About this role
Job summary
We are seeking an experienced, enthusiastic and motivated clinical pharmacist to work with the Chief Pharmacist and Project Managament Office in the Principal Pharmacist -Medicines Efficiency role.
This newly created post as lead for the Medicines Efficiency Team will support the Trust Pharmacy department, clinicians and PMO team in delivering biosimilars switch and medicines efficiency programme, delivering cost-effective switches and ensuring best value in the use of high-cost medicines, particularly biologics and biosimilars. You will be expected to work across the Frimley Health Trust sites.
You will be expected to contribute to the strategic development of the department, both within the Trust and within the wider ICS.
Main duties of the job
To support the Trust Pharmacy department, clinicians and PMO team in delivering biosimilars switch and medicines efficiency programme, delivering cost-effective switches and ensuring best value in the use of high-cost medicines, particularly biologics and biosimilars. Oversee the identification, implementation, and evaluation of medicines optimisation initiatives and efficiency schemes across the Trust, including tracking outcomes and reporting to stakeholders. To update and inform the Trust's Medicines Value Group (MVG) to coordinate the strategic approach and tracking of savings delivery for the medicines efficiency programme. Work collaboratively with pharmacy, medical, nursing and project management office (PMO) colleagues to promote safe, effective, and value-based prescribing of high-cost drugs, supporting improved outcomes and reduced harm. Provide leadership and line management to the medicines efficiency team, ensuring delivery of agreed workstreams and the development of team members. Manage relevant financial and workforce resources within the Pharmacy department to support effective service delivery and ensure the achievement of cost improvement targets. Work with the Formulary Pharmacist and the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee particularly in relation to high-cost and specialist medicines. Ensure timely reporting to NHS England and NHS Frimley ICB on agreed cost-saving initiatives, including audits and progress updates.
About us
The Frimley Health Pharmacy Department is a forward-thinking department with many innovative practices across the team. The department has an ambitious plan to deliver excellent and high quality pharmacy services to its patients and to develop the pharmacy team.
This role will offer significant rewards and seeks a driven, passionate individual with experience in engaging with various stakeholders, as well as a proven history of service development and delivering to agreed targets.
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.
Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.
Frimley Health Trust Benefits on Vimeo
Job description Job responsibilities
Lead a programme of horizon scanning projects to identify biosimilar and medicines savings opportunities, including patent expiries and market entry. Support the development of Trust wide policies and pathways for the safe and effective introduction of biosimilars, working with the ICB and NHSE Medicines Optimisation Teams to align procedures and pathways related to medicines. Provide specialist advice on commissioning and reimbursement mechanisms (e.g. BlueTeq, homecare contracts), ensuring financial and operational readiness for new high-cost drugs. Produce detailed monthly forecasts of potential and realised savings from biologic switches and prepare variance analysis reports for review by senior leads. Oversee the completion of Quality Impact Assessments for proposed medicines value savings ensuring a wide range of complex considerations and factors are assessed to implement medicines savings effectively. Design and deliver detailed implementation plans for each biosimilar switch, including stakeholder mapping, projected benefits, communication strategies and patient switch schedules. Lead/facilitate divisional switch meetings, track project milestones, and escalate issues to Medicines Value Group or Chief Pharmacist as required. Analyse prescribing data at specialty level (e.g. Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, Dermatology) to inform the prioritisation of switches and monitor trends
Person Specification
Special Requirements Essential
Able to work at weekends and to participate in Bank Holiday working
Desirable
Ability to be able to travel between sites
Qualifications Essential
Registered with GPhC Postgraduate clinical diploma or equivalent Registered Independent Prescriber Evidence of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Pharmacy degree (master's level, 4 years)
Desirable
Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society Formal leadership and management qualification Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Professional/ Functional Experience Essential
Significant post-qualification experience working as a pharmacist in a clinical environment Experience in producing horizon scans or commissioning plans for high-cost medicines. Able to provide specialised clinical pharmacy services within own area of expertise, including prescription prescribing, review, dispensing and supply, and to give highly specialised advice to clinicians and patients on the safe and effective use of medicines, in line with medicines legislation and risk management principles Proven medicines related risk management, incident investigation and audit Experience of training others Ability to recognise areas for development of current practice Management of staff including recruitment, appraisal Proven medicines related risk management, incident investigation and audit Experience with managing Individual Funding Requests Experience of leading guideline development and implementation
Desirable
Track record of large-scale service improvement and cost-saving initiatives Directorate pharmacist experience Management training Experience of delivering presentations at local, regional, national level
Skills & Knowledge Essential
Excellent verbal and written communication skills Ability and confidence to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders, from patient to hospital consultants Good interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills Ability to work on own and as part of a team Ability to compile reports /cases where data is presented effectively based on evidence-based information Excellent organisational skills Ability to prioritise workload and work to deadlines Ability to work under pressure and cope with stressful situations
Desirable
Excellent IT skills Working experience of working with e-prescribing software Evidence of interest in research Knowledge of human resource policies and procedures
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 Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address Frimley Park Hospital
Portsmouth Road
Frimley
GU16 7UJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)