Consultant Pharmacist – Antimicrobial Stewardship

at  University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Responsible to the Deputy Chief Pharmacist and Consultant Microbiologist lead for AMS for the delivery of a high-quality antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programme in line with the agreed priorities for the Trust. Lead on pharmaceutical matters relating to antimicrobial prescribing, ensuring adherence to national/local guidelines and medicines legislation e.g. Medicines Safety Executive and National initiatives. To Interpret, deliver and monitor strategies to comply with national/local targets or statements, for example contributing to national point prevalence audits, anti-infective CQUINS.
In collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team critically evaluate and interpret published data on new drugs to make recommendations about treatment pathways and cost implications. To lead on the implementation of NHSE commissioning decisions relating to the treatment of anti-infectives, ensuring safe prescribing by the production of protocols and guidelines. Prepare and feedback regular reports on antimicrobial usage with appropriate interpretation to relevant clinical and managerial staff and committees. Monitor and report on patient outcomes in relation to antimicrobials and infection management.
Clinical Practice To oversee and/or lead regular AMS and antifungal stewardship (AFS) ward rounds with or without a consultant microbiologist and speciality clinician. Participate in antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds and relevant MDTs, review prescriptions, challenge treatment choices and communicate highly complex drug and therapeutic information to senior clinicians, senior manager, other professionals, patients, and their carers in order to influence treatment options. Responsible for supporting the Chief Pharmacist / Deputy Chief Pharmacist / Associate Chief Pharmacist in developing, monitoring, and reporting on drug expenditure and medicines budget and the delivery of financial savings on anti-infective agents and antifungal as part of the pharmacy CIP. Work as a consultant pharmacist and member of the AMS team and wider UHP pharmacy team, highly providing specialist clinical pharmacy care to patients across the Trust.
Practice as a Pharmacist Prescriber / advanced practitioner in infection management working within professional competence and an agreed scope of practice at all times. Able to develop a personalised pharmaceutical care plan for complex and specialist infection conditions and take responsibility for that plan. Able to develop and be accountable for an appropriate monitoring plan for patients with complex infective pharmaceutical care needs. Uses expert clinical practice to interpret complex laboratory tests and/or disease markers in the management of patients with infections.
Accept referrals from medical, nursing and pharmacy staff to resolve complex, challenging or sensitive issues. To provide highly specialised pharmaceutical advice and support relating to anti-infectives, to pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals to encourage and ensure good prescribing practices, optimise outcomes and reduce individual patient and organisational risk. To manage, lead and co-ordinate the AMS team including advanced specialist AMS pharmacists, MS data analyst and the AMS surveillance assistant) to provide effective audit and feedback, data collection, data visualisation and report preparation to support the trust AMS programme. To manage, lead and co-ordinate the AMS pharmacy team including advanced specialist AMS pharmacists (OPAT and AMS & HIV) and pharmacy technicians in the provision of a safe, effective and efficient clinical pharmacy service in accordance with local and national standards and strategy and to ensure all members of the pharmacy team are trained and competent for their roles.
Accountable for oversight of the Trust Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) service to ensure it is delivered in line with BSAC best practice. Lead on the monitoring, review, and reporting on medicines related incidents or complaints specifically related to antimicrobials or infection advising on pharmaceutical risk management strategies. Work closely with infection prevention and control teams to support healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) root cause analysis and implementing strategies to reduce HCAIs. Configure and implement inductions for all pharmacy staff involved in antimicrobial stewardship and to provide education and training to all healthcare professionals as required.
Development, implementation, and update of clinical pharmacy and medicines related protocols and guidelines related to antimicrobial prescribing across the Trust. Propose policy or service changes which improve services and may have multidisciplinary and resource implications. Assist in the development and implementation of PGDs and non-medical prescribing initiatives, when appropriate. To prepare for and participate in Peer Review and other external quality assessments.
To use your expertise as a regional and national expert in AMS within the Trust and externally to form working partnerships with other health and social care service providers from across the wider healthcare system. To act as a role model as a clinical pharmacist and team leader, to pharmacists, technicians, ATOs and all other members of the multidisciplinary team. The post holder will be required to represent the clinical pharmacy team, microbiology and infection control at both internal and external committees and forums including the Drug and Therapeutics committee, Medicines Safety Committee, Infection prevention and control Clinical Governance and Care Group operational meetings as appropriate. As trust AMS lead, to chair the Trust Antimicrobial Stewardship Group Be an active member of any Antimicrobial Stewardship networks and represent the Trust at any relevant local and national meetings as appropriate.
Aligns where possible AMS delivery to the Devon ICB AMS Strategy, supporting a system wide approach

Please refer the Job description for details