Senior Clinical Pharmacist in Widnes

Weare looking for a Senior Clinical Pharmacist to provide pharmacy prescribingand medicines management leadership to the Widnes Highfield Health, WA8Collaborate and its constituent practices.

Thisis an exciting opportunity for an experienced highly motivated clinicalpharmacist, who will be responsible for leading a team of established andexperienced practice-based clinical pharmacists and medicines managementtechnicians across 8 practices, serving a patient population of 68,000. Youwill have leadership responsibility for ensuring the smooth running of pharmacist led activities in general practice, while playing a vitalrole in providing pharmaceutical care and advice to patients.

The successful candidate will provideprofessional advice on medicines governance including prescribing safety, patient group directives, resolve medication-related queries,work as part of a multidisciplinary team, improve patient outcomes, supportthe improvement of access to healthcare, supportthe organisation\’s long-term condition clinics, including those for heart failure,chronic kidney disease and frailty.

The organisation will fully support yourprofessional developmentalongwith a remuneration package that reflects your experience.Starting salary for this role is between £54,000- £59,000 per annum depending on experience, this includes NHS pensionand company benefits. The role is 37.5hrsper week, we will consider part-time a minimum of 30 hours per week

Main duties of the job

Leadership, Co-ordination and Administration Functions

• Chair bi-monthly clinical pharmacist group
• Develop Standard operating procedures with the senior management teams
• Develop and support training opportunities across the network
• To be responsible for supporting an effective medicine management system within the primary care network constituent practices.
• Act as mentor to the PCN pharmacy and technician team
• Provide advice and support for colleagues.
• Undertake all duties expected within the changing role over time.
• Take part in training of others when required.
• Maintain own professional accreditation requirements.
• Act as representative for the company at strategic meetings
• Be actively involved with CQC governance
• Lead and take part in PCN audits, Federation audits, and quality prescribing initiatives, including QoF
• Deliver integrated care clinics and SMRs, work as part of the Extended Access team
• You will be expected to work with the GP prescribing lead from the PCN on town-based programmes of work
• Provide advice and support for both patients
• Deliver integrated care clinics
• Keep up to date and support safety alert systems

About us

WidnesHighfield Health head office is located on the site of a former maternityhospital in Widnes, Cheshire. The building has since been renovated to createcomfortable waiting areas, clinic rooms filled with state-of-the-artfacilities and equipment. Thesetting gives us access to the latest technology, enabling accurate and timelyassessment and sharing of results for our patients, forming a core part of thehealthcare on offer in Halton.

TheGP Federation is a provider of services- Widnes HighfieldHealth and Wellbeing Centre/Primary Care/Halton

Thepatient list size of Widnes PCN is 68,000 over 8 practices.

BevanGroup Practice

FirPark Medical Centre

HoughGreen Health Park

NewtownSurgery

PeelHouse Medical Plaza

TheBeeches Medical Centre

UptonRocks Surgery

NHS England Primary care networks

Inthe past 12 months Widnes Highfield Health and WA8 Collaborate havesuccessfully won and also been shortlisted for several national awards,highlighting our collaborative work.

2025HSJ award winner for Most Effective Contribution to Improving Care for withLong Term Conditions

2025HSJ runner up for our collaborative work in cardio-renal-metabolictransformation

2025GP Awards winner for Clinical Improvement Long Term Conditions – ACardio-Renal-Metabolic Quality Improvement Programme.

2025 GP Awards shortlisted for PCN of the Year.

Job responsibilities

Thefollowing are the core responsibilities of the Senior Clinical pharmacist.There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will bedependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

Leadership, Co-ordination and Administration Functions

Reviewall safety alerts ensuring the required actions are taken and ensure otherclinical pharmacists undertake these duties in a timely fashion.

Toprovide subject matter expertise on medication monitoring, implementing andembedding a system

Undertakepractice/ PCN and Federation level audits when agreed and supervise thecompletion of clinical audits by other clinical pharmacists.

Establisha robust mentoring programme for the PCN clinical pharmacist team, holdrequired meetings, offer clinical supervision and support in a documented andstructured format to help others successfully complete CPPE training/ IPtraining.

Toattend senior management meetings with the Federation Leads for Quality areas, help to deliver successful outcomes for all Practices within any suchscheme

Workcollaboratively with the Lead PCN Clinical Director

Liaisewith colleagues in the ICB, Training Hub, Heads of Medicines management andMedicines optimisation teams

Undertakemonthly clinical supervision of PCN Pharmacists (both Prescribing andNon-Prescribing) and Pharmacy Technicians

Scheduleand lead clinical/tutorial meetings for the Pharmacy Team within the PCN

Encouragecost-effective prescribing across practices in the Town

Provideeducation on medicines for the clinical team

Reviewthe latest guidance ensuring The Federation conforms to NICE, CQC etc.

Actas the PCNs point of contact for all medicines related matters, establishingpositive working relationships

Producepharmacy / prescribing newsletters or bulletins on a quarterly basis or devolvethis to the clinical pharmacist team.

Leadclinical documentation and governance for COVID vaccine programme

Practice as an independent prescriber working within scope of practice.

Toprovide medication review services with patients by telephone calls, clinicalrecords reviews, face to face reviews or during domiciliary visits, includingstructured medication reviews for patients resident in care home settings.

Toreconcile medicines following patients discharge from hospital or clinicappointments, including de‑prescribing

Carryout targeted medication reviews for high‑risk patients

Review and implement safe prescribing systems for vulnerablepatients and housebound patients, improving compliance

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the clinicalpharmacist may be requested to:

Toprovide advice and support for patients with self‑limiting conditions

Reviewmedications for newly registered patients

Implementand embed a robust repeat prescribing system and electronic repeat dispensing

Tore-authorise medication for repeat prescribing within scope of practice

Identifypatients suitable for repeat prescribing, liaising with the relevant cliniciansas required

Supportclinicians with the management of patients suffering from drug and alcoholdependencies

Activelysignpost patients to the correct healthcare professional

Assistwith QOF targets, including running LTC review clinics in individual or groupsettings

Administerinfluenza and any other required vaccines when requested to do so

To support with the requirements as outlines in thePCN DES, including but not limited to providing hours for Extended Access

Qualifications& Training for This Job:

NB: it is anticipated that thelevel of qualification held may vary according to the level of position and thecomponents of the role being carried out

Completion of an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy,and registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Minimum of 5 years post graduate experiencepharmacy, with at least 1 year in general practice

Member of or working towards (through foundation) RPSFaculty membership

May hold or be working towards a postgraduatepharmacy qualification

Has an awareness of the breadth of common acute andlong term conditions that are likely to be seen in a general medical practice

Behavioural Competencies & Skills for This Job:

Demonstratesgeneral pharmaceutical skills and knowledge in core areas

Isable to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general pharmaceutical careprogrammes for patients in core areas, including disease states / long termconditions identified by local Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

Demonstratesaccountability for delivering professional expertise and direct serviceprovision as an individual

Demonstratesability to use skills in a range of routine situations requiring analysis orcomparison of a range of options

Recognisespriorities when problem-solving and identifies deviations from the normalpattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate

Isable to follow legal, ethical, professional, and organisationalpolicies/procedures and codes of conduct

Involvespatients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence asper NICE guidance

Collaborative Working Relationships:

Recognisesthe roles of other colleagues within the organisation and their role in patientcare

Demonstratesuse of appropriate communication to gain the co-operation of relevantstakeholders (including patients, senior and peer colleagues, and otherprofessionals, other NHS/private organisations e.g. ICBs)

Demonstratesability to work as a member of a team

Isable to recognise personal limitations and refer to more appropriatecolleague(s) when necessary

Liaiseswith ICB pharmacists and Heads of Medicines Management/ Optimisation

Liaiseswith other Primary Care Networks, GP Practices and staff as needed for thecollective benefit of patients

Understandingof NHS 10 year plan with a particular focus on neighbourhood working

Leadership:

Demonstratesunderstanding of the pharmacy role in governance and is able to implement thisappropriately within the workplace

Demonstratesunderstanding of the workplace vision

Demonstratesability to improve quality within limitations of service

Reviewslast years progress and develops clear plans to achieve results withinpriorities set by others

Demonstratesability to motivate self to achieve goals

Demonstrateleadership of a team

Bepart of a growing and learning culture

Management:

Demonstratesunderstanding of the implications of national priorities for the service

Demonstratesunderstanding of the process for effective resource utilisation

Demonstratesunderstanding of, and conforms to, relevant standards of practice

Demonstratesability to identify and resolve risk management issues according topolicy/protocol

Followsprofessional and organisational policies/procedures relating to performancemanagement

Demonstratesability to extend boundaries of service delivery within the team

Education, Training & Development:

Understandsand demonstrates the characteristics of a role model to members in service.

Demonstrateself-development through continuous professional development activity.

Demonstratesan understanding of current educational policies relevant to working areas ofpractice and keeps up to date with relevant clinical practice.

Confidentiality:

Inthe course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us togather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters.They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respecttheir privacy and act appropriately.

Inthe performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holdermay have access to confidential information relating to patients and theircarers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have accessto information relating to the commerical business organisation. All suchinformation from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Informationrelating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or thebusiness of the company may only be divulged to authorised persons inaccordance with the company policies and procedures relating to confidentialityand the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Person Specification

Additional Requirements

• Self-Motivated
• Adaptable
• Full Driving Licence
• Up to date safeguarding adult and children level three training (will be an essential requirement of role)

Qualifications

• Completed CPPE course in Primary care pharmacy education pathway or equivalent experience
• Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) which includes revalidation
• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• A member of or working towards Faculty membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Experience

• Team Leader or programme lead experience
• Minimum of 5 years post-registration experience.
• An appreciation of the nature of GPs and general practices.
• An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Can plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas for long term conditions.
• Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information
• Recognises priorities when problem solving and identifies deviations from the normal pattern and is able to refer to seniors or GPs when appropriate.
• Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
• Gain acceptance for recommendations and influence/motivate/ persuade the audience to comply with the recommendations/ agreed course of action where there may be significant barriers.
• Work effectively independently and as a team member.
• Demonstrates accountability for delivering professional expertise and direct service provision.
• Produce timely and informative reports.
• Experience of mentorship and clinical supervision of peers
• Strong sense of accountability and able to demonstrate this
• In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g., patients).
• Extended training in heart failure

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.