About this role
Job summary
Lead as the named individual within the organisation for encouraging medication incident reporting and learning. Identify themes or trends with medicines incidents and oversee development and deployment of appropriate action plans and advise risk management where reporting could be improved.
Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.
Successful applicants will be required to provide an immunisation and vaccination report, from either their current UK occupational health provider or their UK GP.
Main duties of the job
The Medicines Safety Officer (MSO) promotes the safe use of medicines across their organisation and is expected to be an expert in this area. You will have the opportunity to be an active member of both the National Medication Safety Network and Regional Medicines Safety Group in order to keep up to date with current priorities.
The role involves working closely with the Pharmacy Governance and Safety Team and Associate Director of Pharmacy (Trust Medicines Assurance and Pharmacy Governance) to drive change and improvement in medicines safety both within the pharmacy department and Trustwide. The Associate Director of Pharmacy, alongside the Medicines Policy and Practice and Medicines Safety Committee members will support you to provide assurance to Trust board around safe medication practices.
You will work closely with the Quality and Clinical Effectiveness Department, medical, nursing and pharmacy staff as well as senior managers, Clinical Directors and patient representatives to ensure that resources are used effectively to provide the best possible care to our patients. This may involve providing expert advice, identifying and managing risks or producing business cases in order to improve services.
As chair of the Medication Safety Committee you will report to the Trust Medicines Optimisation Committee, and may be asked to attend Speciality Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) meetings and the Nursing and Midwifery Care Quality Forum.
About us
We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.
Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.
We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)
By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.
The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Lead on medicines safety for the pharmacy department and provide assurance to the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy SLT that pharmacy services are safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led and represent efficient use of resources.
- Lead as the named individual within the organisation for encouraging medication incident reporting and learning.
- Lead on collaborative workstreams related to improving medication safety by communicating medication risks and associated mitigation strategies.
- Lead and oversee programme of work to manage medicines shortages, contribute to and support local decision making processes and prioritisation for new medicines or new uses of medicines, in line with national priorities (e.g. critical shortages) and statutory policy, ensuring decision makers are aware of clinical and financial implications of decisions made.
- Support the Associate Director of Pharmacy on service evaluation and audit of all aspects of the pharmacy service including planning and overseeing an audit programme to ensure that appropriate statutory, professional and service obligations are met and quality targets achieved.
- Support the Associate Director of Pharmacy on the development of and maintain both local and organisational policies and standard operating procedures that are evidence based and comply with legal and current guidance thus providing tools to maintain the safe and secure handling of medicines.
- To input into the use of digital solutions available to improve the safety of medicines use, support the implementation, maintenance and monitoring of pharmacy information systems including electronic prescribing and medicines administration (EPMA)
- Lead on internal communications (related to medicines safety and shortages) within the pharmacy department and external communications to key stakeholders, using effective and appropriate means, including websites and social media.
- To develop, monitor and implement the Trust strategy around medication safety through clinical leadership.
- To work closely with the Director of Pharmacy on the system-wide strategy on medicines safety, including key areas of risk (polypharmacy, high risk drugs, dependence forming medicines, antimicrobials, etc.)
For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- oMasters Degree in Pharmacy 4 years + 1 year pre-registration training or equivalent oRegistered as a practising pharmacist with the GPhC oEvidence of up to date CPD oPost-graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent
Desirable
- oMember of a professional organisation (eg RPS, UKCPA) oPharmacy or Pharmacy Practice related MSc oRegistered as an independent prescriber oApproved Management or Leadership qualification
Experience
Essential
- oSubstantial Hospital pharmacy experience post registration oExperienced at working with and influencing senior medical and nursing staff oExperience managing difficult situations/ difficult conversations
Desirable
- oExperience of project management oHave research or quality improvement work published in related journals oExperience in line managing staff and conducting appraisals oUse of Datix incident management system
Knowledge
Essential
- oGood knowledge of audit & research oGood sound Clinical Knowledge oUp to date knowledge of Medicines Legislation oSpecialist knowledge of area of Clinical responsibility
Desirable
- oUnderstanding of Human Factors oUnderstanding of NRLS Data Quality Standards oUse of Excel/Access databases
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- oCommunicate effectively in a calm, courteous manner to patients and all levels of colleagues oMaintaining situational awareness and provide appropriate advice in situations where a patient may have come to harm. oAble to work in multidisciplinary teams and independently and supervise the work of others. oAble to present clinical and complex information to groups and individuals oTo provide written information in a concise readable manner for patients and colleagues oHigh level of analytical skills oAble to undertake a level of handling & moving. oPass OH clearance oAble to participate in weekend, late, on call and bank holiday rota as needed
Desirable
- oIdentify the costs associated with prescribing changes in your given clinical area for the Director of Pharmacy oProven ability to cope in stressful situations and under pressure. oDemonstrable evidence of effective leadership, negotiation and motivations skills
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
- oEvidence of demonstrating the Trust Values (Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect) and the associated Values in Action behaviours in the workplace. oFor posts with managerial responsibility only Evidence of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and ensuring fair and equitable practices throughout your work experience. Evidence of promoting a culture which helps individuals live behaviours aligned to our Trust Values (Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect)
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Address
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Clifford Bridge Road
Coventry
CV2 2DX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.jobsatuhcw.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)