About this role
Job summary
Springwood Surgery are looking for a Practice Clinical Pharmacist to help us enhance the care of our patients. We were early proponents of the benefits of bringing an expert in medicines into the care of our patients and were the first to develop a prescribing Pharmacist-led chronic disease clinic within our PCN.
We are now wanting to bring that expertise in-house and expand the reach of an expert in medicines into the care of our patients. We are looking for an enthusiastic, forward-thinking Clinical Pharmacist who will help us to realise our vision of high-quality evidence-based prescribing for all of our patients.
We are simultaneously recruiting for a Pharmacy Technician and our vision is for the two roles to support each other and provide a comprehensive in-house Medicines service.
Interest/experience/qualifications in Diabetes management would be advantageous, however we have the time and skills to train the right candidate if needed.
Please note that depending on if we receive a high number of applicants, this job advert may shut earlier than 27/10/2026.
To arrange an informal discussion or visit the Practice, please contact Danielle Adams (Practice Manager)
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide primary support to general practice staff with regards to prescription and medication queries. This may be face to face in surgery, patients homes, care homes, via telephone consultation or via online working.
They will help support the repeat prescription system, deal with acute prescription requests, and medicines reconciliation on transfer of care and systems for safer prescribing, providing expertise in clinical medicines advice while addressing both public and social care needs of patients in the GP practice(s).
They may run minor ailment clinics in surgery as appropriate for a pharmacy led clinic.
About us
Springwood Surgery is a thriving semi-rural practice providing care to approximately 7,500 patients in the beautiful market town of Guisborough on the edge of the North York Moors. We have a friendly and supportive team of six GP Partners, two salaried GPs, a highly-trained and skilled nursing team, excellent Practice Manager and effective administrative team.
We are supported by a wider multidisciplinary team provided by our PCN - including a Musculoskeletal Advanced Practitioner, Mental Health Practitioner Service, Care Coordinators, and Social Prescribing Link Workers.
We are an established and active training practice. Three of our GPs are GP Trainers, two of these are Training Programme Directors for the Durham & Tees Valley GP Training Programme. We provide placements for GP Specialty Trainees, Foundation Doctors and Undergraduate Medical Education (Years 3, 4 and 5 from Newcastle University). One of our GPs is a Medical tutor for CPPE.
We use SystmOne including Ardens and AnalyseRx. Our last CQC assessment was good in all areas. Our Surgery premises have recently undergone a full renovation. We are a member of East Cleveland Group PCN and one of our GPs is the Clinical Director of the PCN.
Job description Job responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Clinical - Long Term Conditions / Chronic Disease Management - via pharmacist ledclinics, telephone and office based notes reviews
Undertake disease focused medication reviews, particularly of high risk groups (elderly,renal/hepatic impairment, patients on high-risk medicines, etc.) to improve effectiveness and safety, and to ensure appropriate compliance with national and local guidelines.
These may be patients with single or multiple medical problems where medicine optimisation is required (e.g. respiratory, hypertension).
Ensure the care for patients taking high risk drugs e.g. DMARDs, anticoagulation, are safe and appropriate.
Review the on-going need for each medicine.
Titrate medication according to need and guidance.
Review monitoring requirements and arrange appropriately, ensuring recalls are placed on the IT system.
Use the opportunity to support patients with administration of their medicines.
Telephone advice to patients with LTCs on specific medicines management issues.
Provide health promotion where appropriate, including flu vaccinations.
Discuss where necessary any recommendations or concerns with Senior Clinicians or GPs. Undertake audits and reviews of LTC groups where bulk changes are required.
Clinical - Repeat Prescribing and Medication Reviews
Develop and quality-assure improved, safe and efficient repeat prescribing and medication review processes within the practice, and implement changes as required.
Undertake focused and structured clinical medication reviews with individual patients and produce a management plan on future prescribing and monitoring, with a focus on maximising effectiveness and reducing harm.
Review processes will update repeat prescribing in line with local and national policies to align to best practice and reduce wastage.
Medication reviews will be undertaken via clinics in the practice, domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes. These may be face to face or records based reviews.
Ensure computer records are updated and accurate, and recall / review dates are entered appropriately.
Clinical - Acute Illness Pharmacist led clinics
Pharmacists may be involved in clinics assessing patients who present with undifferentiated minor illness, working within their scope of practice and limits of competence.
Undertake initial assessment of common general practice presentations, working through differential diagnosis, identifying potential serious disease and referring to GPs and other healthcare professionals where appropriate.
Triaging and managing minor illness, with particular focus on educating patients on self-care, and signposting to minor ailment schemes, minor eye complaints service, dental services, etc.
Telephone advice to patients with acute illness queries.
Risk Stratification around medication harm and avoidable hospital admissions
Review the use of medicines most commonly associated with unplanned hospital admissions through audit and individual patient reviews with the intent of reducing avoidable admissions.
Put in place changes to reduce the prescribing of these medicines to highrisk patient groups
Identification of cohorts of patients at high risk of harm from medicines through practice computer searches. This might include risks that are patient related, medicine related, or both.
Management of medicines at discharge from hospital
To reconcile medicines following discharge from hospitals, intermediate care and into/from care homes, including identifying and rectifying unexplained changes and working with patients and community pharmacists to ensure patients receive the medicines they need post-discharge.
Set up and manage systems to ensure continuity of medicines supply to high risk groups of patients (e.g. those with medicine compliance aids or those in care homes).
Reconcile patients computer records with discharge medication and discuss discrepancies or concerns with hospital doctors/pharmacists
Ensure changes to discharge medication are in concordance with national and local policies, and to ensure optimisation of treatment and reduce inappropriate or wasteful prescribing.
Ensure instructions and recommendations are enacted within the practice, including organising reviews, blood test monitoring and appropriate up/down titration.
Ensure patients are informed and aware of any changes to their medication
MDTs and Case Conferences
Attend and refer patients to multidisciplinary case conferences where appropriate.
Team Information, Education and Training
Answers relevant medicines and prescribing related enquiries from GPs, other practice staff, other healthcare teams (e.g. community pharmacy) with queries about medicines.
To consider the skills of the reception team and develop plans for training as necessary to ensure safe and efficient prescribing processes.
Implementation of local and national guidelines, safety alerts and formulary recommendations
Implement changes to medicines and prescribing that result from MHRA alerts, product withdrawal and other local and national guidance
Assessing the practices compliance with NICE guidance and advise on the implementation of new guidance
Assist the practice in maintaining and complying with a practice/PCN/Locality formulary.
Monitor practice prescribing against the local health economys RAG list / formulary and make recommendations to GPs for medicines that should be prescribed by hospital doctors (red drugs) or subject to shared care agreements (ESCAs) for amber drugs.
Provide newsletters or bulletins on important prescribing messages.
Audit and Monitoring
To plan and undertake prescribing audits to identify areas where improvement is needed, develop action plans and implement appropriate changes.
To provide regular support and feedback on prescribing action plans
Analyse practice complex prescribing data to inform GPs and non-medical prescribers on their collective and individual performance.
Analyse, interpret and present medicines management / prescribing data to highlight issues and risks.
Lead on the identification, implementation and monitoring of medicines management targets and initiatives including QOF and ICB prescribing targets
Undertake specific audits on the effectiveness of the role, and where improvements or review of service/role are needed
Assist with the implementation and monitoring of ICB medicines management targets and initiatives, including the medicines management QIPP plan and national prescribing targets.
Support the implementation of actions resulting from audit findings when necessary.
To agree all auditing and monitoring priorities in discussion with the practice.
Person Specification
Other Essential
Ability to work flexibly with the ability to travel between sites and undertake domiciliary visits. Clean/valid driving licence
Experience Essential
Minimum of 2 years post-qualification experience. In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare. An appreciation of the nature of primary care prescribing, concepts of rational prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing.
Desirable
Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to a variety of audiences (e.g. patients) Able to plan, manage, monitor, advise and review general medicine optimisation issues for long term conditions. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written Good IT and organisational skills. Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment People management Ability to make decisions Understanding of clinical governance and risk management Ability to work as part of a team Motivational & negotiation skills Time management skills. Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload
Qualifications Essential
Mandatory registration with General Pharmaceutical Council Masters degree in pharmacy (MPharm) (or equivalent) Independent prescriber Will undertake or can demonstrate exemption from/completion of CPPEs Primary Care Pharmacy Education Programme
Desirable
Specialist knowledge acquired through postgraduate diploma level or equivalent training/experience Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society A member of or working towards Faculty membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name SPRINGWOOD SURGERY
Address Rectory Lane
Guisborough
Cleveland
TS14 7DJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.springwoodsurgery.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)