Practice Pharmacist Network Lead

Job Specification

Practice Pharmacist Network Lead

Introduction

NHS Lambeth CCG is committed to the development of all staff to underpin the successful delivery of our objectives. We recognise practice pharmacistsin Lambeth as an emerging key staff group who will influence and facilitate change within primary care over the next few years in relation to the medicines optimisation and wider NHS and public health priorities.

To support their development we would like to establish a practice pharmacist leadership role dedicated to the development of this group of staff and to build on successful work undertaken by current practice pharmacists across the Borough.

The time commitment for this role will be one day a week (0.2WTE), initially as a pilot for sixmonths.

Role description

The Practice Pharmacist lead will work with their peers, with the CCG and with Federations to develop a vision for practice pharmacists in Lambeth. They will be a voice for practice pharmacists locally with the capacity and ability to influence.

Key responsibilities for the Practice Pharmacist NetworkLead will include:

A. Summary:

To provide strategic / inspirational leadership to local practice pharmacists.
To develop and agree with relevant stakeholders,a vision for practice pharmacists in Lambeth.
To work in a collaborative manner with relevant leads from GP federations, GP practices, Lambeth CCG, Lambeth council, community pharmacies, hospitals, other agencies and OHSEL medicines optimisation workstream.
To ensure that national guidance and best practice underpin practice pharmacist development to enable the delivery of safe, effective, evidence informed medicines usage in Lambeth practices.
To use clinical and change management skills to develop a clear infrastructure to support practice pharmacist engagement and development.
Identify opportunities, new partnerships and resources to support practice pharmacists.

B. Creating a vision for practice-based pharmacists in Lambeth:

Develop strategic intentions based on robust data sources and stakeholder engagement to establish clear priorities for practice-based pharmacists.
Undertaking baseline audit of practices to (1) understand practice and Federation views in relation to establishing the role of a practice pharmacist, and (2) where employed, to understand the requirements of the role
To lead engagement to determine appropriate models of care for agreed priorities which deliver local aspirations for practice-based pharmacists to deliver improved health outcomes and patient experience in LTCs.
To lead the development of robust business cases and ensuring due governance to the approval process,enabling the modelling of potential impact, identifying potential barriers and mitigating actions.
To undertake audit and research activity as agreed with CCG and GP federation leads.

C. Supporting Lambeth practices in recruiting, managing and developing practice-based pharmacists:

Building on existing communications and engagement channels between the CCG, Federation and practice pharmacists.

To advise on recruitment and management of practice-based pharmacists, supervising and appraising their work on a regular basis as agreed with employing practice.
To support employing practices on continuing professional development requirements as well as input into performance management procedures where necessary.

Working with CCG colleagues to identify, create and share best practice resources to practices, federations and other relevant groups.
To regularly visit practice-based pharmacists in Lambeth to advise, influence, recommend and negotiate implementation of changes in practice.
To contribute to performance management of prescribing in GP practices, including understanding, responding to and challenging complex prescribing data.
To liaise with the CCG Medicines Optimisation and LTC team to develop own work plan and objective setting for review by the Senior Clinical Commissioning Pharmacist.
To ensure that GP practices are facilitated to meet the medicines optimisationand LTC components of the QOF.

D. supporting practice-based pharmacists working in Lambeth practices:

To agree an annual development plan for practice pharmacists in support of practice, CCG and Federation objectives.
To work in collaboration with the Medicines Optimisation team, GP practices, Federations and other primary and secondary care colleagues to create opportunities for more effective networking and development for practice-based pharmacists.
Applying professional guidance, standards and pharmacy practice competencies to create an innovative practice pharmacist development programme which will enable practice pharmacists to deliver quality, high-value care for the people of Lambeth.
Identifying and creating opportunities and resources to develop advanced practice and leadership skills in practice pharmacists and to build leadership capacity in this role.
To deliver and/or facilitate planned training on therapeutics, medicines use and pharmaceutical issues to the health community to raise awareness of current information, and support the improved use of medicines.
To support practice-based pharmacists in:
engaging with patients and the public around medicines and LTCs e.g. receive and respond to simple and complex enquiries from patients relating to medicines and liaise with other health care professionals as appropriate;to deal with any distressed callers and potential adverse drug effects or drug errors promptly and with sensitivity.
communicating highly complex, sensitive or contentious information with empathy to patients or carers about medicines.
Developing the delivery of training relating to use of medicines to members of the practice health care team as required.
To support practices in reviewing processes relating to medicines and prescribing.
To promote the use of medicines in line with local formularies, guidance and shared care arrangements.
To promote effective practice in the use of medicines in and across pathways and across the local health economy e.g. development and maintenance of and adherence to locally agreed formularies and shared care agreements, and suggestions to develop robust processes and policies within practices.

E. providing clinical leadership, and influencing for change:

To use knowledge and skills to support practice pharmacists in ensuring the legal, safe and best value use of medicines through monitoring, audit and interpretation of prescribing in relevant practices.
Providing expertise to the Lambeth Medicines Optimisation team and the OHSEL Medicines Optimisation workstream, specifically in relation to the practice pharmacist role, to develop and implement novel ways of working to supportimplementation of best practice in relation to prescribing and LTC optimisation and CCG strategic plans for medicines optimisation and LTCs, including QOF indicators.
To identify, share and implement local, national and international best practice.
To represent practice pharmacists in discussions with commissioners and GP federations, attending (as a guide) the following meetings as a representative of Lambeth Practice pharmacists:
Lambeth practice pharmacist forums (lead)
Borough Prescribing Committee
Locality Care Network meetings
Medicines Optimisation and long-term condition meetings
Monthly CCG meeting/Annual attendance at the CCG meeting in public as relevant
Monthly Lambeth GP Federation Leads meeting
Monthly attendance at CEPN meetings
Clinical network events as relevant

F. Personal qualities

To work autonomously and take appropriate decisions within own competencies and areas of expertise
To maintain a CPD portfolio and be a member of, or work towards membership of, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Faculty.
To be able to work alone to tight deadlines and concentrate for long periods of time on complex work
To be IT literate, write reports and give presentations effectively.
To prioritise workload and adapt activity on a day-day basis, including dealing with frequent interruptions by telephone or emails.
The postholder may be required to work at any of the CCG’s sites in line with the service needs.
The postholder must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities with due regard to the CCG’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
This job description describes responsibilities, as they are currently required. Duties may change over time and the job description may need to be reviewed in the future.

Person Specification

Essential / Desirable
Education & qualifications /

Degree in Pharmacy : currently a masters degree taking 4 years plus one year pre-registration (5 years in total) or equivalent.
Member of General Pharmaceutical Council and committed to continuing professional development
Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or MSc in a pharmacy discipline or evidence of extensive clinical training and experience.
Evidence of substantial CPD.

RPS Faculty membership

Experience & Abilities /

Substantial post-registration experience
Previous primary care experience
Experience of working as a tutor or in an educational role
Can demonstrate achievement of personal and departmental objectives
Extensive experience of negotiating and implementing change in practice
Staff management
Formulary, policy and guidelines development and implementation
Experience of audit and project management
Producing and delivering presentations and training to healthcare professionals
Experience of working with and analysing epact data

Experience of data collection, analysis and synthesis including acute activity and QOF data.
Experience of GP computer systems
Knowledge of budget setting methodologies and financial frameworks as they relate to Prescribing
Experience of commissioning services including service specifications, procurement, performance metrics and audit.

Knowledge /

Understanding of the implications of the Five Year Forward View and Medicines Optimisation agenda including NICE guidelines and shared care guidelines.
Understanding of primary and secondary care working and organisational structures.

Sound therapeutic and clinical knowledge
Understanding of pharmacy issues in primary, community and secondary care
Knowledge of risk management strategies, including assessment and prioritisation
Critical appraisal skills and knowledge to analyse, interpret and evaluate clinical papers, clinical evidence, data and information from various sources to make judgements, decisions and provide recommendations
Knowledge of how to optimise clinical care by care pathway redesign, especially relating to medicines and LTC use.

Knowledge of current NHS policies, structures across the local health economy
Understanding of LTC management and current national priorities.

Skills

Analytical / Judgmental

Planning & Organising

Information resources

Communication

Physical skills

Able to plan, prioritise and organise own workload of complex activities
Good managerial skills
Willingness to tackle difficult issues
Strong numerical and analytical skills to accurately analyse and manage complex prescribing data
Ability to work independently and use own initiative also as an effective team player
Able to develop a wide range of contacts both inside and outside the organisation to gain support for CCG goals in relation to practice pharmacist development
Self sufficient in Microsoft word, internet, excel, email and powerpoint use
Able to communicate and work effectively and co-operatively with a wide range of people of different backgrounds and viewpoints
Good written skills, with the ability to produce reports, presentations and proposals
Applies sound professional judgement to legal and ethical issues
Ability to make important decisions in pressured situations.
Proven time management skills
Ability to travel to any site within the CCG

Able to provide leadership in complex organisational circumstances and gain support for professional pharmaceutical issues with stakeholders
Car driver with a clean driving licence

Personal Qualities

Interpersonal skills

Team/Collabor-

ative working

Flexibility

Provide advice and support with tact and sensitivity
High developed communication, interpersonal negotiating and influencing skills
Able to build professional and personal credibility to win support
Commitment to development of others.
Implements change effectively within own service and facilitates change within the organisation.
Proven ability to work as part of a team, in multidisciplinary and multi organisational teams
Able to work flexibly, cope with an unpredictable work pattern and interruptions and deal with urgent issues in an appropriate timescale.

Outputs

Within sixmonths we would like to see the following developments:

An established and effective practice pharmacist support network in place.
An established system of two way communications between practice pharmacists, the CCG and Lambeth Federations.
A clear, funded strategy for developing advanced practice skills for practice pharmacists.
A clear strategy of what peer review/clinical supervisionlooks like for practice pharmacists.
Dedicated time created for practice pharmacists to support and engage in organisational change and development locally.
A clear outline of what the role of a practice pharmacist in Lambeth practices entails and what requirements are needed to undertake the role.

Finlay Royle

Senior Clinical Commissioning Pharmacist

NHS Lambeth CCG

4 October2016

CCG Chair: Dr Adrian McLachlan Chief Officer: Andrew Eyres