Mental Health Pharmacist

at  Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

You will need to demonstrate a person-centred approach and have effective interpersonal and organisational skills. Previous NHS Hospital pharmacy experience, including mental health, would be desirable. You will also be expected to participate in the weekend duty and on call rotas, following a period of induction and training.
If you are successful, you will work in a supportive, friendly and forward thinking environment. You will be encouraged and supported in your development through the rotations which will be further enhanced by the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy, which you will be expected to complete in your role as a foundation pharmacist. The post-holder will have an opportunity to provide specialist mental health services and a physical health intermediate care bedded unit.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
To deliver a comprehensive medicines optimisation service to Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) patients and the multidisciplinary treatment team responsible for their care, in line with Trust policies, procedures and standards
The potential to develop the clinical knowledge and skills to practice competently as a foundation pharmacist under the Diploma in General Pharmacy Practice
To deputise for other pharmacists in their absence.
To work with Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Technicians (MOPT) in the delivery of medicines reconciliation and discharge counselling.
To provide input into policy and procedures affecting the use of medicines at local and Trust wide level under direction of the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist.
To act as a Practice Supervisor in the training and education of pre-registration pharmacists and junior pharmacists
We welcome applications from individuals who are hardworking, motivated and with a passion to optimise patient care within mental health services and develop pharmacy services.
This is a full-time, permanent position to support the Hillingdon Pharmacy Team in expanding their service to community mental health teams.
There may be opportunities to continue working at this or another CNWL site beyond this fixed term period, and we will actively support the successful candidate to develop and map their experience against our B6-7 framework.

medication education groups. This will be under supervision of a specialist pharmacist.

• Ensure information is provided in a timely manner, to the appropriate individual (in accordance with the degree of urgency of the request or issue identified).
• Be able to present information in a suitable format (e.g. written and/or verbal) and style for the target audience. Barriers to effective communication may include learning disability, mental impairment, non-consenting/noncompliant patients, an

Operational Tasks

• To provide a final accuracy check on prescriptions dispensed by pharmacy staff.
• To ensure that work is undertaken in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.

Medicines Information

• Develop effective questioning techniques for gathering information and enquiry taking, knowledge of medicines information resources and how to answer medicines related enquiries to an acceptable standard.
• To be able to critically appraise literature and give accurate interpretations in order improve use of medicines. This applies to all clinical settings.

Clinical Practice

• Ensure safe and appropriate use of medicines in order to maximise benefit and

minimise risk to patients. This includes regular review of prescriptions, identification of significant drug interactions, advice for clinical monitoring, compliance with legal aspects (Medicines Act, Mental Health Act) of medicine supply and compliance with the Trust formulary.

• Provide a clinical pharmacy service at ward level, as specified in the CNWL Clinical Pharmacy Standards and as part of the MDT:
• Review prescriptions for safety, appropriateness and legality and identify

actual or potential problems.

• Resolve any identified medicine-related problems with medical, or nursing

staff, or other appropriate healthcare professionals e.g. GP.

• Ensure the effective, timely and accurate supply of medicines suitable for

use as an inpatient and appropriately labelled for discharge if applicable.

• Ensure the effective outcomes of treatment with medicines
• Monitor patients for potential and actual adverse effects of their medicines
• Take steps to ensure patients understand the purpose of their medicines

and deal with any practical issues that may prevent the optimal use of

their medicines

• Undertake medicines-related consultations to inpatients during their

admission and run medication groups on the ward.

• Support the planning for discharge, including liaising with the relevant

community and team pharmacists for follow-up appointments where

appropriate

• Demonstrate professional accountability to patients.
• Ensure the safe and legal handling of controlled drugs.
• To facilitate and actively promote self-medication on the rehabilitation and

long stay wards.

• To provide advice to clinicians on medicines, including the use of unlicensed medicines use and areas of practice where the evidence base is lacking, liaising with the medicines information pharmacists where appropriate.
• Reduce risk associated with medicines use by contributing to the safe medication practice agenda. This will include identification and reporting of medicines related errors.
• Develop and demonstrate expert clinical knowledge in appropriate areas.
• Be familiar with the use of breakaway techniques.
• Be responsible for continually updating their skills and knowledge by contributing to and engaging in regular supervision as per Trust and departmental policy, attending department and developmental meetings.
• To work within the multidisciplinary team and make appropriate referrals to other

members of the multidisciplinary team and within the pharmacy department.

• To assess medicine regimes both during enquiry answering and/or routine ward visits providing highly specific advice to other clinical teams members on the management of often complex medicine related issues, such as complex drug interactions, medicine use in pregnancy, unlicensed use of medicines etc.

Communication

• Identify and respond to the pharmaceutical information needs of patients, carers, doctors, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team. Information will be required to be presented on an individual case basis or as part of structured

medication education groups. This will be under supervision of a specialist pharmacist.

• Ensure information is provided in a timely manner, to the appropriate individual (in accordance with the degree of urgency of the request or issue identified).
• Be able to present information in a suitable format (e.g. written and/or verbal) and style for the target audience. Barriers to effective communication may include learning disability, mental impairment, non-consenting/noncompliant patients, and

patients detained under the mental health act who may be violent/ aggressive.

• Assist in communicating relevant CNWL Trust decisions and policy relating to medicines to local clinical areas.
• To relay comments, suggestion and feedback regarding the pharmacy service to the pharmacy team in a timely manner

Training

• To assist in the preparation and delivery of training for clinical staff (e.g. nurses, support workers, junior doctors) working within CNWL as requested by the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist.
• To act as a clinical role model to the pharmacy team, and Practice Supervisor to pre-registration pharmacists, undergraduate pharmacy students and junior pharmacists.
• To assist in the education and training of pre-registration pharmacists and summer students as part of the pharmacy department training programmes.
• To provide education and training to the pharmacy team on a range of training needs, i.e. participate and contribute to the CNWL Pharmacy Continuing Professional Development/Continuing Education Programme.
• To be responsible for own continuing professional development (CPD) and portfolio in order to continue to update clinical knowledge and skills and maintain registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• To remain up-to-date in Statutory and Mandatory training as directed by the Trust.
• To undertake a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice and undertake the requirements of a learning agreement.
• To develop knowledge and skills via in-house and other foundation level training.

Policy and/or Service Development

• Support local implementation of Trust policies and procedures within operational or clinical area.
• Review and propose changes to Trust medicine related policies and decisions.
• Support local implementation of Trust Medicines Management Policies within own clinical area.
• Provide information and advice on medicines management aspects of clinical governance in line with Trust Medicines Management Group policy.
• Be responsible for ensuring medicines are handled safe and securely within designated clinical areas.
• Identify and undertake project work in order to make improvements within own clinical area.
• Assist in the delivery of the modernisation agenda for pharmacy services under the direction of the Lead Pharmacist.

Management of Resources

• To provide day to day support to junior pharmacy, pre-registration pharmacists, and pharmacy support staff.
• To be responsible for planning and organising own workload in accordance with the requirements of the job
• To be responsible for managing medicines storage and security (prescription only medicines and medicines specified in the Misuse of Drugs Act).
• To be responsible for medicines supply (e.g. stock lists) for specified services ensuring appropriate quantities are stored in accordance with the changing clinical needs of each clinical environment to minimise waste and reduce risk.
• To be aware of, and adhere to, Trust formulary restrictions to promote judicious use of the medicines budget.

Research and Development

• To participate in the CNWL Trust wide Medicines Audit programme/POMH audit. This includes supporting collection of data.
• To identify and undertake medicines audit at the local CNWL directorates and reaudit where appropriate.
• To participate in and develop quality improvement initiatives.
• To promote and engage in research and medicines evaluation as required by the Chief Pharmacist.
• To clinically screen, dispense and accuracy-check clinical trials prescriptions as required by the Clinical Trials Pharmacist.
• To facilitate clinical trials in designated clinical areas as required.