Job overview
We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and energetic pharmacist to help develop the clinical pharmacy service within our busy yet friendly 44 bed Adult Critical Care Unit and work closely with the division to support high-quality patient care. The Royal London Hospital is a major trauma centre, offering exposure to a wide range of specialties including trauma, neurosurgery, infectious diseases, nephrology, hepatology, HIV medicines, neurology, vascular, hepatobiliary, endocrine, and stroke.
The successful candidate will provide expert pharmaceutical input into complex cases as a key member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), while also supporting the strategic direction of the service. As one of our lead pharmacists, you will contribute to the delivery and development of our clinical pharmacy provision, including guideline development, line management, training, audit activity, and governance and finance reporting.
You will bring the vision, enthusiasm, and influencing skills required to deliver the highest standards of patient care, working closely with our medical, nursing, and pharmacy colleagues. Strong IT skills and independent prescribing are highly desirable, as we have electronic prescribing in place. Previous experience in critical care and MDT working is essential. You will be fully supported to continue developing your skills within this role.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will carry out the full range of duties as the Highly Specialist Pharmacist in Critical Care to deliver patient focused, quality care, based primarily at the Royal London Hospital.
To promote the responsible, safe and cost-effective prescribing of medicines within Critical Care to optimise clinical outcomes, minimise adverse reactions and improve medicines safety. The post holder will be supporting the Lead Clinical Pharmacist, Critical Care in leading a team of staff in the delivery of a high quality clinical, professional pharmacy service to the speciality and the division.
A major focus of this role will be improving the pharmacy service within our expanding high dependency unit, which is increasing by 12 beds. Additionally, we are exploring opportunities to enhance weekend pharmacy provision and transition towards a 6 or 7 day operating model to better support patient flow and continuity of care.
Working for our organisation
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain’s leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within Barts Health at this band.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
1. Significant experience of working as a registered clinical pharmacy practitioner in an acute hospital NHS setting
2. Previous experience of providing a clinical pharmacy service to critical care at Band 7 level or equivalent.
3. Appropriate experience in providing a hospital based pharmacy service to a Critical Care or high dependency unit (Level 2 & Level 3)
4. Experience in supervising and organising staff and work
5. Evidence of basic teaching and tutoring in a hospital setting through training others e.g. pre-registration / basic grade pharmacists
6. Ability to undertake and facilitate quality improvement, reflective practice, teaching and CPD
Desirable criteria
7. Experience of successfully managing staff, performing appraisals and giving feedback
8. Experience of providing evaluated information on drug expenditure.
9. Experience of critical care prescribing including Continuous infusion prescribing and review
Skills
Essential criteria
10. Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills.
11. Able to work unsupervised and under pressure
12. Able to communicate complex information effectively to all health and care professionals, colleagues, patients and their loved ones
13. Demonstrates ability to deliver staff training
14. Close working with the multidisciplinary and wider pharmacy team to optimise patient flow and patient outcomes.
Desirable criteria
15. Demonstrated ability to negotiate with and influence senior medical staff and senior management
16. Management of risk in the clinical use of medicines
17. Demonstrates critical appraisal skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria
18. Knowledge of drug and therapeutics at Diploma level or equivalent.
19. Understanding of the pharmaceutical care needs of adult critical care patients
20. Excellent knowledge of the medical management and pharmaceutical care needs of Critical Care (level 2 & 3) and surgical patients
21. An awareness of current national standards, guidelines and service delivery issues relevant to critical care and surgical patients
22. Demonstrates a good understanding of patient safety initiatives
Qualifications
Essential criteria
23. MPharm or equivalent
24. Registered as a pharmacist with the GPhC
25. Independent prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake
26. Postgraduate Pharmacy Qualification or equivalent experience (minimum postgraduate diploma level
Desirable criteria
27. MSc in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent
28. Management qualification or equivalent experience
29. Advanced Pharmacist (Critical Care) credentialed or working towards, or equivalent demonstrable advanced practice.
**Visa Sponsorship Information**
Recent changes to UK immigration policy on the Health and Care Visa and Skilled Worker Visa could mean that this role is not eligible for sponsorship or that you may not meet the eligibility criteria.
Sponsorship can only be offered if this post and any individual offered employment meet all the Home Office’s requirements under the UK Skilled Worker visa scheme.
If you are applying from outside the UK or will require sponsorship, please mention this clearly in your application.
To be eligible for sponsorship, the following conditions must be met:
30. Eligible role: The position must be on the UK Skilled Worker visa list. You can check your eligibility here: -.
31. Salary threshold: The role must meet the minimum salary set by the Home Office. Please note that for roles employed under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, the High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is not included when calculating the basic salary for the purposes of sponsorship.
32. Skill level: The role must meet the minimum skill requirement of RQF Level 6 or above (graduate level).
33. English language: Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency at CEFR level B2 or higher.
34. Other criteria: Applicants must meet all other criteria as set out by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)