Band 8a Senior Specialist Pharmacist - Cancer Services

at  Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Please note this post will start 1st April 2025
Job title – Senior Specialist Pharmacist – Cancer Services, 8a
We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic pharmacist to join our well-established cancer pharmacy team. The role is mainly clinic based, providing prescribing, monitoring and screening of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) prescriptions including ensuring doses are within protocol and take into account blood results and comorbidities. This role will also allow you to develop your specialist pharmacy skills including writing clinical guidelines, maintaining the SACT prescribing system and understanding funding streams and commissioning processes for high-cost drugs.
This role would be expected to cover a prescribing clinic once a week, reviewing and prescribing SACT as a non-medical prescriber.
This completely new post will be based at the Royal Free Hospital Hospital but would occasionally be expected to work at Barnet Hospital or Chase Farm hospital as well.
You may be a band 7 pharmacist looking to further develop your skills within cancer services or a current 8a pharmacist looking to move towards a prescribing and managerial role. The successful applicant will be a team player who ideally has some experience of working in SACT clinics and/or in the screening and verification of chemotherapy. Full support and training will be given.
Please note this post will start 1st April 2025

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE ROLE INCLUDE:

Prescribing and monitoring of SACT including ensuring safe, appropriate and cost effective use of anti-cancer medicines
To provide clinical screening support for the supply of systemic anti-cancer medicines (SACT) including ensuring:
Anti-cancer treatment prescribing is in accordance with an approved protocol or ensuring an ‘off-protocol’ form has been completed
Anti-cancer treatment is in accordance with NICE / CDF guidelines or criteria for use
Funding arrangements are in place prior to commencing treatment
Doses are correct, taking into account laboratory results, dose reductions and previous treatments
Appropriate supportive medicines have been prescribed
Provision of a clinical pharmacy service to patients on the cancer wards including medicines reconciliation, supply of medicines and timely preparation of discharge medicines.
The post holder would be expected to cover a prescribing clinic once a week as a non-medical prescriber reviewing patients and prescribing for them under the mentorship of an oncologist.
Provision of expert medicines advice to nursing and medical staff
To contribute to the continuing development of policies and procedures within the specialist area
Forecasting new drug developments and identifying changes in prescribing practice that may impact on the drugs budget
Ensuring SACT is appropriately funded and in-line with NICE/CDF guidance
The Royal Free London NHS Trust is one of the largest in the UK, with around 10,000 staff serving 1.6 million patients. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. It is one of the busiest Cancer Providers in England, receiving the sixth highest two-week wait referrals in England, the highest in London and over 50% of NCL referrals. The Trust also delivers the second highest volume of first cancer treatments in London with a cancer treatment growth of 20% over the last 3 years.
Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We’re proud of our diversity and continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for all.
The Pharmacy department of the Royal Free London NHS Trust is a friendly, progressive, and expanding unit dedicated to providing the highest standards of pharmaceutical care and service in this large, internationally renowned teaching hospital. Quality improvement and cost-effective, safe use of medicines is at the forefront of everything we do. We have over 300 staff working across the 3 sites in all areas of pharmacy. Pharmacy staff work across areas such as dispensary, stores, wards, outpatient clinics, satellite pharmacies, technical services, clinical trials, medicines advice service and QC. The cancer pharmacy team is well respected with plans in place to further expand the team over the next 2-5 years

EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To act as a resource for oncology & haematology pharmacy issues across the trust and community where appropriate.
To develop the role of independent prescribers within cancer services, including developing training packages for the next generation of cancer services independent prescribers
To provide professional support and supervision to more junior members of the cancer services team including providing appropriate training
To contribute to the departmental appraisal and development programme for junior pharmacists. This includes:
Participating in the induction and competency based training of junior pharmacy staff
Participating in the departmental teaching commitments
Acting as a tutor for diploma / MSc students
Acting as a project facilitator for pre-registration trainee pharmacists
To contribute to the education and training of pharmacy, medical, nursing staff and other healthcare workers.
To deliver teaching sessions as part of the cancer network pharmacy training programme