Senior Pharmacist, Formulary & Medicines Information

Job summary

If you are interested in developing your expertise in evidence-based medicine and evaluating new and complex treatments, then this is a great chance to step into a senior strategic medicines governance role to improve patient care and support access to new effective medicines.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, analytical and collaborative pharmacist to join our Formulary & Medicines Management team for a 1-year fixed term, in a role that will focus on critical evaluation of new medicines for the Trust's Use of Medicines Committee and lead the Medicines Information service.

We will provide you with a supportive, integrated and growing pharmacy team committed to delivering high quality patient care. You will have access to further educational opportunities and senior clinicians within Pharmacy and other disciplines who can provide mentorship and aid professional development.

Main duties of the job

The Senior Pharmacist for Formulary & Medicines Information will be part of the Formulary & Medicines Management (FMM) team, supporting the growing number and complexity of applications reviewed by the Use of Medicines Committee (UMC) for new treatments including those for rare and refractory diseases, as well as contributing towards the wider medicines optimisation agenda being delivered across West and North London (WNL).

The post-holder will support speciality teams with the new drug application process, review individual non-formulary patient requests, support medicines governance and audit on the use of medicines and maintain a database of implementation of local, regional and nationally approved treatments. During this fixed-term period, there will be a focus on supporting antimicrobial stewardship audits and service improvements.

The post holder will also be responsible for leading the Medicines Information (MI) service. This will involve supervision of delivery of the MI helpline available to all patients treated at UCLH, supervision and training MI staff, management of MI resources, updating national injectable medicine monographs (MEDUSA), and promoting MI resources and practices within the pharmacy department. The post holder will have an opportunity to complete the National Medicines Information Training course (if not already completed).

The post-holder will be accountable on a day-to-day basis to the Lead Pharmacist for Formulary & Medicines Management.

About us

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:o University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)o National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgeryo Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitalso University College Hospital Grafton Way Buildingo Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicineo University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centreo The Hospital for Tropical Diseaseso University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.

Job responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

The UCLH Pharmacy department provides a comprehensive array of services with the overall aim of ensuring safe, effective and economical use of medicines throughout the Trust, and supporting education, training and research. Pharmacy is closely involved in all stages of medicines use, from negotiating contracts for the purchase of medicines through to assessing the outcomes of medicines in the clinical setting, and across all stages in between.The FMM team consists of four pharmacists who lead on co-ordination of the business of the Trusts Drug and Therapeutic Committee (locally referred to as Use of Medicines Committee (UMC)). Through this, the FMM team also work collaboratively with the Integrated Care System within North Central London (NCL) and the regional Joint Formulary Committee (JFC) via a hub-and-spoke model.The FMM team works closely and in parallel with the Medication Safety Committee (MSC), Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee (ASC) and the Clinical Guidelines Committee (CGC) in order to safely assess and implement any new medicines or changes in use of medicines within the Trust.The FMM team lead on the local implementation of regional (e.g. NCL JFC) and national (e.g. NICE / NHSE) medicines guidance; co-ordinates the business of the UMC, including a programme of work relating to unlicensed medicines and those used for off-label indications; ensures that high-cost drugs are used in accordance with commissioned criteria, including oversight of Blueteq and IFR forms; coordinates implementation of medicines governance and good practice; and leads on the medicines cost improvement programme (CIP).The UCLH Medicines Information (MI) Patient Helpline is delivered by the FMM team, providing clear, accurate, and evidence-based medicines information to UCLH patients. A database of MI resources is maintained to support the pharmacy department and professional enquiries across the Trust.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

* UCLH top trust to work at in England - In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England for the third year in a row.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff To find out more, visit: Flexible working.

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?

Person specification

Knowledge and Qualifications

Essential

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent
• Registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or General Pharmacy Practice or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Higher degree (PhD or research MSc)
• Advanced practitioner as defined by the Advanced Pharmacy Framework

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable evidence of competence in general clinical practice, including medical specialities and surgery
• Demonstrates expert relevant knowledge and skills in relevant areas of practice
• Demonstrates a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice
• Experience in contributing to audits, service evaluations and quality improvement projects, and responding to findings.
• Implementation of strategies aimed at meeting Trust and pharmacy priorities
• Experience in contributing to data generation and publication of original research

Desirable

• Prior experience working at a senior level within a Medicines Information service
• Prior experience in preparing critical evaluation reports for a DTC (or equivalent)
• Experience in leading on audits and service evaluations, and quality improvement projects, responding to findings and implementing solutions
• Experience in leading on data generation and publication of original research

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to identify and prioritise own clinical workload
• Demonstrates initiative and ability to work autonomously
• Ability to identify and manage risks
• Ability to utilise email, word processing, presentation and spreadsheet software packages in order to enhance work efficiency and to generate solutions to problems
• Ability to identify and prioritise the delivery of pharmacy services
• Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to the principles of health informatics, formulary, medicines optimisation, clinical governance and medicines information.
• Demonstrates awareness of how research evidence is produced, distributed and implemented into clinical practice
• Demonstrates an intuitive grasp of situations based on deep tacit understanding
• Demonstrates advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement in pharmacy practice
• Demonstrated ability to work to high standards of accuracy and precision
• Enhances the quality of patient care and demonstrates a whole-system patient-focussed approach
• Integrates research evidence into practice
• Maintains a portfolio of practice

Desirable

• Demonstrates innovation
• Ability to utilise database and other software packages in order to enhance work efficiency and to generate solutions to complex problems
• Ability to prioritise future developments to meet service needs
• Experience in critically appraising new medication applications
• Experience of advanced analyses e.g. using statistical packages or coding experience

Communication

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively in a verbal or written manner with patients, pharmacists, nursing, medical and other multidisciplinary staff
• Ability to manage difficult and ambiguous problems where little information is available
• Ability to communicate complex information effectively

Desirable

• Experience presenting at governance committee meetings

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Previous experience in delivering education and training at an undergraduate level
• Experience in supervising others including assessing and appraising staff
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team and facilitate at multidisciplinary meetings.
• Ability to influence senior pharmacy, nursing, medical, and other multidisciplinary staff

Desirable

• Previous experience in delivering education and training at a postgraduate level
• Experience in line management
• Ability to influence practice at a Divisional or Trust level

Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Essential

• Demonstrates an understanding of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and/or Knowledge of the NHS obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duties