Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist

The Medicines Optimisation team at Norfolk Community Health and Care NHST Trust are looking to expand into patient facing roles throughout the organisation. Our new and expanding team are ward based and you will be involved in the implementation of our medicines optimisation strategy while working closely with the wards and our Pharmacy provider. You will work with the existing senior pharmacists and share lead responsibilities for managing and delivering key elements of the medicines optimisation strategy of across the Trust. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to take up a post within our Medicines Optimisation Team. You will work alongside the Head of Medicines Optimisation, with a shared responsibility to lead and deliver the Norfolk Community Health and Care medicines optimisation strategy. Your responsibilities include providing assurance that Norfolk Community Health and Care is compliant with all legal, regulatory and governance frameworks, including those of the Care Quality Commission and support the Accountable Officer to ensure that controlled drugs are managed appropriately across the organisation. You will be responsible for the development and implementation of relevant strategies, policies and patient group directions as well as the participation in regular audit. There will also be the opportunity within this role for clinical work within our inpatient services to maintain patient contact and clinical skills. This post is ideal for an individual who is motivated by service development, collaborative working, medicines safety, antimicrobial stewardship and wants to make a positive impact on patient care. The post requires travel between sites and therefore the post-holder must have a driving license and access to their own transport. Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) provides community-based NHS health and care via more than 70 locations across Norfolk, as well as providing a specialist Early Supported Discharge service to stroke patients in Norfolk and Suffolk. Serving a population of nearly 900,000, NCH&C delivers community dentistry, services for children, young people and families, therapies, community nursing, end of life care and specialist nursing, among others. We believe that people are better looked after locally and this belief drives us to work hard to bring expert care to patients in our seven community hospitals, within GP surgeries and in patients’ own homes. Working in the community will provide you with the opportunity to develop longer-term and more personal relationships with patients, carers, and other professionals. NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C’s “compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels”, the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations. We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community. Main duties 1. Undertake medicines reconciliation when patients transfer between care settings to ensure the medicines they are taking reflects what is intended. 2. Undertake clinical medication review for patients to optimise their medication. 3. Provide education, advice and support on medicines to patients and their carers to maximise patient’s independence, including the provision of aids and written information as appropriate. 4. Provide drug / medical information and advice as appropriate. 5. Provide education and training to colleagues to promote best practice and high standards around medicines. 6. Communicate highly complex drug or medicine related information to prescribers, clinicians, patients, relatives: patients may have language difficulties, physical or mental disabilities, other professionals may challenge advice. 7. Work as part of the Medicines Optimisation team to implement the Medicines Optimisation strategy. 8. Responsible and accountable for autonomously leading and delivering specialist areas of work within the Medicines Optimisation Team. 9. Provide expert decisions and advice on pharmaceutical matters within the Medicines Optimisation Team. 10. Lead and develop quality improvement programmes and clinical audit. 11. Routinely manage complex situations and undertake complex intervention and assimilation of information. 12. Analyse information to provide advice on medicines, dosages, in areas where information is lacking and medical or other opinion differs. 13. Support the development and implementation of medicines audits across the including data analysis, report writing and co-ordination of any associated training requirements. 14. Ensure all medication incidents are reported in accordance with organisational policy. Clinical responsibilities 1. Provide a high quality clinical pharmacy service to the in-patient beds including individual patient medicines review, person centred communication, medicines reconciliation and full clinical screening of prescriptions to ensure safe and cost effective use of evidence based and rational use of medicines, in line with local policies and national guidance ensuring medicines are optimised and risks to patients are minimised. 2. Support and implement efficient medicines management initiatives to ensure the safe and secure handling of medicines, including handling and destruction of controlled drugs; reduce drug waste and manage drug expenditure. 3. Participate in ward rounds and Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings where appropriate. 4. Facilitate the medicines element of discharge to enable safe and efficient discharges. 5. Analyse and provide advice relating to individual patient medication, such as doses, adverse effects, drug interactions, treatments and supply issues. Respond to medicines Information queries from ward staff. 6. Communication with prescribers, clinicians, ward managers and ward staff; ability to challenge decisions where appropriate. 7. Communication with patients, relatives & carers; ability to overcome language, physical or mental health disabilities affecting communication. 8. Record prescription information and medicines management activities in the clinical record and maintain appropriate record keeping for storage and management of medicines on the ward. 9. Work with a whole-system patient focused approach 10. Demonstrate advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement 11. Prioritise clinical interventions according to individual patient needs 12. Help with the monitoring and implementation of Clinical management Guidelines and Formulary adherence 13. Liaise with other members of the Medicines Support Team to ensure a cohesive approach to pharmaceutical support. 14. Develop good working relationships and work in partnership with other members of the multi-disciplinary team. Communication 1. Communicate recommendations in respect to individual patient medication changes, requirements or concerns as appropriate to the needs of the patient with GPs, community matrons, community nurses and other colleagues across the system. 2. Provide expert advice and recommendations to a range of audiences on medicines management, therapeutics and prescribing issues based on current evidence and research, relevant data and analysis. This may include presentation of highly complex and highly sensitive data, where the use of highly persuasive, motivational and negotiating skills is required. 3. Build strong working relationships with colleagues across the system to facilitate the delivery of the medicines optimisation priorities. 4. Liaise with community pharmacists and other health professionals as appropriate to ensure seamless patient care. 5. Liaise with health professionals in secondary care and at other transitions on interface medicines issues. Management and leadership 1. To support the Head of Medicines Optimisation in the development and implementation of the medicines optimisation strategy. 2. Manage and supervise colleagues as allocated including: • Recruitment of suitable personnel

• Induction
• Supporting professional development of the team members
• Delivery of consistent high-quality advice and services throughout the Trust
• Responsibility for the implementation of all policies in relation to staff as appropriate
• Arrange for appropriate cover for staff sickness / leave.
• Workload allocation
• Training and development

3. Develop and deliver both formal and informal training packages in respect to medicines / medicines management for patients, carers and health and social care professionals. 4. To take the lead for specific therapeutic areas on behalf of the Medicines Optimisation team, as agreed with the Head of Medicines Optimisation. 5. Provide leadership, supervision, support and training for less experienced pharmacists, technicians and pre-registration students around medicines optimisation and therapeutic issues. 6. Ensure actions are implemented as a result of patient feedback and learning from incidents. 7. Investigate errors in prescribing, dispensing or drug administration and support the Head of Medicines Optimisation and Medication Safety Officer with investigations as requested. 8. Demonstrate professional accountability and responsibility at all times, and be able to recognize professional and personal limitations. 9. Review policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) where appropriate. 10. Maintain own competence with respect to relevant tasks required with the post. 11. Assist in the development and implementation of evidence-based local formularies and prescribing guidelines. 12. Lead the development of specialist medicines management resource materials on specific topics as identified. 13. Promote the use of and compliance with local policies and commissioning decisions.