Medication Safety Lead Pharmacist
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Job overview
Medication Safety Lead Pharmacist/ Medication Safety Officer
Band: 8b (£58,972-68,525)Hours: Full time
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled, knowledgeable pharmacist to join our team.
We are looking for an experienced pharmacist with an interest in medication safety to join our team and lead the medication safety agenda across the organisation
Main duties of the job
This is an exciting opportunity to to make a real difference in the lives of our patients through influencing patient safety across our organisation, driving improvements in medicines management and optimisation and ensuring the Trust has safe processes in place and is compliant will all relevant safety guidance.
The postholder will be supported by our excellent medication safety team comprising of Pharmacists, Pharmacy technicians and Nurses to:
- Undertake the role of Medication Safety Officer (MSO) for UHL
- Be responsible for delivering, managing and developing the medication safety strategy across the Pharmacy Service.
- Be the lead pharmacist for medication safety in the Trust, developing and implementing strategies for quality improvement ensuring risks associated with medicines management activities are reduced or removed.
- Develop a broad range of plans to address complex medicines safety challenges within UHL, ensuring appropriate action plans are in place, monitored and adjusted according to changing priorities and risk, balancing long and short-term actions to develop and maintain a culture of safety.
- Represent pharmacy at CMG and Trust level to promote the highest standards of medicines management and provide pharmacist input into the implementation of national safety standards related to medicines.
- Lead in the monitoring of medicines management across the Trust through regular performance reporting
Working for our organisation
We are one of the biggest and busiest NHS trusts in the country, incorporating the General, Glenfield and Royal Infirmary hospitals. We have our very own Children's Hospital and run one of the country's leading heart centres.
Our team is made up of more than 17,000 staff providing a range of services primarily for the one million residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).
We have four primary goals:
- high-quality care for all,
- being a great place to work,
- partnerships for impact, and
- research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
- we are compassionate,
- we are proud,
- we are inclusive, and
- we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.
About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:
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Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key result areas
Medication safety
To be the designated Medication Safety Officer (MSO) on behalf of the Trust.
Ensuring medicines incidents are reported, and reviewed in a timely and appropriate manner and to promote effective reporting of medicines-related incidents.
To lead or support the investigation of incidents and prepare incident reports.
To undertake analysis of highly complex information where data sets may be incomplete and identify recommendations for action and monitor these to ensure they are delivered.
To take professional responsibility for highly complex decision making in relation to medicines safety, balancing potentially conflicting opinion from different professional groups within and external to the Trust and taking account of risk and analysis of potential consequence to develop and implement solutions utilising highly developed professional analysis and judgement.
To improve the quality of medicine incident reporting across UHL
Develop and implement strategies and policies to reduce the risks related to medication use both within pharmacy and across the Trust. Monitor effectiveness of these through audit and user feedback
To represent pharmacy on the Trust Policy and guideline Committee and the CSI audit committee
To lead on reviewing all medicines management policies for the trust and ensure that these are in date and reflect current practice
Work with Quality and Safety leads across CMGs in reviewing medication related incident data, utilising the System Engineering Imitative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework and other tools to promote changes in practice following an incident.To provide analysis of medicines related incidents to the Medicines Optimisation Committee (MedOC).
Assist the corporate safety team to review medication incidents as required, meeting with patients or relatives, responding to medication related questions.
Support staff in attending coroner’s inquest and assist the inquest / claims department in responding to incidents relating to medicines
To coordinate data collection and reporting for spot checks in relation to medicines security and controlled drugs
To lead on multi-disciplinary medicines safety-related improvement work and projects, ensuring timely achievement of objectives and agreed KPIs
To assist the Chief Pharmacist in the collation and review of evidence for Care Quality Commission (CQC) and external medication standards
To support the Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) in auditing the use of controlled drugs across the Trust, monitoring prescribing and usage trends, identification of areas for concern.
To prepare reports on controlled drug incidents within the Trust and actions taken to resolve these for the CD Local Intelligence Network (LIN) on behalf of the CDAO.
To support the CDAO in the investigation of CD discrepancies including developing and implementing recommendations from root cause analysis.
To carry out risk assessments in relation to the use of medicines and appropriately communicate such risks; to support risk mitigation actions
To lead on the design and delivery of audit activity in relation to medicines in conjunction with the clinical pharmacy team
To support and advise CMG lead pharmacists on all aspects of medicines management
To deputise for the CD Accountable Officer at CD LIN meetings as required
To assist the Chief Pharmacist in the implementation of National patient safety alerts across the Trust
To prepare medicines related bulletins for dissemination to staff across UHL focused on learning from medicines incidents and improving medicines safety
To work with colleagues in Medicines Information and Procurement to respond to MHRA Drug reports; specifically to ensure any impact on medicines management is considered
To advise Procurement and Medicines Information staff on medicines safety issues, including purchasing decisions
To provide expert advice on all aspects of medicines management to staff of all disciplines across UHL and the Alliance contract
To liaise with organisations and colleagues across the Integrated Care System to develop and maintain the Leicestershire Medicines Code
To support the Chief Pharmacist in delivering the Medicines Optimisation Committee (MedOC) terms of reference, including preparing papers for MedOC
Work with clinical governance / medication safety leads from other local healthcare providers and network with national organizations eg NHSE and MSO network to share information, learning and increase a uniform approach to patient safety, particularly the implementation of National medication safety alerts across the healthcare community.
To represent UHL at Regional Medicines Safety Network meetings, sharing best practice for improving medicines safety.
To actively represent UHL on the National Patient Safety Network, including acting as the main contact for NHS England and MHRA and contributing to development of strategy nationally.
To regularly review information from the Learning From Patient Safety Events System (LFPSE) and the MHRA to support improvements in reporting. To support dissemination of this information across UHL.
To receive and respond to requests for more information about medication error incident reports from the Patient Safety Domain in NHS England and the MHRA, including responding to requests for additional or highly complex data in relation to medication errors which requires full analysis and interrogation of databases.
To develop a framework for monitoring medicines safety in UHL
To support the development and implementation of a strategy for the improvement of medication information to patients, responding to patients needs identified through patient polling. To be active in developing and promoting methods for increasing patient adherence.
To lead for pharmacy on education for medical, nursing and pharmacy staff in relation to medicines management, including ensuring learning from incidents.
To support staff undertaking audit in relation to medicines management
Management and Leadership
To be the lead for reviewing medicines management standards through regular audit of the Leicestershire medicines code, working with CMG leads to co-ordinate action plans.
To take the lead in medicines management audit across pharmacy services, to underpin practice evidence for medicines management. Work closely with the Trust clinical audit team, actively participating in medicine related audits across the Trust.Assist in the co-ordination of joint audits across Leicestershire.
To have direct management responsibility for the Medicines Safety Team ensuring that each person has an annual appraisal and personal development plan in accordance with Trust criteria. Ensure that all staff have access to effective and timely HR advice.
In conjunction with General Managers, support the pharmacy clinical risk and governance agenda to ensure that all aspects of pharmacy services are operating in a safe manner in accordance with local and national standards, producing and implementing local actions, policies and procedures as necessary.
To support the training of pharmacy staff in clinical risk and clinical governance
Undertake the pharmacist role and duties within the dispensary weekly subject to rota.
Contribute to the business and strategic planning for the UHL pharmacy service and play a central role for improving patient care and processes.
Manage and develop the pharmacy part of UHL connect, assist in developing tools for improving communication to staff.
Person specification
Qualifications and experience
Essential criteria- Registered with General Pharmaceutical Council
- Previous significant managerial experience and responsibility for Pharmacists and other associated staff groups
- Significant experience of facilitating and managing change
- Experience of medicines policy and guidelines development
- Relevant medicines safety training accreditations e.g. PSIRF
- Contribution to national and regional medicines safety policies/ initiatives
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Post-graduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy practice /research
- Project management qualification or relevant experience
Analytical and judgement skills
Essential criteria- Highly developed analytical and problem solving skills will be required for assessment of service delivery plans of multiplicity of organisations and formulation of improvement strategies where opinion may differ on the best course of action
Communication and relationship skills
Essential criteria- Experience of communicating highly complex drug information or medicine related information to prescribers, clinicians, where professionals may challenge the advice
- Highly developed interpersonal, negotiation, influencing and conflict management skills
- Experience of attending and presenting at high level committees
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Understanding of medicines legislation and guidance i.e. Medicines Act, Misuse of Drugs Act, Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines, Medicine Guidance Notes, MHRA Alerts
Additional Information
Please submit your application form without delay to avoid disappointment; we will close vacancies prior to the publishing closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed application forms.
Please check the email account (including your junk mail) that you supplied as part of your application on a regular basis following the closing date and throughout the recruitment process, as this is how we will communicate with you.
UHL is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who match our job criteria.
Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.
UHL is committed to helping colleagues balance the demands of both their work and personal needs through flexible working arrangements wherever reasonably practicable and subject to service needs.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check.
The Trust will pay for the check initially and the money will then be deducted from your salary over a three month period commencing on your first month's payment.
The current price of a check is £38 for an enhanced and £18 for a standard check.
COVID 19 Risk Assessment
Due to the current Covid pandemic we have introduced a staff risk assessment into our pre-employment process. This now forms part of the mandatory pre-employment checks that will be carried out if you receive a conditional offer.
The risk assessment is intended to ensure you are able to safely perform your duties in any of our work areas, and if you have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. Our main aim is to reduce risk and to ensure the safety of all new starters to the Trust as well as current staff, patients and visitors.
If it is identified that you are within a vulnerable category, we will endeavor to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate this through discussions with both Occupational Health and your recruiting manager.
Covid Vaccination Status
Covid-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, family, colleagues and our patients/service users from the Covid-19 virus. We therefore continue to encourage our current and potential colleagues to get vaccinated.
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust holds the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does and all that it stands for. We are committed to developing a workforce that is representative of the community we serve.We welcome applications from the diverse community of Leicester, Leicester and Rutland, to help deliver healthcare services that meets the needs of our diverse communities.