About this role
Job summary
INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER
The post holder will be part of the Ageing Well Team which currently consists of a multi-disciplinary team. The Ageing well Clinical Pharmacist will also have the support and leadership of the PCN Lead Clinical Pharmacist.
As a key member of the multidisciplinary Ageing Well Team, they will provide specialist medicines expertise for people living with frailty, with a particular focus on those with severe frailty.
The post holder will undertake person-centred structured medication reviews, identify and address problematic polypharmacy and medicines-related harm, and optimise treatment in accordance with the individual patient's needs, priorities and goals of care. They will work collaboratively with the wider multidisciplinary team to support proactive, coordinated care and help reduce avoidable deterioration and unplanned hospital admissions.
Main duties of the job
Recognising that each GP practice operates differently, on a day-to-day basis the post-holder will engage with GPs and Practice Managers across the five practices in order to deliver the responsibilities of the role.
The post-holder will also work collaboratively with members of the Ageing Well Team and wider health, social care and community services to support coordinated, person-centred care for people living with frailty.
The post holder will work in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols where applicable. They will be responsible for supporting network practices in implementing effective medicine management, identifying areas for improvement and initiating and managing change. Achieving clinical and non-clinical targets and objectives as agreed with the PCN and practices will be part of the role.
Within the Ageing Well service, this will include supporting the development and implementation of evidence-based medicines optimisation approaches for people living with frailty, including safer prescribing, deprescribing where appropriate, reducing medicines-related harm and supporting quality improvement across the frailty pathway.
If you have not already, you will be required and supported to complete the CPPE Clinical Pharmacist training pathway programme.
About us
Havant & Waterlooville Primary Care Network (PCN) has five member GP practices in South-east Hampshire, stretching from Denmead Practice in the North-west to Bosmere Medical Practice to the south of Havant. Together our practices are responsible for 69,000 patients.
Primary Care Networks were established in 2019 to extend the range of staff roles and services available from GP surgeries and, by working across a number of neighbouring practices, to share expertise and resources across a wider area.
The Clinical Pharmacist is expected to work with and within the individual network practices as well as from home or within the community.
Job description Job responsibilities
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The post holder will work within their clinical competence as part of a multi-disciplinary team to:
Provide expertise in clinical medicines management
Provide person-centred structured medication reviews with and for patients living with frailty, with focus on complex or problematic polypharmacy, recent falls or hospital admissions, those who are housebound, and those at increased risk of medicines-related harm. This will include identifying opportunities for appropriate deprescribing, taking account of treatment burden, individual goals and preferences, clinical circumstances, and the likely benefits and risks of treatment.
Work collaboratively with the Ageing Well multidisciplinary team to contribute medicines expertise to personalised care planning and the ongoing management of patients living with frailty
Support patients in the management of their long-term conditions
Oversee/support the management of medicines on transfer of care and implement systems for safer prescribing
Manage repeat prescription authorisations and acute prescription requests.
Addressing the public health needs of the registered population.
The post holder will perform medication reviews for patients with polypharmacy, especially older people, people in residential care homes and those with multiple co-morbidities; this may be in a practice or home setting or via phone or video consultation as agreed with the practice and the Lead Clinical Pharmacist.
The post holder will be involved in quality improvement and clinical audit as well as liaising with practices to manage some aspects of Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and Investment and Impact Fund (IIF) work.
This role is pivotal to improving the quality of patient care and to developing operational efficiencies; it requires motivation and passion to deliver an excellent service within general practice.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Manage a medicines management plan and deliver patient services as determined by and with the Lead Clinical Pharmacist, practice / PCN policy and local and national guidance.
Work as part of the medicines management team within the PCN/practices and with medicines management colleagues within the ICB to acquire and share expertise and best practice to maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care.
Engagement
Engage with PCN Clinical Pharmacist colleagues and the Clinical Director responsible for Clinical Pharmacy to contribute to the development of the PCN medicines management approach and team.
Engage and work collaboratively with the Ageing Well multidisciplinary team and relevant health, social care and community services, contributing medicines expertise to MDT discussions and coordinated care planning for people living with frailty.
Perform clinical audits around key areas of responsibility
Patient services
Provide medication review services to patients via clinics in member practices, domiciliary visits and in residential and nursing homes, either face-to face or via remote consultation technology and to deliver pharmaceutical care plans that maximise cost-effective prescribing and improve the quality of patient care
As part of medicines optimisation for people living with frailty, identify and address medicines-related factors that may contribute to adverse outcomes, including falls, postural hypotension, adverse drug effects and treatment burden, and ensure that appropriate monitoring and follow-up of medicines is undertaken in accordance with clinical need and relevant guidance.
Liaise with the PCN Education and Environment Lead (EEL) to arrange presentations at practice and patient group meetings or other events to give advice on the appropriate use of medicines.
Produce patient information leaflets and posters and run medicine awareness projects throughout the year.
Use evidence-based resources to support rational, cost-effective prescribing across the PCN to assist network practices with monitoring and management of their prescribing budgets
Help plan, develop and support the introduction of new working processes within network practices to optimise the quality of prescribing
Administration
To provide regular support and feedback to practices and, if appropriate, the network, on prescribing action plans
To produce quarterly reports on practice performance on relevant medicines management measures for review by network member practices
To update and maintain accurate patient records on the practices clinical record systems, including advice given and action taken
To advise practices, and PCN colleagues if appropriate, on the safe and secure handling of medicines, ensuring compliance with medicines legislation
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Evidence of Continued Professional Development Minimum two years relevant pharmacist experience post-registration Good IT skills and literacy Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations Experience of conducting medication reviews Experience of providing pharmaceutical care to older people and/or people living with frailty, multimorbidity or complex polypharmacy. Evidence of relevant postgraduate education or training in frailty, older people's medicine, polypharmacy or medicines optimisation
Desirable
Previous experience of working in primary care, in either a PCN or GP practice Experience of working with GP prescribing systems, other clinical systems, and Microsoft Office
Knowledge and skills Essential
Provide specialist expertise in the use of medicines Ability to recognise personal limitations and work with professional competencies In-depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence-based healthcare Knowledge and understanding of pharmacy law and ethics, and current legislation surrounding medication use Receive support and supervision from a Senior Clinical Pharmacist and/or GP to allow the post holder to develop and do the job safely and confidently Knowledge and understanding of medicines optimisation in people living with frailty, including the principles of polypharmacy management, appropriate deprescribing, falls-related medicines risk and person-centred decision-making. Able to manage allocated resources (time, equipment, base location) Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information and prescribing data Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills Excellent understanding of information governance, data protection and confidentiality principles
Desirable
Awareness of systems to support management of patients in primary care Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities An appreciation of concepts associated with primary care prescribing including rational, cost effective and quality improvement Able to plan, manage, monitor and review general medicine optimisation issues in core areas Able to obtain and analyse complex technical information and data
Qualifications Essential
Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council Qualified from, enrolled or intention to enrol in an approved 18-month training pathway (eg CPPE GP, MOCH or PCN pathway) Qualified Prescriber
Desirable
Post-graduate Clinical Diploma
Other requirements Essential
Meets an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check Full UK Driving Licence Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home
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 Havant and Waterlooville Primary Care Network
Address Bosmere Medical Centre
Solent Road
Havant
Hampshire
PO9 1DQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.facebook.com/HavantandWaterloovillePCN (Opens in a new tab)