Interview date for this post will be 10th March 2026
Primary Healthcare Darlington is looking to recruit aCare Homes Pharmacist to work 30 hours within our well-established Care Homes team,which comprises of Pharmacy Technicians, a Pharmacist, Care co-ordinators and GPs. We also work alongside ANPs. The post holder will work alongside the MDT within the Care Homesteam to provide clinical expertise in prescribing and medicines managementwithin the care home setting.
In this position, you will be employed by Primary HealthcareDarlington on behalf of Darlington Primary Care Network in a role funded through the AdditionalRoles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) and the General Practice Network ContractDirected Enhanced Service (2025/26) (the DES). As part of your role, you willwork closely with the PCN andthe General Practices across Darlington
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a pharmacist who is enthusiasticand adaptable to change, with excellent clinical and people management skillsand with a good knowledge of the medicines management issues within the carehome settings. Candidates will have good organisational skills and the abilityto communicate effectively with a wide range of healthcare professionals andother stakeholders.
The post holder will work as part of themultidisciplinary Care Homes team, attending weekly care home ward rounds andworking with individual GP practices to support the safe, effective, andcost-effective use of medicines. This will be achieved through the applicationof clinical, pharmaceutical, and technical expertise across a range ofMedicines Optimisation activities.
The applicant must be a registered GPhC pharmacistwith the ability to deliver medicines management and optimisation services inCare Homes and GP practices.
You should demonstrate excellent clinical skillsand must be computer literate. You must be organised, be able to workindependently and also be an excellent team player. Due to the requirement toattend weekly ward rounds across the locality, a full driving licence andaccess to your own transport are essential for this role.
About us
The Enhanced Health in Care Home Team are an establishedteam with a long-standing history of delivering high quality services tosupport Care Homes and GP's across Darlington. The successfulcandidate will be welcomed into a close and supportive team with the uniqueopportunity to develop both clinical and strategic skills.
Personal and professional development are supportedfor all members of the team and the successful candidate would also be expectedto develop project work and contribute to the learning and development of thewhole team as appropriate.
PHDwas established in 2014 as the local GP federation consisting of 11 GP Practices covering an ever-increasing population of 108,000+ registered patients in Darlington. We have close links with Darlington Borough Council and local NHS Foundation Trusts and have the full support and backing of the ICB. We also work closely with and provide support to the Darlington Primary Care Network.
We are an award-winning company who places the wellbeing of our staff at the heart of everything we do. As a company we offer staff access to free counselling services, protected time to develop professionally, access to high-quality training and development, free tea and coffee and chilled, filtered water and much more.
We are on the doorstep of some of the most beautiful and historic sites in the region.
Job responsibilities
The Senior CareHome Pharmacist plays a vital role in ensuring safe, effective, andperson-centred use of medicines for residents in care homes. Working closelywith GPs, nurses, carers, and other healthcare professionals, they review andoptimise medication regimens, reduce risks, and improve residents quality oflife.
The holder of this post will be an important part of the Care Homesteam which will deliver a highquality service across the Darlington area. Thepost holder will be responsible for the delivery of all aspects of themedicines management work plan in care homes. This includes the provision ofspecialist advice, promoting the safe handling and administration of medicines,education and training. He/she will deliver the medicines management agenda ofquality, rational, cost-effective and evidence-based prescribing for serviceusers in care homes
The senior clinicalpharmacist will support the Lead Pharmacist & Pharmacy Technicians in the EnhancedHealth in Care Home team to work with the PCN and GP practices to deliver aprogramme of medicines optimisation including managing hospital dischargemedication changes, medication queries. The post holder will be responsible forencouraging the development of better understanding of the principles ofmedicines optimisation for the population of Darlington. Thiswill also include the management and review of patients with polypharmacy.
Key responsibilities:
Strong clinicalknowledge of pharmacology and geriatric medicine
Excellentcommunication and relationship- building skills
Ability to workindependently and as part of a team
Commitment topatient safety and evidence-based practice
Work as part of the multidisciplinary care homes team tosupport consistent standards and practice in medicines management.
To work as part ofthe multidisciplinary team advising and supporting staff onprescribing/medicines management issues.
Support theidentification of patients who require a full medication review and workingwith the care home GPs facilitate this.
Support deprescribing where appropriate to avoidunnecessary medication use.
Provide advice andsupport to care homes on handling of medicines ensuring safe and appropriateordering, storage and administration of medicines at all times.
Provide advice andsupport to care homes and practices on covert administration of medicines tocare home residents
Work with care homestaff to ensure the safer use of medication, improving medication safety,reporting of incidents and pro-actively preventing safeguarding incidents
Liaise with health professionals in secondary care oninterface medicines management issues relating to care home service users.
Support the investigation of any concerns or incidents whichoccur in the care homes.
To proactively develop good working relationships with allstakeholders.
To input into the safeguarding team to support and advisecare homes where medication management has been flagged as an issue.
Plan, manage and prioritise own workload ensuring anydeadlines are met.
Be an independent prescriber,or wiling to work towards
Support colleagues and patientswith medication queriesand monitoring.
To support, mentor and linemanage pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
Using audit and actionplanning, help to tackleinequalities.
Provide leadership on person-centered medicines optimisation including ensuring prescribers in thePCN practices conserve antibiotics in line with local antimicrobial stewardshipguidance and quality improvement.
Work with general practiceteams to ensure that practices are compliant with CQC standardswhere medicines are involved.
Develop relationships and work closely with other pharmacyprofessionals across PrimaryCare Networks and the wider health and social care system.
Take a central role in the clinical aspectsof shared care protocols, liaison with specialist pharmacists,liaison with community pharmacists and anticoagulation services.
Provide clinical support for Pharmacy Technicianswithin the Enhanced Health in Care Home team.
The above list of dutiesis not exhaustive and may be subjectto change as deemed necessary
Aims/Goals of post
To promote high quality, safe and cost effective prescribinginformed by the evidence base, national and local guidance within registeredcare homes
To be responsible for the provision of highly specialistpharmaceutical advice to all healthcare professionals working within carehomes.
Promote incident reporting in care homes and to encouragetransparency and learning.
To make professional decisionswhere appropriate and take responsibility for them, working within relevantmedicines legislation and their own professional standards of conduct, ethicsand performance at all times.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Degree in Pharmacy
* Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council
* Completed or willing to commit to completing CPPE pathway or other primary care training pathway
Experience
* please see person spec attached
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.
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