Clinical Pharmacist

Job summary

This role is based within the Enhanced Health in Care Homes Team and is for 19 hours per week, worked over a minimum of three days.

The post holder will support PHD's long-established Enhanced Health in Care Homes team with the work they do with medicines optimisation and support to Care Homes with medicines management. There will be a requirement to support MDTs for Care Home residents to support proper management of residents in relation to best use of medications.

In this position, you will be employed by Primary Healthcare Darlington on behalf of Darlington Primary Care Network in a role funded through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) and the General Practice Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service (2026/27). As part of your role, you will work closely with the PCN and the General Practices across Darlington

Main duties of the job

Be an independent prescriber or commit to completing training to become a prescriber.

Support the Pharmacy Technicians and Care Co-ordinators in the EHiCH team.

Support colleagues and patients with medication queries and monitoring.

Undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage people with complex polypharmacy.

Focus on people in care homes, those with multiple co-morbidities (frailty, COPD and asthma) and people with learning disabilities or autism.

Provide specialist expertise in the use of medicines, while helping to address both the public health and social care needs of patients.

Using audit and action planning, help to tackle inequalities.Provide leadership on person-centered medicines optimisation (including ensuring prescribers in the PCN practices conserve antibiotics in line with local antimicrobial stewardship guidance) and quality improvement.

About us

Primary Healthcare Darlington was established in 2014 as the local GP Federation covering 11 GP Practices covering an ever-increasing population of registered patients in Darlington, County Durham. We have a close working relationship with Darlington Primary Care Network, which commissions services and projects that PHD provides for the town. We have close links with Darlington Borough Council and local NHS Foundation Trusts and have the full support and backing of North East and North Cumbria ICB.

Working from dedicated premises close to Darlington Memorial Hospital we provide NHS, Public Health and Private Medical Services.

We are an award-winning company who places the wellbeing of our staff at the heart of everything we do. As a company we offer staff access to free counselling services, protected time to develop professionally, access to high-quality training and development, free tea and coffee and chilled, filtered water and much more

Job responsibilities

This is a pharmacist role working within the PCN for the Enhanced Health in Care Home - EHICH Team

Within the EHICH Team, the Clinical Pharmacist will support the Pharmacy Technicians in delivering Structured Medication Reviews in the monthly Care Home MDT, deliver a programme of medicines optimisation across care homes and GP practices, support with covert medication plans, medication queries and deliver clinical supervision to the Pharmacy Technicians.

Key responsibilities:

Be an independent prescriber or commit to completing training to become a prescriber.

Support colleagues and patients with medication queries and monitoring.

Undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage people with complex polypharmacy.

Focus on people in care homes, those with multiple co-morbidities including frailty, COPD and asthma, and people with learning disabilities or autism.

Provide specialist expertise in the use of medicines, while helping to address both the public health and social care needs of patients.

Using audit and action planning, to help to tackle inequalities.

Provide leadership on person-centered medicines optimisation including ensuring prescribers in the PCN practices conserve antibiotics in line with local antimicrobial stewardship guidance and quality improvement.

Contribute to the General Practice quality and outcomes framework - QOF and enhanced services.

Use structured medication reviews to support patients to take their medications to get the best from them, reduce waste and promote self-care.

Contribute pharmaceutical advice for the development and implementation of new services that have medicinal components e.g. advice on treatment pathways and patient information leaflets.

Work with general practice teams to ensure that practices are compliant with CQC standards where medicines are involved for care home patients.

Develop relationships and work closely with other pharmacy professionals across Primary Care and the wider health and social care system.

Take a central role in the clinical aspects of shared care protocols, liaison with specialist pharmacists, liaison with community pharmacists and anticoagulation services.

Undertake the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education - CPPE Primary Care Pharmacy Education Pathway or equivalent primary care training pathway.

Provide Clinical Supervision for Pharmacy Technicians within the PCN Enhanced Health in Care Home team.

Assist with care home medication requests, medication advice, covert administration advice from the Enhanced Health in Care Home Team.

The above list of duties is not exhaustive and may be subject to change as deemed necessary

Aims/Goals of post

Improved medication outcomes for patients

Improved patient safety and medication optimisation

Improved efficiency of medication changes

Effective management of shared care drugs

Improved prescribing for care home residents

Reduced GP workload

Reduced medication costs by formulary prescribing cost- effective alternatives

Person specification

Experience

Essential

• Proven ability to recognise and manage risk
• Ability to work to personal limitations and when to refer to appropriate colleagues
• Able to work flexibly with changing priorities
• Strong problem solver

Desirable

• Knowledge of structured medication reviews
• Frailty and Care Home experience
• Participation in QIP and implemented change

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Experience of common acute and long-term conditions
• Knowledge of structured medication reviews
• Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office
• Excellent influencing and negotiating skills
• Excellent concentration skills
• Rigorous in following legal, ethical, professional & organisational
• policies and codes of conduct
• Able to manage own workload & work independently
• Commitment to reducing health inequalities

Desirable

• Experience in using SystmOne
• Up to date knowledge of CQC regulations in general practice and in particular medicines management
• Track record of improvement opportunities through QIP and audit

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Pharmacy
• Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Completed or willing to commit to completing CPPE pathway or other primary care training pathway

Desirable

• Independent Prescribing qualification
• Minimum of 2 years experience as a pharmacist