Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

To support the Lewisham Integrated Medicines Optimisation Service (LIMOS) across community, interface and care home settings, providing specialist medicines optimisation for patients with complex polypharmacy, adherence issues and long-term conditions. The post holder will undertake patient-centred medication reviews, provide prescribing and medicines management advice, and work collaboratively across primary, secondary, community and social care services to improve patient outcomes, safety and continuity of care.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive medication reviews for high-risk and vulnerable patients, including older people, frail housebound patients, and those with multiple long-term conditions.
• Optimise medicines use to improve adherence, reduce medicines-related harm, hospital admissions and avoidable waste.
• Prescribe independently within agreed scope of practice and provide specialist advice to patients, carers and healthcare professionals.
• Support safe transfer of care through medicines reconciliation and communication across primary and secondary care interfaces.
• Contribute to quality improvement, clinical audit, service evaluation and data collection to demonstrate outcomes.
• Support implementation of prescribing initiatives, formulary guidance, shared care protocols and medicines optimisation programmes.
• Provide education, training and clinical leadership on medicines optimisation for multidisciplinary teams across health and social care.
• Work with GP practices, community pharmacies, PCNs, the ICB and hospital services to improve prescribing quality, safety and cost-effectiveness.
• Develop and improve systems and pathways relating to medicines ordering, supply, repeat prescribing and medicines support services.
• Accurately document clinical activity and maintain appropriate records on Trust and primary care clinical systems.

Key Outcomes

• Improved medicines optimisation and patient safety.
• Reduced medicines-related admissions and avoidable harm.
• Enhanced patient adherence and experience.
• Delivery of commissioned service objectives and performance targets.
• Improved integration of care across community, primary and secondary care settings.
• Increased prescribing quality, effectiveness and value for money.

Education/Qualification

Essential

• B. Pharm / M. Pharm / BSc (Pharmacy)
• Registered with the GPhC
• Postgraduate Certificate in General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent)

Desirable

• Postgraduate Diploma in General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent)
• Pharmacist Independent Prescriber or working towards qualification

Previous Experience

Essential

• A minimum of 2 years post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy in an acute NHS setting or equivalent clinical experience.
• Demonstrable experience in clinical pharmacy practice covering a broad range of specialities
• Demonstrable experience of multidisciplinary working
• Demonstrable experience in supervising others.
• Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit.

Desirable

• Previous experience of delivering formal education and training sessions.
• Experience of working within GP practices &/or a community or primary care pharmacy setting.
• Development of evidence-based guidelines

Knowledge, Skills and ability

Essential

• Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team both within pharmacy and a multidisciplinary environment
• Appreciation of the nature of GPs, general practice and primary care prescribing and strategies for improving prescribing
• Recognise priorities when problem solving and appropriately refer to colleagues or seniors
• Ability to prioritise and plan work effectively.
• Ability to contribute to the planning of service developments
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information effectively using clear written and spoken English and overcome barriers to understanding
• Self motivation and the ability to motivate others
• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with medical, nursing and other colleagues
• Ability to work positively and calmly under pressure
• Demonstrate sound clinical knowledge and the ability to apply it in practice
• Demonstrate ability to ensure safe and effective use of medicines for patients
• Proven computer literacy and IT skills including: o Email o Word processing o Spreadsheets o Databases o Use of search engines/medical databases to retrieve information
• Demonstrated accurate numeric skills
• Recognises limitations and takes responsibility for own actions

Desirable

• Experience working with medical and nursing teams.
• Knowledge of NHS policy and current issues
• Experience working with clinical systems such as EMIS

Personal attritubes

Essential

• Flexible approach to work
• Committed to own continuing professional development and maintaining a CPD portfolio.
• Demonstrable willingness to learn and develop new skills
• Reliable, polite and approachable
• Ability to cope with challenges and change
• Knows own professional and personal limitations and seeks advice where necessary
• Able to demonstrate high levels of communication skills involving negotiation and co-operation using complex and often sensitive information.
• Demonstrable ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
• To be able to influence and negotiate with health professionals in a diplomatic manner

Other

Essential

• Willingness to contribute to the general life and work of the Pharmacy and Trust
• Able to work agreed hours

Desirable

• Hold current driving license and willing to use own care for visits /travel in community setting

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).