Advanced Clinical Pharmacist Rheumatology

Advanced Clinical Pharmacist Rheumatology

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and enthusiastic Pharmacist to join our existing Rheumatology pharmacist and work alongside the multidisciplinary team providing care to Rheumatology patients at CUH. Rheumatology is an exciting and rapidly evolving medical specialty that treats a broad range of conditions. In this post you will have the opportunity to run outpatient clinics, performing patient consultations, ensuring their medications promote the best quality of life.

This is a new additional post and as such you will have the opportunity to develop the role/service to meet the needs of patients and the specialty providing co-leadership to the speciality. There will be ample opportunity to develop your leadership and management skills as well as leading on the medicines governance aspects of this specialty across the Trust with a specialist interest in Connective Tissue Disorders, Metabolic Bone disease and General Rheumatology services.

Main duties of the job

Liaise with the relevant senior pharmacy, medical and nursing staff, other allied health professionals (AHPs) and managers to promote safe, evidence-based and cost-effective use of medication in Rheumatology. Provide an advanced clinical pharmacy service to Rheumatology clinics as part of the MDT. Provide specialist pharmacist advice and services to the Rheumatology MDT and patients under their care. Prescribe medication for individual patients within the agreed scope of practice and according to the CUH pharmacist prescribing policy. Participate in and lead where required on novel pharmacy projects in the care of Rheumatology patients including pharmacist participation in outpatient clinics and optimizing the management of Rheumatology patients receiving medicines via Homecare. Provide pharmacist-led clinics for consenting of new treatments, reviewing patients for drug interactions, dose adjustments, and new starters/switches 3-monthly reviews as part of the MDT. Participation in weekly Rheumatology team meetings including education and business meetings. Lead on governance; repeat prescribing, blood monitoring and protocol development in Rheumatology as part of the MDT. Manage new therapies introduction to the formulary and lead on relevant NICE TA's as part of the MDT. Identify and undertake research to inform practice developments and underpin delivery of an effective, evidence-based pharmacy service. Provide pharmacy leadership to the rheumatology specialty.

About us

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Job responsibilities

Our department is proud to prioritise the inclusion of all staff and we support everyone to achieve their potential.

As a department, the continuing professional development of all staff is a priority. This includes support for formal qualifications (e.g. prescribing courses including funding and study leave), workplace learning from experienced colleagues and development of skills relating to training, management and research. Staff are encouraged to attend our regular in-house training sessions and consultant pharmacist update sessions.

Within CUH Pharmacy, there is a strong sense of team spirit and many opportunities to work with colleagues from other clinical specialties.

Well-being of staff is a priority within the department and our Pharmacy Staff Well-being Forum frequently hosts social events and coordinates efforts to positively support well-being of the Pharmacy team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Masters level degree in Pharmacy.
• Registered as a Pharmacist with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy/General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent).
• MSc in Clinical Pharmacy (or equivalent).
• Registered as an independent prescriber with the GPhC or commitment to complete within 6 months of appointment.
• Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
• Member of the faculty of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (or working towards) at Advanced Stage II.

Experience

• Recent significant post-registration experience including prescription screening, medicines reconciliation and medicines information.
• Recent significant experience of patient consultation.
• Experienced clinical pharmacist at band 7 or band 8a who has covered a range of specialities including the designated specialist clinical area.
• Experience of documenting pharmaceutical care issues in medical notes.
• Experience of writing professional reports.
• Experience of writing drug policies and treatment guidelines.
• Experience of developing and reviewing patient group directions and shared care guidelines.
• Evidence of having conducted and implemented the outcomes of a clinical audit.
• Experience of the practical application of antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.
• Experience of the management of high-cost and high-risk medicines.
• Experience as a personal tutor to a range of staff groups.
• Recent significant post-registration hospital experience, ideally including previous experience in a teaching hospital and experience of more than one hospital.
• Recent practical experience of independent prescribing for a designated group of patients.
• Experienced clinical pharmacist (at band 8a or 8b) including one or more of the following: surgery, neurosciences, critical care, transplant, medicines information, acute and emergence medicine.
• Evidence of having written pharmaceutical and/or educational publications.
• Experience of drug expenditure analysis and reporting.
• Experience of horizon scanning.

Knowledge

• Advanced clinical knowledge of drugs and therapeutic trends within designated specialist clinical area.
• Knowledge of NICE, Health Education England (HEE), NPSA guidance and their local implementation.
• Knowledge of UK healthcare systems and NHS changes.
• Computer literate with experience of Word, Powerpoint and Excel.
• Familiar with the use of a range of visual aids for teaching.
• Knowledge of pharmacy computer systems.
• Knowledge of electronic prescribing IT systems.
• Knowledge of electronic prescribing and medicines administration IT systems.

Skills

• Demonstrate expert professional practice defined within the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Advanced Pharmacy Framework: Expert Professional Practice cluster at the level of Advanced Stage II.
• Show evidence of good organisation skills, prioritisation and time management.
• Be self-motivated and enthusiastic.
• Have excellent written and verbal communication and consultation skills.
• Be able to give oral presentations appropriate to the level of the audience including students.
• Be able to produce written reports.
• Have a proven ability to influence and negotiate with all grades of staff.
• Be able to manage and work well in a team.
• Be able to listen to and act on the direction of senior staff.
• Be able to review the pharmaceutical care of patients in a reasonable time frame (including level 2 medicines reconciliation) and identify / resolve issues arising.
• Show the ability to empathise with patients / carers.
• Have a proven ability to teach and train a range of different staff groups including producing supporting training materials.
• Be able to remain calm and work effectively under pressure to deadlines to achieve results.

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.

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.