Job overview
The Medication Safety Pharmacist at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals plays a pivotal role in leading and developing our trust-wide Medicines Safety Surveillance programme. This position involves continuous review and utilisation of local safety data and national alerts to enhance patient safety. The medicines safety pharmacist leads incident reviews related to medication safety, providing trend analysis and insight to the Medicines Governance Committee. This role also contributes to the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) agenda and represents Pharmacy in learning responses. They will manage PGDs within the trust, overseeing the review and audit process and developing new PGDs as required. They will also drive research, audit, and innovation, collaborating across IT, clinical teams, and business intelligence to improve the safe and efficient use of medicines. Additionally, the post holder provides highly specialist policy support, leads audit programmes including Medication Safety Audits and Patient Group Directions, and offers education and training across the Trust. Leadership of pharmacy governance technicians and associates is a key responsibility, alongside delivering specialist clinical pharmacy services in line with professional standards and statutory obligations.
Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities:
1. Develop, implement, and continuously review the trust-wide Medicines Safety Surveillance programme using local and national safety data.
2. Lead medication safety incident reviews, analyse trends, and report findings to the Medicines Governance Committee.
3. Contribute to the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) and represent Pharmacy in organisational learning responses.
4. Manage Patient Group Directions, including review, training and approving new PGDs.
5. Manage audit programmes including Controlled Drugs, Medicines Safety, Over-labelled medication, and Patient Group Directions.
6. Provide specialist medicines policy support, education and training, and lead pharmacy governance staff within the Medicines Safety team.
Working for our organisation
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a major acute trust serving the Preston and Chorley areas, providing healthcare to a population of nearly 400,000 people and specialist services to over 1.8 million across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Our core facilities include Royal Preston Hospital, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, and the Specialist Mobility and Rehabilitation Centre. We are a regional specialist centre and major trauma centre, delivering high-quality care in areas such as cancer, neurosurgery, renal and vascular services. The Trust is dedicated to delivering compassionate, excellent care, underpinned by a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. As a teaching hospital, we pride ourselves on offering outstanding education, training, and research opportunities, working closely with universities and partners to develop the healthcare workforce of the future.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
7. Develop and implement a trust wide Medicines Safety Surveillance program under continuous review, informed by live local safety data and national Medicines Safety alerts, updates and warnings.
8. Lead of Medicines Safety associated incident reviews and monitor Datix incidents highlighting themes and trends to Medicines Governance Committee.
9. Contribute to PSIRF agenda and attend learning responses on behalf of Pharmacy.
10. Manage Patient Group Directions across the Trust including oversite of use of PGDs, supporting the writing and implementation of new PGDs.
11. Routinely undertake research and audit to improve safety programs, working with IT, Business Intelligence, continuous improvement and clinicians to develop technological innovations to support safe efficient use of medicines.
12. Provide Highly Specialist Medicines Policy and Procedure support to the trust.
13. To provide education and training to pharmacy staff, qualified prescribers, nursing staff, and other allied healthcare professionals
14. Manage and lead audit and development for Controlled Drugs Audit, Medicines Safety Audit, Over labelled Audit, Patient Group Direction audit and any topical audits such as NPSA alert reviews.
15. Manage the Lead Pharmacy Governance Technicians and provide leadership for the Medicines Governance Associates.
16. To deliver and develop highly specialist clinical pharmacy services to patients, ensuring all legal and clinical aspects of medicines management are addressed. To ensure that pharmaceutical aspects of patient care are provided in accordance with national and local standards and guidelines in order that statutory obligations are me.
17. Be accountable for own professional actions, and practise pharmacy in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain.
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
18. Masters degree (MPharm) or equivalent
19. Registration with GPhC
20. Post Graduate clinical diploma or equivalent
21. Committed to continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
22. Education and Training qualification
23. FHEA
24. Management qualification
25. Improvement qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
26. Awareness of current issues around medicines optimisation
27. Awareness of HEE / RPS future of pharmacy plans
28. Awareness of WHO 3rd Global Challenge
29. Experience of delivering training to members of the multidisciplinary team.
Desirable criteria
30. Substantial relevant work experience post qualification
31. Medicines Safety
32. Experience teaching medical students