Job Description

Job title - 8a Senior Specialist Pharmacist - HIV



Fixed Term 24-month contract



An exciting opportunity has become available for a dynamic, motivated and forward-thinking Band 8a Pharmacist with prior experience in HIV to join our dedicated HIV Pharmacy team at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.



This 24-month fixed term role offers the chance to contribute to delivering high quality clinical pharmacy services across all Royal Free London sites, supporting the HIV business unit. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in



Providing expert input into HIV prescribing and ongoing treatment monitoring Ensuring timely and effective supply of HIV medications via outpatient pharmacy and homecare services Overseeing the daily operations of the HIV pharmacy team.

We are looking for candidates who have previously worked at Band 7 or as a specialist pharmacist within an HIV/ID setting. Experience in participating in consultant -led ward rounds, contributing to the development of policies and clinical guidelines and supporting the supervision and training of staff is essential.



This is a great opportunity to build on your specialist knowledge in HIV care while contributing to a collaborative and innovative pharmacy team.

Key responsibilities include :

Regularly attend and actively contribute to consultant ward rounds and multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions for complex cases. Delivery of a high quality, specialist ward-based and outpatient pharmacy service including medicines reconciliation, review of complex medication regimens, medicines optimisation and adverse reaction and interaction monitoring Training and supervision of junior members of the pharmacy team Timely supply of medicines for in-patients, out-patients and discharge Development and implementation of clinical guidelines Effective control of drug expenditure and management of processes regarding high-cost drugs Use independent prescribing skills to manage patients in HIV pharmacy led outpatient clinics. Counselling HIV patients on their medicines to enhance compliance To participate in audits and practice-based research

To work with the clinical risk team to minimise the risk of medicines



The HIV service at the Royal Free London NHS Trust is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the UK. We are also considered one of the leading ID centers, with a High-Level Isolation Unit, capable of taking highly infectious disease patients including Ebola/Lassa fever.



Our trust has around 10,000 staff serving 1.6 million patients. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This large scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients. With many specialities including renal, liver, oncology, infectious disease, haemophilia and scleroderma which are underpinned by a strong research agenda, the Royal Free is renowned for providing excellent patient care.



The HIV pharmacy team is a well-integrated and highly respected part of the HIV/ID unit, playing a vital role in ensuring the safe and cost-efficient use of medicines within this specialist area. The team works closely with the wider multidisciplinary group to support high quality patient care and service delivery.



Together the team brings a wealth of experience and expertise, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for both staff and patients



For full information on the job description, please refer to the attached document.



1. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES



To provide a high-quality clinical pharmacy service as part of the multidisciplinary team to HIV patients, to ensure maximum efficacy, safety, and economic drug use and to demonstrate professional accountability to enhance patient care. The responsibilities will include:



Regular attendance and contribution to consultant ward rounds and multidisciplinary team meetings

Demonstration of a high level of clinical knowledge in the field of HIV medicine

Delivery of a high quality, specialist out-patient and ward-based pharmacy service including medicines reconciliation, drug supply, review of highly complex medication regimens, interaction monitoring, adverse drug reaction monitoring and discharge planning

To contribute to and facilitate timely discharge

Provision of prescribing advice in the specialist area, including drug selection, adverse events, dosage reduction and interaction monitoring

Communication of complex pharmaceutical information, according to the level of understanding, direct to patients/carers and healthcare professionals.

Clinical decision making where limited/conflicting information is available

Promotion of high quality and cost-effective prescribing

Making evidence-based decisions, in partnership with patients and other professionals within the specialist area

Liaising with other ward pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines management, and to implement systems for the effective transfer of medicines between wards

Development and review of Patient Group Directions

Development and review of Shared Care guidelines

Implementation of relevant local and national guidelines within the specialist area

Ensuring compliance with hospital formulary and microbiology guidelines

Implementation and evaluation of Drug Usage Reviews and clinical audits, and changes in prescribing practice

Being actively involved in the development of relevant patient information leaflets which complement licensed product information

Provision of patient support on concordance related issues e.g. dosette boxes



2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENTS



To ensure correct and safe prescribing within HIV, demonstrating expert clinical knowledge and an advanced level of clinical assessment. Key duties include:



To qualify as an independent prescriber and undertake MDT-led prescribing clinics, reviewing PLHIV with complex co-morbidities, prescribing ongoing HIV medicines and monitoring for side effects and effectiveness of treatment To provide medicine management reviews for complex patients To provide clinical screening for all prescriptions for Ian Charleson Day Centre patients to ensure accurate and timely dispensing To assist in the planning and organising of a clinical pharmacy service to HIV in the outpatient setting To provide an in-patient service to the HIV inpatients To liaise with doctors, administration staff and patients to ensure the safe and smooth running of the home delivery service. To deal effectively with situations where medication errors have occurred, including liaising directly with patients and staff concerned To liaise with other pharmacists to ensure continuity of medicines management, and to implement systems for the effective transfer of medicines between primary or secondary care To assist in responding to complaints from patients and the public in relation to medicines management issues as required To deliver a high quality and comprehensive medicines counselling service to patients and/or their relatives on all aspects of their pharmaceutical care and highlighting the importance of life-long concordance with anti-retroviral regimens. To overcome communication barriers through the use of interpreters or other forms of communication

3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT



To assist the Consultant Pharmacist, HIV in the production and implementation of business plans for the development of the pharmacy service provided to the speciality in line with the network plan To assist in the formulation, prioritisation and implementation of long-term strategic plans for clinical pharmacy services in line with local, network and national objectives

Contribute to the development of and ensuring adherence to evidence based prescribing guidelines

Ensuring compliance with CQC medicine related outcomes, NICE appraisals and other government related initiatives

To contribute to the development and collect data on KPI's relating to medicine prescribing within HIV and prepare reports for relevant committees.

To ensure that all pharmacy activities, procedures and documentation within the speciality are carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures and relevant medicines legislation

To identify the risks of medicines use in the directorate and implement strategies to minimise them, working closely with the specialities clinical risk management committees. Assist in the implementation of government led strategies to improve medication safety

To participate in the audit of clinical incidents and implementation of the changes in practice resulting from this

To assist in the management of changes that need to occur in order to maximise patient care and to consider and act upon the implications of the change to other areas/personnel

To assist in the auditing of services provided with the aim of improving the services provided by the pharmacy HIV team



4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES



To contribute to the management of the drug budget within the HIV Pharmacy team. The responsibilities will include:



Provision of detailed evaluated reports on drug expenditure to the Divisional Finance Manager, General Manager, and Clinical Head of Service and presenting these reports at the HIV management group

Identifying options for reducing drug expenditure and ensuring the most cost-effective drug use including monitoring and presentation of savings made by participation in drug trials

Implementing national and local guidelines on the use of anti-retroviral agents

Forecasting new drug developments, and identify changes in prescribing practice that may impact on the drugs budget

Contributing to the annual pharmacy department drug cost pressure document

Interpreting published data on new drugs for use within HIV, preparing evaluations and presenting applications to the Drug and Therapeutics Committee and communicating relevant decisions back to the specialty care group and manage the introduction of new therapies in HIV

Liaising with the key decision makers (senior managers, CRG's, commissioners) to ensure provision of funding for high-cost drugs within HIV medicines and maintenance of the high-cost drugs database, Blueteq and (PhRED)

Overseeing the supply of HIV medicines through homecare



5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING



To plan and organise the provision of the clinical pharmacy service to the infectious diseases ward and the Ian Charleson Day Centre, including day to day allocation of the workload To manage and support the development of Band 7 Senior Pharmacists, band 6 rotational pharmacists and trainee pharmacists rotating through HIV including undertaking appraisals and performance review. To support and facilitate the development of junior pharmacists and pharmacy technicians To deputise for the Consultant Pharmacist - HIV in his/her absence. To support the consultant pharmacist HIV in the recruitment of staff for the HIV pharmacy team To manage difficult and ambiguous situations and be aware of ethical dilemmas that may present in patient care and provide support and guidance to colleagues in any decision-making process. To attend and be an active participant in relevant clinical and managerial groups divisionally, corporately and externally, to ensure the delivery of best care to patients. This may include presenting data / guidelines that may be controversial / likely to be challenged To represent pharmacy and act as link person at relevant meetings and conferences and disseminate knowledge of developments to other staff To act as an effective role model and provide advice and support on clinical issues within the specialist area to junior pharmacists and members of the multi-disciplinary team To share expertise with healthcare professionals on a nationwide level through professional conferences, forum and bodies. To motivate and inspire others in order to create and maintain a good working environment and facilitate staff retention To demonstrate innovation in the highly specialised field of HIV medicine

To demonstrate a commitment to any national professional or occupational standards associated with this role

Any other relevant duties as assigned by the Senior pharmacy managers or Chief pharmacist