Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic pharmacist to join a friendly, progressive clinical team, serving our high secure services at West London NHS Trust.
The trust provides services across a large geographical area and includes a wide range of mental health and community health services.
Our 800 in-patient beds provide services from open wards through to high security forensic services and intermediate care beds. We provide a secondary, tertiary and national service. We provide services to children, adolescents, adults and older people both in the community as inpatients. Our Trust has just achieved a 'Good' CQC rating.
The post of Specialist Pharmacist High Secure Services will be based at Broadmoor Hospital.
The successful candidate should be a highly motivated individual team player with good communication skills and a keen interest in mental health.
The applicant should be able to work well both in a team and autonomously.
The applicant should hold or be working towards the Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice. The applicant will be required to take part in the out of hours on-call service.
A postgraduate Certificate in Psychiatric Pharmacy or Clinical Pharmacy Diploma would be desirable, but training can be supported. Previous experience of working in and/or interest in mental health would be a requirement.
The post will attract a 5% London Weighting plus £3613 Broadmoor Allowance.
Main duties of the job
For 37.5 hrs per week the post holder will be providing a clinical pharmacy service to a number of wards within High Secure services based at
Broadmoor Hospital. There will be an opportunity to attend MDT meetings, clinical governance meetings and other relevant meetings pertaining to provision of pharmaceutical care to our patients.
There will be at times a need to support our MMT led dispensary.
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Master’s Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent
2. Registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council
Desirable criteria
3. Membership of College of Mental Health Pharmacists
4. Member of the RPSGB
5. Post graduate Certificate in Pharmacy Practice
Experience
Essential criteria
6. Good knowledge and understanding of therapeutic areas and pharmacological treatments obtained through the completion of degree course and pre-registration year.
7. Experience of working with patients either in a hospital or community setting.
8. Experience of working to standard operating procedures (SOPs)
9. Accuracy in dispensing
10. Demonstrable use of clinical audit to improve practice
Desirable criteria
11. Experience of working within a mental health environment
12. Experience in a mental health setting
13. Experience of supervising junior pharmacy staff
14. Experience of working with other healthcare professionals
15. Relevant experience post registration
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
Essential criteria
16. To have an awareness of government and professional policy/legislation that affects the delivery of pharmacy services e.g. NICE, RPS
17. IT literate with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
18. Excellent verbal and written English communication skills
19. Good organisational skills
20. Ability to plan workload and effectively prioritise work
21. To have an understanding of audit
22. Evidence of CPD and acquiring new skills and knowledge
23. Good interpersonal skills
24. Good time management
25. Good clinical skills / knowledge
26. Able to use initiative to problem solve
27. Ability to work independently or as part of a team
28. Ability to work under pressure
29. Ability to perform tasks required of a pharmacist (clinical screening, dispensing, checking, working with prescribers and patients)
Desirable criteria
30. Experience of IT Dispensing and Stock Control software relevant to Pharmacy practice
31. Knowledge of mental health pharmacy acquired through training and experience
32. Knowledge of the Mental Health Act
33. Supervising and training staff
34. Assessing and appraising staff
35. Some medicines information skills
Effort/ Environment
Essential criteria
36. Ability to sustain concentration through frequent interruptions for information/advic
37. Occasional exposure to distressing situations (ability to empathise with mental health patients)
38. Light physical effort: handling medicines and using IT packages
Other
Essential criteria
39. Self-motivated
40. Act in a professional and respectful manner
41. Flexible, adaptable, and able to meet deadlines
42. Good punctuality
43. Access to own transport or other means of being readily able to travel within different sites