We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated specialist clinical pharmacist to join our Pharmacy Chemotherapy and Technical Services Unit at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital. The role requires the post holder to provide a specialist clinical pharmacy service to the oncology and clinical haematology specialties, ensuring high-quality and safe preparation and supply of chemotherapy medicines to patients, in line with current commissioning criteria. There will be an extensive training programme put into place to ensure a robust personal development process and will be fully supported by the rest of the team in doing so. Once fully up to speed, there will be a requirement to support, train and mentor other junior members of staff who rotate through pharmacy chemotherapy and aseptic services, ensuring the provision and maintenance of a high-quality service. The role requires working core hours, Monday to Friday (Full Time) with participation in late night, weekend and bank holiday rota working, with the possibility of home working once fully trained on all aspects of the role in line with rota requirements.
Assist the Lead Oncology Pharmacist in the day-to-day management of clinical verification of chemotherapy prescriptions in line with current guidance and commissioning criteria.
Support the Principal Pharmacist for Technical Services in providing a high quality, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant service, supplying aseptically prepared chemotherapy medicines in a timely manner to service users.
Support the development of pharmacists and technicians and ensure team working within the Pharmacy Technical Services Team.
Acting as Authorising Pharmacist under section 10 exemption.
Monitor and supervise staff working within the Technical Service Unit, ensuring safe systems of work are maintained and developed and that all professional and quality standards are complied with.
Support and deputise for the Lead Oncology Pharmacist for Clinical Oncology Services as delegated and/or as designated in their absence and appropriately represent them at relevant meetings.
Undertake development opportunities and in doing so, support the Clinical Director of Pharmacy in the provision of a high quality, cost effective and efficient, patient centred clinical pharmacy service to all wards and departments within the trust.
This is an exciting time for Aseptic Services with NHSE’s future plans for transformation and investment. This post holder will be instrumental in helping to inform and shape aseptic services for the Trust and across the ICS in the advent of future hub and spoke models, ensuring that quality assurance and patient safety will be at the heart of everything to we do.
We value the personal skills, experiences, and qualities that individuals bring to our department and the Trust; creating an inclusive working environment to attract talented people who feel motivated, involved, and able to influence the future direction of our services. The well being of staff is important to us; we have a dedicated Health and Well being team who provide support on a range of topics, run fitness classes, and organise mindfulness sessions. As an employer we have earned a reputation for focusing on the development of our staff and for being an organisation people are proud to work for.
Ensure an efficient high quality technical and clinical pharmacy service meets
the needs of the patients and healthcare professionals within the Trust.
Clinically screen prescriptions for chemotherapy and biological medicines,
according to Trust and national protocols and commissioning standards.
Provide specialist clinical advice to doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare
professionals on initiating, prescribing, and monitoring of chemotherapy and
supportive medicines in line with Trust and national guidance.
Clinically verify oncology prescriptions in line with British Oncology
Pharmaceutical Association (BOPA) standards and ensure treatments are in
line with commissioned services.
Act as an Authorised pharmacist and carry out clinical and aseptic services
verification process in accordance with specific organisational policy.
Final check and release aseptically prepared products (including clinical trial
drugs) and ensure all documentation is complete before release to wards and
departments within and outside the trust.
Ensure all products are safely formulated and released in accordance with the
departments quality systems.
Assess outsourced unlicensed specials products against Certificate of
Conformance and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.
Develop an in-depth knowledge of labelling and worksheets systems to support
the lead technician in managing documentation systems.
Provide a comprehensive documentation system to underpin the quality
management system to include internal audit, risk assessment, change control,
Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs), training, environmental monitoring,
validations, and maintenance of the deviation system.
Assist in the investigation of problems with unlicensed medicine products made
in section 10 and outsourced.
Ensure safe systems of work are maintained as defined under statutory
legislation, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations,
regional and National Cancer Standards, controls assurance and professional
standards.
Act as a knowledge base/resource for the oncology and haematology
directorate and provide specialised professional and technical education to
enable the clinical areas to meet the high standards of patient care and safety.
Ensure and promote safe handling, preparation, and storage of cytotoxic drugs.
Record significant clinical interventions, report unusual occurrences, and
investigate errors and deviations and non-compliant situations.
Support the delivery of the pharmacy clinical governance agenda e.g., initiatives
to reduce medication related risk and implement agreed strategies, work closely
with clinical governance and risk co-ordinators.
Interpret and apply information retrieved from medical and nursing notes.
Report relevant adverse medicine reactions to the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Act on drug alerts ensuring that appropriate advice is given to staff, patients,
and carers.
Actively participate in pharmacy team meetings.
Participate in the introduction and development of new aseptic chemotherapy
products including product lifecycle system, validation activities, formulation and
stability testing, workforce training and development, and product quality review
as required.
