Clinical Pharmacist (Specialist) – Critical care
Job overview
Our progressive and friendly Pharmacy Department consists of approximately 300 staff. The department provides clinical services to diverse patient groups across a wide range of therapeutic areas, including many highly specialised services. The majority of our Pharmacists are prescribers and we have a number of Consultant Pharmacist posts.
CUH has been accredited at the highest international quality standard for use of technology, data and analytics (HIMSS Level 7). The Pharmacy team fully utilises our electronic patient record system (Epic) alongside technology such as robotics.
Our department is proud to prioritise the inclusion of all staff and we support everyone to achieve their potential.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Critical Care Pharmacy Team. The pharmacy service to critical care is well established and has received investment in previous years enabling us to deliver a seven day service. Our service is modelled on respective national and international standards.The Department of Pharmacy at CUH is ambitious and forward thinking, fostering advanced practice and supporting the development of electronic solutions to enhance patient care.
Main duties of the job
Our Band 7 Pharmacists provide a predominantly ward based service and will participate in a rotational clinical programme across our adult critical care areas, including the John Farman Intensive Care Unit, Neurosciences Critical Care Unit and also include review and reconciliation of step-down patients.Within each rotation there are unique opportunities for development and you will become a fully integrated member of the multidisciplinary team.
Our clinical pharmacy service is delivered across seven days and when working at weekends you will be predominantly ward based, covering critical care or in the emergency department. This service helps to prompt the attainment of national medicines reconciliation standards and ensures follow up on the most unwell patients in the hospital putting the patient at the heart of what we do.
Working for our organisation
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners.Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave.
The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential.We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As a department, the continuing professional development of all staff is a priority. This includes support for formal qualifications (e.g. prescribing courses – including funding and study leave), workplace learning from experienced colleagues and development of skills relating to training, management and research.Staff are encouraged to attend our regular in house training sessions and consultant pharmacist update sessions. We are keen to equip our band 7 pharmacists with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience needed to progress to band 8A roles.
Wellbeing of staff is a priority and we have a critical care pharmacy team charter supporting this. Additionally, our Pharmacy Staff Well-being Forum frequently hosts social events and coordinates efforts to positively support well-being of the Pharmacy team.
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment
This vacancy will close at midnight on 10th February 2025
Interviews are due to be held on 17th February 2025
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site.Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge.Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Masters level degree in pharmacy. Post-graduate preregistration year.
- Registered with General Pharmaceutical Council.
- Completed year 1 and year 2 of Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy/General Pharmacy Practice)*.
- MSc in Clinical Pharmacy (or equivalent)*.
- Qualified and registered as an Independent prescriber.
- Risk management training.
- Professional and final accuracy checking.
Experience
Essential criteria- Moderate post-registration hospital experience including prescription screening in inpatients/outpatients, medicines reconciliation, medicines information, experience of preparative services either TPN/chemotherapy.
- Experienced clinical pharmacist who has covered a range of specialities including elderly care, acute medicine, and including specialist medicine and Surgery including general surgery and other surgical specialities
- Documentation in medical notes.
- Writing reports
- Writing or assisting in writing drug policies and guidelines/PGD development.
- Evidence of having conducted a clinical audit
- Recent post-registration hospital experience, ideally including previous experience in a teaching hospital and experience of more than one hospital.
- Experienced clinical pharmacist (at band 7) including one or more of the following; critical care, neurosciences, paediatrics, renal, transplant, oncology, haematology
- Evidence of having written pharmaceutical and/or educational publications.
- Experience as a personal tutor to a range of staff groups.
- Drug expenditure analysis and reporting.
- Horizon scanning.
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Good clinical knowledge of drugs and therapeutic trends within general medicine and surgery.
- Knowledge of NICE and NPSA guidance and subsequent examples of local implementation
- Knowledge of Health care systems and NHS changes.
- Computer literate with experience of Word, Powerpoint and Excel
- Familiar with the use of a range of visual aids for teaching.
- Pharmacy computer systems training.
- Clinical pharmacy knowledge of drug use in critical care patients.
- Completed additional training in critical care
Skills
Essential criteria- Good organisation skills/time management.
- Able to prioritise workload and target efforts appropriately
- Self motivated and enthusiastic.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Able to give oral presentations appropriate to the level of the audience including students
- Able to produce written reports.
- Good consultation skills.
- Proven ability to influence and negotiate with all grades of staff.
- Able to work well in a team
- Ability to listen and act on direction from senior pharmacists
- Ability to remain calm and work effectively under pressure and to deadlines.
- Able to produce written support materials for training.
- Proven ability to teach and train a range of staff groups.
- Ability to take initiative and lead on projects including change management
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.