Frailty Pharmacist - Tunbridge Wells Primary Care Network in Royal Tunbridge Wells

West Kent Primary Care are recruiting a Frailty Pharmacist on behalf of Tunbridge Wells Primary Care Network (PCN). Tunbridge Wells PCN have been developing their frailty and care homes team over the past couple of years and are looking to expand this further to develop and reach more of our patients. We are looking for pharmacists that are caring, compassionate and are team players to support with the development of this team, with a passion for improving patient care and outcomes. This role offers a distinctive opportunity to work as an independent practitioner and join a dynamic and committed care home and frailty team, delivering high quality, friendly patient services to our community. You will foster a culture of excellence and knowledge sharing to ensure the highest level of care for our patients. If you do not have experience in this area of care but you can demonstrate a robust clinical background, we will support your learning.

Tunbridge Wells Primary Care Network (PCN) is made up of 8 member GP practices servicing over 85,000 patients, including 20 care homes. We are a forward thinking and innovative PCN with a current clinical pharmacy team made up of ten clinical pharmacists and six pharmacy technicians as well as offering PCN services run by First Contact Physiotherapists, Social Prescribers, Paramedics and Advanced Clinical Practitioners to make a range of services more accessible to our patients.

Main duties of the job

• The Frailty Clinical Pharmacist will improve the quality and safety of care offered to patients of Tunbridge Wells who are living locally in care homes, are housebound or living within the PCN area.
• They will conduct medication reviews at care homes, in patients’ homes and in practices, building effective relationships with all care home staff and carers.
• They will have regular contact with patients and will reduce the workload of GP prescribers in the practices, supporting a multidisciplinary team with structured medication reviews, treatment escalation plans and support the management of patients with long‑term conditions.
• The Pharmacist will support evening and weekend extended access clinics working on a rota with the other PCN staff.
• The current set‑up is one remote evening per week and one in six Saturday morning on‑site clinics.
• The role will require a commitment to register on the CPPE pathway and Independent Prescribers Course (if these have not previously been completed), which we will fully support by providing time to attend training sessions plus a GP clinical supervisor and peer support.

About us

West Kent Primary Care will act as employer for this role. We are a collaborative and ambitious GP Federation working with GP practices across Sevenoaks, Weald, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Malling and Maidstone to improve General Practice provision in the area. West Kent Primary Care are a supportive and friendly organisation whose aim is to provide high quality, seamless health care that enables people to lead healthier lives, whilst feeling supported and cared for.

What we can offer

• Favourable terms and conditions
• NHS Annual Leave entitlement
• NEST and NHS Pension
• Enhanced Maternity and Adoption Leave
• Paid sick leave
• Training, support, and development in your career
• Flexible working arrangements
• Recognition via Employee of the Month scheme
• Wellbeing support and Employee Assistance Programme
• A comprehensive induction into the company followed by a local induction to introduce you to the role

Due to the geographical location, it would be beneficial to have a full driving licence as travel will be required to practices across the PCN area.

Job responsibilities

• Perform face‑to‑face medication reviews of housebound and care homes patients with polypharmacy, especially for those with frailty, multiple co‑morbidities or learning difficulties and prescribe alternative medications.
• Carry out medication reviews for every new care home resident within 7 days or after hospital admission.
• Support on Personalised Care and Support Plans for care home residents.
• Collect information to generate NEWS2 scores and other interventions as part of the PCNs Single Neighbourhood Health work.
• Prioritise residents health needs and inform the Care Home GP of any urgent problems that need attention.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to manage medicines on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing.
• Liaise with other MDT members and attend MDT meetings if needed.
• Undertake face‑to‑face reviews of patients with specific long‑term conditions that fall within their competency.
• Carry out Extended Access sessions, this will include at least one remote evening and one Saturday morning session every 6 weeks.
• Provide leadership on quality improvement and clinical audit, as well as managing aspects of medicines safety and antibiotic stewardship.
• Contribute to practice financial stability through optimisation of medicines related targets in QOF and IIF delivery.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: University Degree in Pharmacy Sciences, Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Desirable: Registered Prescriber.

Knowledge and skills

• Essential: Able to use Microsoft Office applications with above average capability with Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Skills for communicating complex information, requiring developed interpersonal and oral/written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively at a range of levels including Board members, patients, and colleagues.
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.
• Ability to collect and analyse patient data to effectively diagnose and treat problems.
• Skills for supporting project management and planning workload.
• Basic knowledge of project principles.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to re‑prioritise.
• Works well as an autonomous/independent practitioner and within a team.
• Advanced keyboard skills, use of a range of software.
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales.

• Desirable: Knowledge of structured medication reviews and producing recommendations for prescribing and monitoring.
• Knowledge of medicines management at point of hospital discharge including patients living in care homes.
• Knowledge and Understanding of the NHS Long Term (10 year) plan.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to re‑prioritise.
• Skills for manipulating information.
• Car Driver.

Experience

• Essential: Experience in providing clinical advice and expertise on medicines to colleagues and patients, Previous experience as a community, hospital or primary care based pharmacist, Experience using MS Outlook and Calendar management.

• Desirable: Knowledge of medicines management at point of hospital discharge including patients living in care homes, Experience of managing long‑term conditions in a clinical setting.

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.