Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an ongoing 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

• Manage caseload of patients with common/minor/self-limiting ailments while working within the scope of practice and limits of competence, referring to GP or healthcare colleagues where appropriate.
• 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 affects 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 ICB prescribing advisor implementing C&H prescribing guidelines.
• Work with ICB prescribing advisor implementing C&H prescribing guidelines to 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

• 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 literature.
• 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 team's performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication

• The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
• Communicate effectively with other team members, attend Practice meetings and contribute as necessary.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognise people's 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.

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential. Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data. To work in accordance with all Practice written protocols.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Safeguarding

Thornton Practice is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and vulnerable adults who attend the surgery, either as patients or when accompanying patients. The post-holder will be expected to share this commitment. If the post-holder has a concern regarding a child or young person or vulnerable adult they have a duty to act upon that concern. This may mean sharing that concern with another professional and following local and national guidance.

This Job Description is flexible and the post holder will be expected to undertake any other duties appropriate to the role and grade as may be required by the GPs/Practice and Management. This job description is subject to change from time to time in line with organisational need and the post holder's agreement should not unreasonably be denied.

Application via Online Application form or CV

For further information or an informal chat about the role, please contact:

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in pharmacy and registration with GPC.
• Minimum 2 years experience as a pharmacist.
• Hold or are working towards independent prescribing qualification.
• Experience of common acute and long-term conditions.
• Work effectively independently.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills.
• Rigorous in following legal, ethical, professional and organisation policies and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous professional development.
• Ability to apply research evidence base into the workplace.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• IT literate.
• More than 2 years experience as a pharmacist.
• Independent prescriber.
• Experience of medication reviews relevant in General Practice.
• Track record of improving work processes.
• Up to date knowledge of CQC regulations in General Practice.
• Good understanding and history of quality improvement through audit.
• User of EMIS Web.

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Depending on experience Equivalent to band 7 or 8a on Agenda to Change.