ROLE PROFILE
ROLE TITLE:
Chief Pharmacist
REPORTING TO:
CADS Directorate
manager
DIRECTORATE:
CADS
ACCOUNTABLE TO:
CADS Directorate
manager
SECTION/DEPT:
Pharmacy
APPRAISED BY:
CADS Directorate
manager
BAND:
8d
Overall Purpose Responsible for developing and delivering Pharmacy and
of Role
medicines optimisation services to reflect the Trusts strategic
(Summary)
objectives
• Is responsible for professional and clinical leadership and
advice on pharmaceutical services provided to the Trust. Leads
and manages Pharmacy department staff to ensure
implementation of medicines optimisation policies and
procedures across the Trust, based on legal regulations, current
best practice and evidence based Pharmacy practice.
• Plans and develops the future strategic direction for operational
and logistic functions of Pharmacy services, ensuring effective
intra-department communication.
• Ensures safe systems of medicines management including
prescribing and administration of medicines across the Trust.
• Provides specialist advice and expertise and, (delegated from
the Chief Executive), informs the Director of Nursing who has
corporate responsibility across the Trust, for Medicines
Management/Optimisation.
• Has responsibility across the Trust for the safe and secure
handling of all medicines
• Oversees the future development of a high quality Pharmacy
service to ensure it is progressive, innovative, responsive and
efficient and patient centred.
• Ensure the Medicines Optimisation agenda remains a high
priority at Trust Board level.
• Ensures effective skill mix, use of pharmacy resources and
departmental working rotas to provide trust wide cover by the
Pharmacy team.
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Key Activities / Key Areas of Work
1 Communication
1. Provides professional pharmaceutical leadership within the department and to
appropriate committees, project teams and multi-disciplinary groups. This will include
being a key member of the Trust DTC (Drugs and Therapeutics Committee).
2. Works actively with Trust senior management to ensure the high profile of Pharmacy
services within the Trust is maintained and also to promote a positive external profile.
3. Recruits, develops and motivates staff to ensure they are performing to high
professional standards and contributing to both the Pharmacy service and Trust
Business Plans, 5 year strategy and Corporate objectives.
4. Develops team motivation through effective personal leadership, ensuring views and
decisions are communicated both up and down the management structure. Consults with
pharmacy staff with regards to changes in roles and responsibilities and working patterns
which might impact on work/life balance.
5. Ensures that senior Trust management are aware of circumstances where potentially
safe standards of practice could be compromised and if possible advise on potential
solutions with respect to safe use and custody of medicines across the Trust.
6. Incorporates views of all service users in the developments and planning of any new
services and revised aspects of service delivery.
2 Planning and Organising
1. Interprets, where relevant to Papworth NHS Trust, legal, regulatory and professional
policies and NHS guidance and clinical policies to manage, develop and lead the vision
for the Pharmacy and medicines management services within the context of the Trust’s
overall strategic direction.
2. Ensures planned service developments are incorporated into the overall Trust business
plan and strategic objectives. Ensure that Trust Board members are aware of impact of
national Medicines Optimisation guidance, DH policy and NHS England commissioning
policies and guidance and the impact of not resourcing initiatives to promote the safe and
cost effective use of medicines across Trust, either within the Pharmacy department or
which affect the capability of the Pharmacy department to provide services.
3. Represents the Trust as the representative on the Cambridgeshire Joint Prescribing
Group. Ensures where possible, that commissioning arrangements and local decision
making reflects the cost effective use of medicines in line with specialist services
provided in this tertiary referral centre and are in line with NICE TA publications. This may
be by provision of Shared Care Guidelines, Business Cases and other strategies to link
with general practitioners and other CCGs across the region. Support clinicians in
applications for Individual Funding Reviews (IFRs) for ongoing treatment costs provided
by CCGs or NHS England. Highlights to senior Trust management any potential risks of
prescribing for ongoing treatment of patients which could produce a financial liability to
the trust and ensure this is reflected on the Trust Risk Register
4. Ensures compliance with Clinical Governance standards in medicines management (in
accordance with legal, regulatory and professional guidance, NHS policy and evidence
based best practice across UK). Represents Pharmacy on the Trust Quality and Risk
Group. Via the DTC ensures action plans from Medicines Management audits (annual
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programme or in year ad-hoc audits) are managed and where necessary escalate to the
Risk Register.
5. Business Continuity Planning: To ensure that effective emergency planning measures
are in place inclusive of effective contingency and business continuity plans and that
departmental plans are reviewed at least annually.
3 Managing – People and Resources
1. Responsible (together with the Deputy Chief Pharmacist and team leaders) for the
recruitment and induction of any new staff into the department. Ensuring that training at
induction includes understanding of both local and Trust wide policies with particular
reference to Information Governance and Security. Ensures that records of any training
at induction are kept as part of the staff records and that these confidential staff records
(including appraisal documentation) are stored appropriately at all times.
2.
Manages Pharmacy pay and non-pay budgets and pharmacy specific research and
charitable funds. Meets regularly with financial accountants and Trust SIP team to review
budgetary control and SIP programmes for Pharmacy. Produces and monitors annual
departmental business plans and budgetary forecasting for future years budget setting
exercises.
3. Authorised signatory for Pharmacy financial orders and invoices, including locum
timesheets for the appropriate financial threshold as per the Trust Standing Financial
Instructions (SFIs) procedure and in line service provided by external contractor (SBS).
Identifies to Senior Trust management any in-year cost pressures within the department
and where possible methods to deal with them. Contributes to trust business planning
and identifies future cost pressures so consideration for funding the following year is
taken into account.
4. Ensures economical purchasing, appropriate storage and distribution of pharmaceuticals
(in accordance with good Medicines Management practice and recommendations e.g.
CMU guidance and Trust SFIs). Ensures that the requirements of “Good Distribution
practice” are complied with on site.
5. Manages all Pharmacy procurement processes, ensuring that medicines are purchased
according to local, regional or national contracts, where they exist, and to ensure that all
products are tendered and purchased in accordance with the Trust SFIs and statutory
legislation
6. Monitors and reports on Trust-wide medicines usage and expenditure, providing advice
to ensure informed decisions can be taken on appropriate and effective drug therapy
within the given resources for drug budget allocations to directorates. Liaises and meets
with directorate pharmacists attending directorate business unit meetings to ensure any
new service developments do not impact on Pharmacy and Medicines management
services without due consideration of the effect of increased or changed workload.
7. Responsible for all performance management, including sickness absence, within the
Trust HR policies. Ensures staff awareness of their objectives (personal and
organisational) within the annual and quarterly appraisal process. Appraises direct
reports and is responsible for the direct line management of the Pharmacy senior team.
8. Continually reviews skill mix to ensure the needs of the service are met, whilst also
ensuring professional standards are complied with. Ensures that any deficits are reported
in a timely manner to line manager and added to the Trust Risk register where
applicable.
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9. Involves Pharmacy department in delivery of Clinical Governance agenda in accordance
with Trust strategy. Implements and monitors national directives and any relevant
initiatives that could impact on the Pharmacy service.
10. Manages training budgets and ensures fair allocation of training opportunities amongst
staff, at all grades. Promotes education and development of staff within the department,
ensuring there are opportunities to provide in-house educational programmes and
sessions as well as personal development opportunities.
11. Encourages pharmacy staff to undertake post graduate qualifications and either as part
of a masters qualification or independently (e.g. within a pharmacist consultant role), to
undertake pharmacy related practice research.
4 Health, safety and security
1. Ensures all staff are aware of the legal requirements of the Medicines Act, Misuse of
Drugs Act and “Standards for Pharmacy Professionals” published by the General
Pharmacy Council annually and where necessary, monitors adherence and compliance
to these regulations and standards.
2. Is responsible for ensuring the requirements of all relevant legislation (H & S at work,
COSHH etc.) are carried out in the department and staff work to all recommendations of
such legislation, are appropriately trained and instructed in their responsibilities. Ensures
where necessary that all staff have suitable protective equipment to wear/work with to
enable them to carry out their duties.
3. Ensures errors, complaints and clinical incidents are investigated, resolved and notified
within the Trust clinical incident reporting scheme (Datix®) and complaints procedure. Is
a member of the Trust Quality & Risk management group and produces the
departmental quarterly report. Monitors and reviews departmental governance issues
ensuring that appropriate action is taken and learning is shared in response to reported
incidents and highlighted risks.
4. Chairs the Trust-wide medical gas committee ensuring wide representation from all
disciplines that contribute to the safe operation and management of piped oxygen from
the VIE around the trust and in the use of cylinders of medical and special gases used
on Papworth patients and for research purposes. Reviews all incidents involving medical
gases to ensure root cause and lessons learnt can be shared with users. Works with
Education staff to ensure that the annual professional day training highlights any
particular risks that have been highlighted to the committee in the previous year.
5. To be deputy Accountable Officer, acting on behalf of the Director of Nursing in their
absence in relation to Controlled Drugs incidents and to attend the Local Intelligence
Network Meetings for NHS England (East) on their behalf. To provide annual reports on
the use of controlled drugs within the trust and highlight issues that affect the Trust as
reflected in the annual CQC report.
6. To highlight and report any intelligence where the implementation of electronic
prescribing systems used in the trust have increased the risk of clinical safety for
patients and ensure that these risks are evaluated by the appropriate authority at the
highest level.
7. Maintains the Datix database on the Trust risk register for both Pharmacy and Trust-wide
Medicines Management issues. Produces action plans for each risk and reviews each
risk at appropriate intervals.
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8. Ensures that any risks from the procurement of medicines is highlighted to service users
and prescribers, particularly with the risk of unlicensed and compassionate use (usually
'pre-licence') medicines including any potential ongoing financial risks for the trust.
Complies with 'purchasing for safety' initiatives wherever possible. Changes purchasing
policy on recommendations from the Trust medication safety officer should there be any
new or perceived risk with products currently being purchased. Ensure clinicians are
made aware of any potential risks and where they exist escalate these to the Drugs and
Therapeutics Committee.
5 Service Improvement
1. Develops Pharmacy services and in particular directorate pharmacists to pro-actively
influence safe and cost effective medicines use across the Trust, in consultation with
clinical staff.
2. Promotes pharmacists as a resource for the teaching and education of Trust staff in the
use of medicines and issues of concern e.g. reduction of medication errors. Ensures
Pharmacy staff are integral to the delivery of medicines management training as
indicated by the Trust training needs analysis for Medicines Optimisation.
3. Identifies possible cost reduction initiatives in medicines use for presentation to
individual directorates and the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee. Manage any
resultant changes in medicines use and audit any such financial savings. Allocates staff
to review SIP procurement projects and pharmacists in the QIPP delivery and input into
Regional Pharmacy PresQIPP network for medicines use.
4. Is the responsible officer for the Pharmacy homecare service and is aware of outputs
from the East of England Collaborative procurement hub 'Homecare Group' which feeds
into the National Homecare Group via the Homecare service team leader who
represents Papworth on this group. Works with the trust senior finance team to ensure
the NHS England annual funded budget is commensurate with the salary costs and
establishment for the service provided.
5. Is responsible for the Pharmacy Clinical Trials service for both pharmaceutical industry
sponsored and trust initiated research studies and ensure that all practice within the
department meets ICH /GCP guidelines. Ensures compliance with requirements for
external auditors (including MHRA) on aspects of research involving clinical trial
medication.
6. Promotes and supports R & D activity which encompasses any aspect of Medicines
use. Manages the Pharmacy clinical trials team through the lead pharmacist and is
aware of any issues with proposed trials which require additional Pharmacy resources
or participation therein is prevented by inability to meet the protocol requirements
7. Ensures that pharmacists working with the chosen electronic prescribing system and
EPMA for the Trust are involved in modifications and software enhancements that could
change any facets of the electronic prescribing process to support nursing and medical
prescribing colleagues in ensuring safe practice and prescribing.
8. Working with Chief pharmacist colleagues in the local transformation geography and
wider East of England to consider joint benefits of the 'Carter' agenda and work streams
and within the System Transformation project where locally agreed collaborative
working benefits the Trust and Pharmacy service. Contribute to both local and National
benchmarking exercises.
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6 Quality
1. Working closely with the deputy Chief pharmacist review pharmacy key performance
indicators and other performance indicators ensuring they adequately reflect the service
and meet ongoing needs. Feeds the relevant service specific KPIs into the Trust-wide
monthly PIPR reporting system for the senior management executive. Ensures services
are delivered in line with commissioners’ requirements and national and local
performance targets (e.g. medicines related CQUINs).
2. Ensures practice is evidence based, wherever possible and patient focused, sharing
practice with interested parties.
3. Promotes lifelong learning/CPD, post registration education and vocational training for
all Pharmacy staff. Ensures that registered staff required to complete the General
Pharmacy Council requirement for mandatory CPD are completing records in the
requisite timeframe to fulfil the requirements of registration with this professional body.
Encourage pharmacists to submit portfolios to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for
accreditation as a Faculty member.
4. Is the named pre-registration manager for Papworth Hospital NHS Trust to provide
accredited training for any pre-registration pharmacists undertaking a placement in the
department. Jointly, with other pre-registration pharmacist tutors within the department,
ensures compliance with the requirements for pre-registration placements by
submission of an accredited programme to the General Pharmacy Council and ensures
tutors have sufficient time and experience to take on this role.
5. Formulates a long term strategic medicines management audit plan across the Trust.
This will incorporate both policies and procedures and methods of improving awareness
and adherence to Medicines Management policies and procedures. Develops and
supports audit projects involving the use of medicines within the Trust. Develops audit
processes within the department to ensure all legal, professional and service
requirements are met.
6. Ensures data quality for the production of reports, internal and external. That the
reports format is kept updated and produced in a timely manner to meet strategic and
business objectives, including invoicing deadlines for external organisations e.g. billing
for high cost drugs for NHS England.
7 Meetings
Internal to the Trust
External to the Trust
Drugs and Therapeutics
Pharmacy Managers Eastern Network
Committee
Quality and Risk Management
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Joint Prescribing
Group
Group (Area prescribing committee)
Local and Specialist
Local Intelligence Network (LIN) for East of
Commissioning
England – representing Trust AO
Operational Executive group
PresQIPP group (East of England)
Medical Gas Committee (Chair)
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Chief
Pharmacists network (Transformation)
Recruitment and Retention
SIP PMT
Lorenzo Design Authority
Monthly 1:1 with CADs manager
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TRUST- WIDE:
1 Equality & Diversity
To promote equality and value diversity
2 Business and Contingency Planning (8a and above)
To ensure that effective emergency planning measures are in place inclusive of
effective contingency and business continuity plans.
3 General Trust Standards
1. To act in a manner that a reasonable person would expect from a member of staff in
that profession or pay band.
2. To adhere to the Trust policies and procedures.
3. To treat all information in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998)
4. To report any area of concern to the
Manager.
5. The job description will be reviewed annually by the line manager and may be
amended after discussion with the post holder (s).
6. Managers only (band 7 and above) You are required to comply with the Code of
Conduct for NHS managers
7. This job description is intended as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post, and
the post holder will be required to undertake such duties appropriate to the position as
may be required by the Manager to ensure the smooth running of the service.
4 Infection Control
1. Apply standard precautions for infection control, using a series of interventions that
minimise or prevent cross infection, including effective hand washing/cleansing when
appropriate, particularly on entering and leaving clinical areas and between each
patient.
2. Use of personal protective clothing and additional protective equipment when
appropriate. Strict adherence to Trust guidelines on collecting and handling of clinical
specimens.
3. Work in partnership to promote health and well being and reduction of risk in relation
to infection control standards which might include walk-around audits, analysis of data
and challenging non- adherence.
5 Health and Safety
1. Within their own area of responsibility, the postholder will be responsible for
assessing the risks to the health and safety of staff, patients and visitors or to the
achievement of the Trust’s objectives. The postholder must ensure that identified
risks are reported centrally to the Risk Management Team, so that significant clinical
and non-clinical risks are included in the Trust’s Risk Register.
2. The postholder will participate, as required, in clinical and non-clinical audit projects
aimed at improving patient care and the effective and efficient delivery of services.
3. Where required by safety legislation or mandatory requirements of bodies such as the
NHS Litigation Authority, the postholder will contribute to the preparation and review
of written risk assessments, including clinical risk assessments, at appropriate
intervals and, where necessary, develop and implement suitable risk treatment plans.
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4. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring attendance of staff at mandatory
training sessions appropriate to the posts held and for providing a quarterly
breakdown of attendance and reasons for non-attendance.
6 Clinical Governance
The post holder will be accountable for continuously improving the quality of their
services and safeguarding high standards of care, and contribute to creating an
environment in which clinical excellence will flourish.
7 Dignity at Work
To ensure through own behaviour postholder sets a professional example
Be aware of the Dignity at Work (eliminating bullying and harassment) procedure
Ensure the Trust policy is implemented within area of responsibility, including
using judgement to correct standards of conduct or behaviour which could be
construed as harassment and to remind staff of these standards
Treat each allegation of harassment and bullying seriously and sympathetically
To promote equal opportunities for all, monitoring own practices and those of the
team to ensure actions are taken to reinforce that discrimination is unacceptable
COMPETENCIES
NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework
Dimension
Level
KSF Standard
Communication
C1
4
Develop and maintain communications with
people on complex matters, issues and
ideas and/or in complex situations
Personal people
C2
4
Develop oneself and others in areas of
development
practice
Health, safety & security
C3
4
Maintain and develop an environment and
culture that improves health, safety and
security
Service development
C4
4
Work in partnership with others to develop,
take forward and evaluate direction, policies
and strategies
Quality
C5
4
Develop a culture that improves quality
Equality, diversity & rights
C6
3
Promote equality and value diversity
Specific Dimensions
Level
Health and Wellbeing
HW
3
Plan, deliver and evaluate interventions
B7
and/or treatments
Health and Wellbeing
HW
4
Support, monitor and control the supply of
B10
products
General
G3
4
Develop, review and improve
commissioning and procurement systems
General
G4
3
Co-ordinate, monitor and review use of
financial resources
General
G5
4
Plan, co-ordinate and monitor delivery of
services and projects
General
G6
4
Plan, develop, monitor and review the
recruitment, deployment and management
of people
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Structure
Director of Nursing (for medicines management and link to Trust Board) / CADS
directorate manager (day to day management and directorate issues)
Chief Pharmacist
Deputy chief pharmacist, Antimicrobials specialist pharmacist, PA, Band 6 senior
pharmacy technicians (Procurement & Distribution, Homecare and Clinical Trials)
Dimensions
Responsible for Pharmacy (145050) pay and non-pay budgets, Homecare budgets
and Research and Charitable funds.
Advises clinical directorates (via directorate pharmacists) of budgetary impact of
medicines expenditure.
Provides reports to DTC and clinical directorates on drug expenditure and other
aspects of Medicines Management.
Manages all staff in the Pharmacy through Deputy Chief Pharmacist and band 6
senior pharmacy technicians.
Provides information to local and national commissioners with regards to high cost
drugs (PbR excluded) expenditure and where CQUINs or QIPP projects are involved.
Work/Business contacts (Key stakeholders)
Internal: Senior Trust management, Directorate Clinical leads and Managers, All grades
of medical and nursing staff, Pharmacy, HCS and AHPs, Education, Audit,
Quality &Risk Management, Procurement, Business Office, Finance and IT
department staff.
External: CCG chief pharmacists and medicines management teams, local networks
involving CCG staff (e.g. area prescribing committee CPJPG), DH Commercial
Medicines Unit, East of England pharmacy managers network (PhEN), Health
Education East of England (Professional advisor on Health Sciences),
Regional/national specialist services including:- Medicines Use and Safety
network, Quality Assurance, Medicines Information, Procurement and
Education.
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Expertise in Role
Essential or
How Assessed
Expertise in role required (at selection)
Desirable
Qualifications
Vocational masters degree in Pharmacy
Essential
A. form
G.Ph.C registered/practising pharmacist
Essential
Prof. register
Higher degree/diploma in Clinical Pharmacy
Essential
A. form
Post graduate experience in hospital pharmacy Essential
A. form
Evidence of Continued Professional
Essential
Interview
Development
Faculty Membership of Royal Pharmaceutical
Desirable
A form
Society
Management / leadership qualification
Desirable
A form
Independent Prescriber
Desirable
A form
Knowledge & Experience
Experience as an effective clinical
Essential
Reference
practitioner in NHS hospital pharmacy
Demonstrates expert clinical knowledge and Essential
Reference
skills, through training and experience
Demonstrates advanced level of clinical
Essential
Reference
reasoning and judgement
Experience in provision of education and
Essential
A. form/reference
training to staff with varying ability levels
Experience in Clinical Audit
Essential
A. form
Demonstrates active participation in Multi-
Desirable
A. form
disciplinary healthcare research
Experience in leading, supervising and
Essential
A. form/reference
managing staff within an NHS hospital
Ability to plan and execute long term
Essential
A.form/interview
projects and manage multiple projects
concurrently
Experience in Project management
Desirable
A. form/interview
Expert understanding of Primary and
Secondary Care prescribing issues
Essential
A.form/interview
Experience of financial and budgetary
Essential
A. form/interview
management within the NHS
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Qualities
Demonstrates good oral and written
Essential
Interview
communication skills
Demonstrates good organisational and time
Essential
Reference
management skills
Demonstrates the ability to influence and
Essential
Reference
negotiate with pharmacy, medical, nursing and
management colleagues
Demonstrates the ability to identify and
Essential
Reference/
prioritise management and clinical workload
interview
(where applicable)
Has the ability to identify and manage risks
Essential
Reference/A.form
Can work autonomously, demonstrates self -
motivation and is able to meet set targets
Essential
Reference
Can demonstrate innovation and proactive
Essential
Reference/A.form
approach to practice change
Reference/
Ability to effect and manage change
Essential
interview
Able to work to targets and meet tight deadlines Essential
Reference
Essential or
How assessed
Other (Physical, mobility, local conditions)
Desirable
Circumstances
High level IT skills
Desirable
Interview
Flexible approach to working hours and practices Essential
Interview
to meet service needs.
Expertise in role – after initial development : Foundation Gateway
Day to day management of Pharmacy service.
Regular attendance at DTC, Operational Executive Group, Quality and Risk
Management meetings, highlighting any issues pertinent to Pharmacy/ Medicines
management service.
Regular meetings with direct reports and team leaders to ensure effective
management of all Pharmacy staff.
Regularly meets with all staff in form of 'Staff Update' to share information and allow
staff to inform colleagues of any change in working practice in their own areas.
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Expertise in Role : 2nd Gateway
Regularly reviews the operation of the Pharmacy service and implements change in
line with national guidance and local service needs.
Ensures all departmental and Medicines Management SOPs are current, regularly
updated and reflect the service provided across the Trust.
Regularly contributes to the business of the Drugs and Therapeutics, Quality and Risk
Management meetings, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Joint Prescribing Group
(Area Prescribing Group) and Commissioners meetings (local and NHS-England).
Signatures
Approved by: Director/General Manager: __________________________________
Approved by: Human Resources: __________________________________
Signatures
Postholder: _________________________________________________________
Line Manager: _________________________________________________________
Role Profile last reviewed: _______________________________________________
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