Job Description

JOB TITLE:

Clinical Practice Pharmacist SALARY: Depending on experience WORKING HOURS: Negotiable ACCOUNTABLE TO: The GP Partners RESPONSIBLE TO: Practice Manager/Lead GP MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Professional: To manage day to day queries and requests for medication. To manage clinical and discharge letters, carrying out medicines reconciliation where appropriate To discuss and inform patients regarding changes to their medication, especially in relation to clinical letters and discharge from hospital. To liaise with community pharmacies regarding medication changes. To undertake reviews of individual patients medication.



This involves assessing appropriateness, safety and cost-effectiveness of medications, especially in respect to the older population, e.g. GMS frailty and care planning. Assessments are based on current clinical evidence and best practice; aiming to improve patient care and minimise risk. To accept referrals from GPs and other healthcare professionals (e.g.



practice nurses, community nurses, community pharmacists) for patients requiring a medication review. To lead face-to-face patient medication review clinics, where appropriate. To make recommendations to improve patient care and safety to GPs and other healthcare professionals involved in the patients care, following medication reviews. To develop and manage an annual Medicines Management Plan, in conjunction with ICB priorities, supporting the practice to stay within the set budget for prescribing.



To appropriately inform GPs and other healthcare professionals of cost-effective prescribing measures, without compromising patient care, implement any agreed changes and ensure that benefits are maintained in the future. To be responsible for reviewing and auditing practice prescribing data in priority areas, such as current NICE guidance and locally agreed target areas; to make recommendations, agree actions and implement appropriate changes based on these prescribing reviews; to implement any agreed changes. To develop, implement and evaluate guidelines and protocols regarding drug treatments within the practice and to contribute to guideline and protocol development. To contribute to the design and delivery of initiatives regarding the management of medicines within the practice.



To be responsible for implementing these initiatives at practice level, monitoring changes made and ensuring that benefits are maintained in the future. To identify areas of clinical risk at practice level and make recommendations to support the introduction of new working practices to optimise the quality of prescribing and make more efficient use of practice resources. To prepare evidence-based resources and information to support all relevant health professionals in the implementation of rational cost-effective prescribing. To help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within the Practice to optimise the quality of prescribing.



To advise the Primary Healthcare Team on the safe and secure handling of controlled drugs and other medicines, ensuring compliance with Medicines legislation. Ensure confidentiality of information gained at work is preserved at all times. To help manage and supervise the inhouse medicine management team (supporting existing Practice Pharmacist). Admin/Clerical: To provide regular support and feedback to the Practice on prescribing action plans.



To produce quarterly reports on Practice progress. To update and maintain accurate patient medication records on the Practices clinical computer systems, including advice given and action taken. To operate a variety of IT systems, e.g. Eclipse.

Communication:

To meet with the GPs and other healthcare professionals to discuss progress on prescribing issues and recommend appropriate actions, if required. To discuss with GPs and other healthcare professionals prescribing issues relating to individual patients. To disseminate information regarding prescribing issues and provide clinical presentations to GPs and other Healthcare professionals, as appropriate. To develop and maintain an effective network and working relationships with other members of the practice.



To provide regular written reports to the GPs regarding progress made against priority areas, quality improvements and the financial impact of any changes made. To gather, analyse, critically appraise and disseminate information relating to clinical and medication issues both in written form and by presentation to colleagues, GPs and other healthcare professionals. To be a point of contact for practice members for dealing with prescribing queries. To raise awareness of medicines management issues with other healthcare professionals and the public.



To communicate effectively with other team members, patients and their carers Training and Education: To have a pharmacy degree and be a registered member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. To maintain own clinical and professional competence and be responsible for own Continuous Professional Development. To attend training courses and meetings, where appropriate. To participate in annual personal development review with Lead GP/Practice Manager.

Research and Audit:

To undertake clinical and medication audit cycles in priority areas, such as QOF, NICE guidance and other agreed target areas. 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 , the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, 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 All patients diagnosis and treatments must be held in the STRICTEST CONFIDENCE at all times Health & Safety: The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include: Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards Reporting potential risks identified 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 recognizes the importance of peoples 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 individual performance review, 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 Quality: The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs Effectively manage own time, workload and resources Communication: The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to: Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognize peoples 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 This job description is not intended to be a complete list of duties and responsibilities, but it is a guide for information to the job. The job description will be periodically reviewed in the light of developing work requirements. The individual in post will be expected to contribute towards that revision.