Specialist Pharmacist Band 7 - clinical chemotherapy services

NHS; Blackburn; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated specialist clinical pharmacist to join our Pharmacy Chemotherapy and Technical Services Unit at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital. The role requires the post holder to provide a specialist clinical pharmacy service to the oncology and clinical haematology specialties, ensuring high-quality and safe preparation and supply of chemotherapy medicines to patients, in line with current commissioning criteria. There will be an extensive training programme put into place to ensure a robust personal development process and will be fully supported by the rest of the team in doing so. Once fully up to speed, there will be a requirement to support, train and mentor other junior members of staff who rotate through pharmacy chemotherapy and aseptic services, ensuring the provision and maintenance of a high-quality service. The role requires working core hours, Monday to Friday with participation in late night, weekend and bank holiday rota working, with the possibility of home working once fully trained on all aspects of the role in line with rota requirements.

Main duties of the job

Assist the Lead Oncology Pharmacist in the day-to-day management of clinical verification of chemotherapy prescriptions in line with current guidance and commissioning criteria.

Support the Principal Pharmacist for Technical Services in providing a high quality, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant service, supplying aseptically prepared chemotherapy medicines in a timely manner to service users.

Support the development of pharmacists and technicians and ensure team working within the Pharmacy Technical Services Team.

Acting as Authorising Pharmacist under section 10 exemption.

Monitor and supervise staff working within the Technical Service Unit, ensuring safe systems of work are maintained and developed and that all professional and quality standards are complied with.

Support and deputise for the Lead Oncology Pharmacist for Clinical Oncology Services as delegated and/or as designated in their absence and appropriately represent them at relevant meetings.

Undertake development opportunities and in doing so, support the Clinical Director of Pharmacy in the provision of a high quality, cost effective and efficient, patient centred clinical pharmacy service to all wards and departments within the trust.

About us

This is an exciting time for Aseptic Services with NHSE's future plans for transformation and investment. This post holder will be instrumental in helping to inform and shape aseptic services for the Trust and across the ICS in the advent of future hub and spoke models, ensuring that quality assurance and patient safety will be at the heart of everything we do.

We value the personal skills, experiences, and qualities that individuals bring to our department and the Trust; creating an inclusive working environment to attract talented people who feel motivated, involved, and able to influence the future direction of our services. The well-being of staff is important to us; we have a dedicated Health and Well-being team who provide support on a range of topics, run fitness classes, and organise mindfulness sessions. As an employer we have earned a reputation for focusing on the development of our staff and for being an organisation people are proud to work for.

Date posted: 17 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 435-D233-23-F

Job locations: Royal Blackburn Hospital, Haslingden Rd, Blackburn, BB2 3HH

Job description Job responsibilities

Ensure an efficient high quality technical and clinical pharmacy service meets the needs of the patients and healthcare professionals within the Trust.

Clinically screen prescriptions for chemotherapy and biological medicines, according to Trust and national protocols and commissioning standards.

Provide specialist clinical advice to doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals on initiating, prescribing, and monitoring of chemotherapy and supportive medicines in line with Trust and national guidance.

Clinically verify oncology prescriptions in line with British Oncology Pharmaceutical Association (BOPA) standards and ensure treatments are in line with commissioned services.

Act as an Authorised pharmacist and carry out clinical and aseptic services verification process in accordance with specific organisational policy.

Final check and release aseptically prepared products (including clinical trial drugs) and ensure all documentation is complete before release to wards and departments within and outside the trust.

Ensure all products are safely formulated and released in accordance with the departments quality systems.

Assess outsourced unlicensed specials products against Certificate of Conformance and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.

Be trained and named on the intrathecal register to undertake check and release of intrathecal chemotherapy.

Assist the Lead Intrathecal Training Pharmacist with the development and delivery of intrathecal chemotherapy training.

Develop an in-depth knowledge of labelling and worksheets systems to support the lead technician in managing documentation systems.

Provide a comprehensive documentation system to underpin the quality management system to include internal audit, risk assessment, change control, Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs), training, environmental monitoring, validations, and maintenance of the deviation system.

Assist in the investigation of problems with unlicensed medicine products made in section 10 and outsourced.

Ensure safe systems of work are maintained as defined under statutory legislation, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, regional and National Cancer Standards, controls assurance and professional standards.

Act as a knowledge base/resource for the oncology and haematology directorate and provide specialised professional and technical education to enable the clinical areas to meet the high standards of patient care and safety.

Ensure and promote safe handling, preparation, and storage of cytotoxic drugs.

Record significant clinical interventions, report unusual occurrences, and investigate errors and deviations and non-compliant situations.

Support the delivery of the pharmacy clinical governance agenda e.g., initiatives to reduce medication related risk and implement agreed strategies, work closely with clinical governance and risk co-ordinators.

Interpret and apply information retrieved from medical and nursing notes.

Report relevant adverse medicine reactions to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Act on drug alerts ensuring that appropriate advice is given to staff, patients, and carers.

Actively participate in pharmacy team meetings.

Participate in the introduction and development of new aseptic chemotherapy products including product lifecycle system, validation activities, formulation and stability testing, workforce training and development, and product quality review as required.

Person Specification

Qualification Essential

• MPharm Degree (4 years) or equivalent
• Member GPhC.

Desirable

• Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Assurance (PTQA) Diploma.
• Postgraduate clinical diploma.
• Non-Medical Prescribing.

Experience Essential

• Advanced practice in one or more relevant areas
• Advanced clinical pharmacy experience and practice
• Ability to deal with complex clinical issues

Desirable

• Supervisory management of a team.
• Reports to committees. Experience of leading pharmacy services in primary or secondary care

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• Understanding of local and national NHS and Pharmaceutical Policy
• Expert knowledge of GCP/GMP/GDP
• Understanding of risk management and principles of clinical governance
• Able to communicate highly complex information to senior staff both within and outside pharmacy and patients

Personal Attributes Essential

• Able to prioritise workload and work under pressure
• Flexible working

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer name: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Address: Royal Blackburn Hospital, Haslingden Rd, Blackburn, BB2 3HH

Employer's website: http://jobs.elht.nhs.uk/