Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, innovative and hard-working individual to join us as a senior rotational clinical pharmacist. You will be supported in your role by our specialist Principal Pharmacists leading; Admissions, Specialist medicine, Patient services, ITU, VTE, Frailty, Surgery, Medicines Information, and Women’s & Children’s directorates.
You will rotate across various specialities to help develop clinical pharmacy services at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, working closely with the Principal Pharmacists and wider pharmacy team to promote and ensure best practice across all care groups.
You will play an essential role in optimising the patient's care during their hospital stay and in preparation for discharge. The rotational role will give you enhanced clinical experience across different disciplines and will involve working in conjunction with the wider multidisciplinary team.
The Clinical Pharmacy Team endeavours to provide an outstanding service in medicines management and medicines optimisation, as well as supporting an effective training environment for our Foundation Pharmacists and other trainees. You will be supported to achieve agreed objectives within given deadlines and have the opportunity to develop more advanced clinical knowledge and negotiating skills as a senior clinical pharmacist.
Main duties of the job
You must have previous experience of working within a hospital clinical environment and will have completed at least foundation stage one of the post-graduate certificate in clinical pharmacy (or equivalent). Further study will also be encouraged e.g. prescribing, clinical, audit and leadership.
1. To lead, develop, and participate in clinical pharmacy services across the Trust.
2. To act as a role model and to provide specialist and general advice to the various specialties.
3. To participate regularly in multidisciplinary ward rounds, including post-take ward rounds, delivering and promoting high quality, cost-effective, patient-focused pharmaceutical care.
4. To ensure a high level of clinical pharmacy input to areas within the care groups.
5. To promote safe and economic drug use, and identify and manage risk within the specialty.
6. To develop, implement and audit guidelines, policies and procedures
7. To be responsible for financial reporting, drug usage and expenditure forecasting, and drug budget management
8. To provide education and training to clinical pharmacy staff, healthcare professionals, patients and carers within and outside the Trust
9. To work across the interface to ensure continuity of pharmaceutical care at admission and discharge
10. To participate in practice and clinical research and audit
11. To work with the Principal Pharmacist to extend the boundaries of professional practice within the care groups.
Working for our organisation
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
to hear what our staff say.
Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:
12. At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
13. Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
14. Blue Light card eligibility
15. And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
16. Master (MPharm) degree in pharmacy
17. Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
18. Completion of Foundation Stage 1 Training
Desirable criteria
19. Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
20. Undertaking or completion of Foundation Stage 2 Training
21. Independent/supplementary prescribing qualification
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria
22. Post registration hospital experience or equivalent documented clinical experience
23. Experience of delivering a high quality clinical pharmacy service to wards/departments
24. Experience in Clinical Pharmacy training
25. Excellent clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge relating to promotion of high quality, effective and cost effective use of medicines
26. Understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and their influence on current practice
Desirable criteria
27. Experience of clinical audit and/or practice research
28. Experience of acting as a trainee pharmacist tutor
29. Experience acting as a tutor/supervisor for clinical pharmacy certificate and diploma students
30. Knowledge of the changing NHS environment and government initiatives e.g. NICE, NSF etc.
Skills
Essential criteria
31. Excellent verbal and written communication skills
32. Ability to plan, prioritise and organise workload
33. Effective customer service skills – able to work to meet the needs of customers of the department.
34. Good time management skills
Desirable criteria
35. Good word processing and IT skills