The
Principal Pharmacist, Cancer Services
at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust in London is a senior clinical pharmacist responsible for leading the clinical pharmacy service within the Cancer division. Key responsibilities include:
Leadership
: Provide strategic direction for the pharmacy service, manage a team of pharmacists and technicians, and collaborate across the trust and with external stakeholders.
Clinical Services
: Ensure the delivery of a patient-focused and proactive clinical pharmacy service while supporting safe and effective medication use. This includes acting as an independent prescriber and a clinical role model for other pharmacists.
Division Support
: Oversee drug budgets, identify cost-saving measures, and support business case preparation for service developments.
Governance and Data Management
: Develop performance measures, lead audits, and manage medication-related safety incidents to enhance service quality.
Staff Management and Training
: Line manage pharmacy staff, facilitate performance evaluations and development, and serve as a postgraduate tutor.
Research and Financial Management
: Lead in practice research, manage the relevant budget, and ensure cost-effective use of resources.
Communication
: Liaise effectively with multidisciplinary teams and provide training on medication-related matters.
The role demands strong clinical expertise, leadership abilities, and a commitment to integrating pharmacy services into cancer care.
We are looking for an experience clinical pharmacist with demonstrated leadership skills to join our Trust. This role is pivotal in ensuring a high quality clinical pharmacy service alongside the delivery of the Technical services.
The postholder will work across the Trust to manage a large team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
1. To be responsible for the strategic leadership of the clinical pharmacy service to the Cancer division across the Trust.
2. To manage the Pharmacy Technical Services manager to ensure robust provision of the technical service in partnership with the clinical service.
3. To be responsible for the coordination and delivery of a responsive, proactive, patient-focused clinical pharmacy service to the Cancer division across the Trust. This will include the promotion of safe, effective and cost-effective medicines use to facilitate patient admission and support patient flow, and enhance continuity of care across the SE London integrated care system.
4. To support the division in managing their drugs budget and developing the pharmacy service, as well as the wider Cancer service.
About us
Key Result Areas & Performance:
Leadership & Service Development
1. To strategically develop the pharmacy services to Cancer Services to support the needs of the division and the Trust, specifically by implementing pharmacist prescribing and advanced clinical practitioner roles.
2. To lead, develop and monitor the clinical pharmacy service to the Division across the Trust.
o To support the development, implementation and adherence to local and national guidelines/policies to ensure cost-effective and safe prescribing within the division.
o To identify resources required to develop pharmacy services within the division.
o To collaborate in the development of Integrated Care Pathways and Patient Group Directions within the division as necessary.
o To be responsible for reporting on performance and quality within Cancer and Technical services
3. To work with colleagues across SE London and the relevant networks to ensure system-wide working.
Clinical Services & Patient Care
1. To participate in the provision of the clinical pharmacy service, with appropriate training and validation, as appropriate and when required.
2. To be an independent prescriber in Cancer
3. To act as a clinical role model for pharmacists within the team and demonstrate the ability to provide a service that ensures the safe, evidence-based and cost-effective use of medicines and the ability to check clinically screened dispensed prescriptions.
4. To liaise with other principal pharmacists to ensure the effective provision of the clinical pharmacy service across the Trust.
5. To ensure the training and competence of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians within the Cancer team.
6. To lead on the development and maintenance of chemotherapy proformas within input from the multi-disciplinary team within Cancer services.
7. To participate in peer review of cancer services and implementing changes in line with national standards.
8. To be responsible for intrathecal chemotherapy training for pharmacy staff.
9. To support the pharmacy technical services team.
10. To contribute to the development and implementation of strategies to improve safe medicines use across the Trust.
Division Support
1. To be responsible for medicines expenditure across the Allied Clinical Services division. To include; quarterly medicines expenditure reporting, oversight of the Cancer Drug Fund and NHSE medicines efficiencies, as well as forecasting and communicating to the service and general managers to ensure the most effective use of resources.
2. To identify areas of potential cost-savings within Cancer, and to implement systems to realise relevant savings.
3. To ensure that the multi-disciplinary team is well informed about the costs associated with drug therapy and promote the use of evidence-based, cost-effective prescribing within the division.
4. To participate in the preparation of business cases to support service developments in Pharmacy and Cancer as necessary.
5. To actively participate in Cancer division meetings.
Governance, Information & Data Management
1. To develop quantitative and qualitative performance measures, co-ordinate their use and be involved in disseminating and acting on the information gathered.
2. To lead on review of audit data associated with monitoring outcomes associated with technical service and utilise available information to influence and develop services.
3. To support the investigation of medication-related safety incidents and the formulation and delivery of actions plans across the Trust to address problems identified where appropriate
4. To assist the Formulary Pharmacist and relevant Trust Committees in assessing and evaluating the impact of new medicines and NICE guidance in the Trust
Staff Management & Training
1. To take overall responsibility for cancer services and all staff who work in those areas.
2. To line manage for all Pharmacy staff within the Cancer services team and take responsibility (directly or indirectly) for the following, according to Trust procedures:
o Performance management
o Appraisals and objective setting
o Sickness absence
o Disciplinary and grievance matters
o Recruitment and selection
o Personal development
o Departmental workload allocations
3. To manage the development of pharmacy staff, according to their identified needs and the development and funding frameworks of the department in liaison with the Lead Pharmacist for Education & Training.
4. To contribute to Pharmacy department meetings in relation to the Cancer service
5. To act as a postgraduate tutor for the Diploma in General Pharmacy Practice.
6. To act as a role model for pharmacy staff.
7. To undertake CPD to ensure that knowledge is continually updated in line with the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Research & Development
1. To lead in audit and practice research to investigate, and where appropriate, improve the quality of service for patients in the Trust. To undertake practice and risk management research and publish the results.
2. To be responsible for the research and development direction and program within cancer.
3. To encourage research conducted to be published or presented at national or international meetings.
Financial
1. To manage the delegated staff budget for cancer services and ensure that pay expenditure is maintained within allocated targets.
2. To develop business cases for the development of Pharmacy Services in the Trust.
3. To support the Trust in monitoring drug expenditure in Cancer in order to provide accurate expenditure information, with appropriate analysis, to the appropriate division. To provide budgetary advice and financial information on medicine costs to the Director of Pharmacy and deliver on cost improvement plans.
4. To attend financial meetings when required.
Communications and Relationships
1. To communicate with the multidisciplinary healthcare team (doctors, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, ward managers, and site practitioners), to intermediate care, general practice support and community pharmacists in the provision of medicine-related information and assessment of patients treatment.
2. To liaise with external bodies including local CCGs, regional pharmacy services, and necessary pharmacy networks.
3. The post-holder will be required to communicate clearly and sensitively about patient medication issues both internally and externally.
4. To demonstrate good communication skills as the role liaises with a wide variety of people within the Trust. This will include service and general managers across all directorates, trust risk managers, directorate governance leads, multidisciplinary team members and all Pharmacy staff.
5. To provide training on medication-related issues, policies, guidelines and service developments to pharmacy colleagues, nursing and medical staff, ranging from one on one communication to more formal presentations.
General
1. To ensure that all staff within area of management responsibility are managed effectively, to include:
o Regular appraisal of performance and objective setting.
o Identification of training needs, personal development planning and evaluation.
o Ensuring that all human resource policies, procedures and standards are understood and maintained.
o Ensure all relevant paperwork regarding the above is up to date.
2. To ensure that the principles of safe and secure handling of medicines are adopted and to take part in quality assurance systems for pharmaceutical services.
3. To maintain current professional knowledge and keep abreast of relevant developments.
4. To maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio.
5. To develop links with other departments and professionals within the Trust to ensure multidisciplinary working.
6. To participate in the on-call, Saturday and Bank Holiday service according to the rota.
7. To provide ward cover when needed following effective training and accreditation.
8. To participate in the rota for Dispensary Pharmacist cover as appropriate, following training and accreditation. This includes:
o Take a current medication history from the patient or carer to identify any drug allergies, drug interactions or problems with the medication prescribed.
o To clinically screen prescriptions in the dispensary to ensure all medication is suitable for the patient [i.e. check allergy status, correct dosage taking into account patient parameters and drug interactions.]
9. To participate in the locking up rota on the QEH hospital site.
10. To undertake any other duties as may be reasonably requested by the Chief Pharmacist consistent with the roles and responsibilities of the post as detailed above
We are looking for an experience clinical pharmacist with demonstrated leadership skills to join our Trust. This role is pivotal in ensuring a high quality clinical pharmacy service alongside the delivery of the Technical services.
The postholder will work across the Trust to manage a large team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
1. To be responsible for the strategic leadership of the clinical pharmacy service to the Cancer division across the Trust.
2. To manage the Pharmacy Technical Services manager to ensure robust provision of the technical service in partnership with the clinical service.
3. To be responsible for the coordination and delivery of a responsive, proactive, patient-focused clinical pharmacy service to the Cancer division across the Trust. This will include the promotion of safe, effective and cost-effective medicines use to facilitate patient admission and support patient flow, and enhance continuity of care across the SE London integrated care system.
4. To support the division in managing their drugs budget and developing the pharmacy service, as well as the wider Cancer service.
Key Result Areas & Performance:
Leadership & Service Development
1. To strategically develop the pharmacy services to Cancer Services to support the needs of the division and the Trust, specifically by implementing pharmacist prescribing and advanced clinical practitioner roles.
2. To lead, develop and monitor the clinical pharmacy service to the Division across the Trust.
o To support the development, implementation and adherence to local and national guidelines/policies to ensure cost-effective and safe prescribing within the division.
o To identify resources required to develop pharmacy services within the division.
o To collaborate in the development of Integrated Care Pathways and Patient Group Directions within the division as necessary.
o To be responsible for reporting on performance and quality within Cancer and Technical services
3. To work with colleagues across SE London and the relevant networks to ensure system-wide working.
Clinical Services & Patient Care
1. To participate in the provision of the clinical pharmacy service, with appropriate training and validation, as appropriate and when required.
2. To be an independent prescriber in Cancer
3. To act as a clinical role model for pharmacists within the team and demonstrate the ability to provide a service that ensures the safe, evidence-based and cost-effective use of medicines and the ability to check clinically screened dispensed prescriptions.
4. To liaise with other principal pharmacists to ensure the effective provision of the clinical pharmacy service across the Trust.
5. To ensure the training and competence of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians within the Cancer team.
6. To lead on the development and maintenance of chemotherapy proformas within input from the multi-disciplinary team within Cancer services.
7. To participate in peer review of cancer services and implementing changes in line with national standards.
8. To be responsible for intrathecal chemotherapy training for pharmacy staff.
9. To support the pharmacy technical services team.
10. To contribute to the development and implementation of strategies to improve safe medicines use across the Trust.
Division Support
1. To be responsible for medicines expenditure across the Allied Clinical Services division. To include; quarterly medicines expenditure reporting, oversight of the Cancer Drug Fund and NHSE medicines efficiencies, as well as forecasting and communicating to the service and general managers to ensure the most effective use of resources.
2. To identify areas of potential cost-savings within Cancer, and to implement systems to realise relevant savings.
3. To ensure that the multi-disciplinary team is well informed about the costs associated with drug therapy and promote the use of evidence-based, cost-effective prescribing within the division.
4. To participate in the preparation of business cases to support service developments in Pharmacy and Cancer as necessary.
5. To actively participate in Cancer division meetings.
Governance, Information & Data Management
1. To develop quantitative and qualitative performance measures, co-ordinate their use and be involved in disseminating and acting on the information gathered.
2. To lead on review of audit data associated with monitoring outcomes associated with technical service and utilise available information to influence and develop services.
3. To support the investigation of medication-related safety incidents and the formulation and delivery of actions plans across the Trust to address problems identified where appropriate
4. To assist the Formulary Pharmacist and relevant Trust Committees in assessing and evaluating the impact of new medicines and NICE guidance in the Trust
Staff Management & Training
1. To take overall responsibility for cancer services and all staff who work in those areas.
2. To line manage for all Pharmacy staff within the Cancer services team and take responsibility (directly or indirectly) for the following, according to Trust procedures:
o Performance management
o Appraisals and objective setting
o Sickness absence
o Disciplinary and grievance matters
o Recruitment and selection
o Personal development
o Departmental workload allocations
3. To manage the development of pharmacy staff, according to their identified needs and the development and funding frameworks of the department in liaison with the Lead Pharmacist for Education & Training.
4. To contribute to Pharmacy department meetings in relation to the Cancer service
5. To act as a postgraduate tutor for the Diploma in General Pharmacy Practice.
6. To act as a role model for pharmacy staff.
7. To undertake CPD to ensure that knowledge is continually updated in line with the requirements of the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Research & Development
1. To lead in audit and practice research to investigate, and where appropriate, improve the quality of service for patients in the Trust. To undertake practice and risk management research and publish the results.
2. To be responsible for the research and development direction and program within cancer.
3. To encourage research conducted to be published or presented at national or international meetings.
Financial
1. To manage the delegated staff budget for cancer services and ensure that pay expenditure is maintained within allocated targets.
2. To develop business cases for the development of Pharmacy Services in the Trust.
3. To support the Trust in monitoring drug expenditure in Cancer in order to provide accurate expenditure information, with appropriate analysis, to the appropriate division. To provide budgetary advice and financial information on medicine costs to the Director of Pharmacy and deliver on cost improvement plans.
4. To attend financial meetings when required.
Communications and Relationships
1. To communicate with the multidisciplinary healthcare team (doctors, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, ward managers, and site practitioners), to intermediate care, general practice support and community pharmacists in the provision of medicine-related information and assessment of patients treatment.
2. To liaise with external bodies including local CCGs, regional pharmacy services, and necessary pharmacy networks.
3. The post-holder will be required to communicate clearly and sensitively about patient medication issues both internally and externally.
4. To demonstrate good communication skills as the role liaises with a wide variety of people within the Trust. This will include service and general managers across all directorates, trust risk managers, directorate governance leads, multidisciplinary team members and all Pharmacy staff.
5. To provide training on medication-related issues, policies, guidelines and service developments to pharmacy colleagues, nursing and medical staff, ranging from one on one communication to more formal presentations.
General
1. To ensure that all staff within area of management responsibility are managed effectively, to include:
o Regular appraisal of performance and objective setting.
o Identification of training needs, personal development planning and evaluation.
o Ensuring that all human resource policies, procedures and standards are understood and maintained.
o Ensure all relevant paperwork regarding the above is up to date.
2. To ensure that the principles of safe and secure handling of medicines are adopted and to take part in quality assurance systems for pharmaceutical services.
3. To maintain current professional knowledge and keep abreast of relevant developments.
4. To maintain a Continuing Professional Development portfolio.
5. To develop links with other departments and professionals within the Trust to ensure multidisciplinary working.
6. To participate in the on-call, Saturday and Bank Holiday service according to the rota.
7. To provide ward cover when needed following effective training and accreditation.
8. To participate in the rota for Dispensary Pharmacist cover as appropriate, following training and accreditation. This includes:
o Take a current medication history from the patient or carer to identify any drug allergies, drug interactions or problems with the medication prescribed.
o To clinically screen prescriptions in the dispensary to ensure all medication is suitable for the patient [i.e. check allergy status, correct dosage taking into account patient parameters and drug interactions.]
9. To participate in the locking up rota on the QEH hospital site.
10. To undertake any other duties as may be reasonably requested by the Chief Pharmacist consistent with the roles and responsibilities of the post as detailed above