Specialist Clinical Pharmacist – Pharmacy Production / Haematology

at  Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

An exciting opportunity has presented for a senior pharmacist to join our cancer pharmacy team. We are looking to recruit to the post of Specialist Clinical Pharmacist – Pharmacy Production / Haematology. The post will be split 50:50 between working with direct clinical care in haematology and Pharmacy Production, offering the best of both worlds of cancer pharmacy.
The post holder will work closely with the Pharmacy Production Unit, the Senior Clinical Pharmacists covering Haematology, Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product
(ATMP) and the wider multi-disciplinary team.
Part of the Pharmacy Aseptic Services Unit supporting the aseptic preparation and release of high risk injectable or infusional products, as well as maintaining a high quality, safe and efficient level of service delivery.
You will undertake technical and clinical verification of all SACT prescriptions according to approved chemotherapy regimens and local and national standards after a period of competency-based training and assessment.
You will be working as part of a wide Cancer Pharmacy team to jointly provide an expert pharmacy service to Pharmacy Production Unit and the clinical directorate for the haematology. You will help to deliver and Systemic Anticancer Chemotherapy (SACT) prescription verification and clinical monitoring.
As a pharmacy expert in Production / Technical Services you will supervise and support pharmacy staff in the cytolab providing pharmaceutical care to patients under the oncology/haematology team and provide training for pharmacy staff on medicine related issues within the Pharmacy Cytolab. You will provide professional and clinical supervision for haematology pharmacy areas.
You will provide leadership and support for medicines optimisation ensuring that haematology patients receive the most appropriate treatment that is both safe and cost-effective .
With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.
Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!
We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.
Please see attached full job description. The list below is not exhaustive of the JD,
Production / Technical Services
1. To assist in the overall management of all activities in the Pharmacy Production Unit at the City Hospital Campus of NUH to ensure services are maintained; informing the Assistant Head of Pharmacy - Production Services of workload changes likely to impact on safe working practices.
2. To maintain an awareness and knowledge of new medicines, chemotherapy regimens and service developments to inform workload and workforce planning. This includes being an active member of the appropriate NUH groups at the City Hospital Campus and also via liaison with lead cancer pharmacists and clinicians.
3. To support the Assistant Head of Pharmacy - Production Services and to provide professional advice and support to the various sections in the Pharmacy Production Department.
4. To provide professional support to the Production Management team, responsible for all aspects of the services within this aseptic preparation unit including the approval of all systems of work and documentation used in the unit.
5. To support and supervise a team of Pharmacists, Pre-registration Pharmacists, scientific, technical and other support staff in undertaking their day-to-day operational activities.
6. To maintain awareness and knowledge of industry development and best practice, ensuring that a comprehensive and up-date selection of reference texts and journals is maintained.
7. To maintain and further develop, where appropriate, links with relevant professional bodies and organisations e.g., General Pharmaceutical Council, MHRA, Department of Health, BOPA, Local cancer network.
8. To take the lead role and responsibility for the development, research and operational management of chemotherapy services and future commercial and in-house developments of service to patients to ensure the safe and timely provision of cytotoxic chemotherapy in line with GMP, Quality Assurance of Aseptic Services and Health and Safety.
9. To liaise with Quality Control over all aspects of quality assurance to ensure that production activities comply with nationally applicable good manufacturing practice standards and local policies and procedures. To carry out internal audit and report on findings at the appropriate forum. To engage in all aspects of the Quality Management System within the Pharmacy Production Department including the CAPA system and error monitoring systems.
10. To conduct and/or contribute to relevant clinical and other audits to facilitate clinical governance requirements. To reflect on and interpret the results of audits, address remedial points and implement change as required.
11. To assist in identifying staffing and recruitment issues and implementing change in the staff structure to accommodate change in service needs and / or to resolve issues. To evaluate the effect changes in workload, staffing and service development (capacity planning) have on service delivery and to ensure that appropriate actions are applied to ensure that the services operate at low risk to patients at all times. To participate in the recruitment of senior pharmacists and technicians.
12. To critically appraise published work in responding to questions raised by other health-care professionals including other pharmacists, and offer advice on conflicting or absent information.
13. Following all clinical protocols, to accurately interpret prescriptions for cytotoxic chemotherapy, intervening when necessary by raising concerns and queries with the appropriate chemotherapy trained pharmacist, nurse or doctor.
14. To check and release to the designated clinical areas, intrathecal chemotherapy in accordance with Trust and Department of Health policies and procedures.
15. To lead the maintenance and up-dating of the drug monograph files and expiry tables, including details of drug administration, manufacturing, instructions, labelling requirements and product expiry and storage (essential to the safe delivery of the service).
16. To take a lead role in the production and management of the documentation system required in the Cytolab Production Unit, ensuring the maintenance of all necessary record entries and audit processes.
17. To ensure that computer software used in chemotherapy manufacture is regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate and to take the lead on e-prescribing at Cytolab
18. To assist in the maintenance of the Validation Master Plan across the Pharmacy Production Department to ensure its continuing development and validity.
19. To contribute to the submission of business cases to secure funding for new pharmacy staff, equipment, premises or services for the advancement of pharmacy services in the Pharmacy Production Department.
20. To assist in the formal management of contracts with external customers.
21. To take a lead role in risk management, Health and Safety assessment and evaluation, including COSHH, for the Cytolab Production Department
22. To support the Assistant Head of Pharmacy – Production Services in the development and delivery of timely performance reports. To help develop performance indicators that clearly demonstrate the contribution that staff in the Cytolab Production Department make to patient care and to the business of the Pharmacy Production Department, maintain a capacity plan and acting on it as appropriate
23. To support the Head of Pharmacy in specific pharmacy management issues and projects and to contribute to the overall organisation, administration and management of the NUH Pharmacy department e.g. rota management, workload analysis and staff deployment.
Clinical Haematology coverage
1. The post-holder will be be providing clinical pharmacy service for Haematology patients, for both inpatients and outpatients, including reviewing our transplant patients and complex haematology patients working alongside other pharmacists working in the haematology team.
2. To act as a clinical role model for junior pharmacists within the team and demonstrate the ability to provide service that ensures the safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of medicines and the ability to check clinically screened dispensed prescriptions.
3. To contribute to the development and implementation of strategies to improve safe medicines use across the Trust.
4. To ensure compliance with commissioned frameworks, FOC and EAMS agreements, and FOI requests for patients in the haematology directorate alongside other pharmacists working in the haematology team.
5. To act as an Independent Non-medical Prescriber, in accordance with the Health &Social Care Act 2001, specialising in haematology clinical area if and when capacity allows.
6. Day to day clinical management of the patients within haematology speciality on allocated days, ensuring necessary/appropriate medications are available for assessment and treatment needs of the speciality.
7. Provide support to the overall Cancer Pharmacist teams for patients within the speciality, including screening of prescriptions where needed
Education and Training
To take a lead role in the development, introduction, implementation, training and evaluation of new technologies in relation to chemotherapy provision. In conjunction with production and quality control staff and the pharmacy department’s training team, to ensure that all staff (including Resident Pharmacists and Pre registration pharmacists) who undertake production activities within the Cytolab Production Department possess the necessary skills to do so safely. This involves ensuring their training, assessment and validation of competence is effectively carried out. In conjunction with the lead production training technician to regularly review and update training packages to reflect current best practice and latest evidence.
Other Duties
1. To participate in rostered flexible shift working including evening, weekend and bank holiday arrangements in line with service commitments. To participate in the early and late duty, weekend and Bank Holiday working in accordance with departmental rotas, in order to fulfil contractual obligations.
2. Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be required as agreed by senior staff.
3. Prioritise workload to ensure customer and patient needs and expectations are met.
4. Ensure office areas are kept clean and tidy.
5. Participate as an appraisee in the departmental individual professional development review and KSF competency processes, supporting and working towards identified objectives and training requirements in order to maintain and continuously develop performance
6. Undertake annual mandatory training e.g. manual handling, fire, security, basic life support etc.

In addition to the key job responsibilities detailed in this job description all employees at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust are expected to comply with the general duties as outlines in the trust policies and procedures to include safe guarding,, information governance, Health and safety, governance, and Health and Well being.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window)