Band 8a Highly Specialist Pharmacist Prescriber – CAMHS

Job overview

We are looking for a motivated and innovative pharmacist, with a strong background in mental health and/or children's services, to deliver a specialist clinical pharmacy service to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) across AWP. The post holder will be a fully integrated member of the multidisciplinary CAMHS team, providing expert pharmaceutical advice and support to clinicians, young people and their carers.

The role includes responsibility for delivering specialist medicines optimisation, supporting safe and effective psychotropic prescribing, and leading on medicines-related quality improvement initiatives within CAMHS. The post holder will provide independent prescribing clinics (or be willing to work towards this) and hold their own caseload of young people, undertaking medication reviews, treatment initiation and ongoing monitoring as appropriate. The scope of practice and service base will be agreed in line with service requirements and the experience of the successful candidate.

The successful candidate will have experience in mental health pharmacy or paediatrics and have a passion for improving outcomes for children and young people. They will be keen to further develop their advanced clinical, leadership and service development skills.

Please note: Base will be confirmed on appointment. The post includes participation in the pharmacy on-call rota and some weekend and bank holiday working (currently 1 week in 20).

Main duties of the job

Lead the development, delivery, evaluation and continuous improvement of pharmacy services within CAMHS, identifying opportunities to improve patient outcomes, medicines safety and service transformation in line with local and national priorities.

Provide specialist pharmaceutical expertise to multidisciplinary CAMHS teams, including literature searches and the provision of verbal and written advice on the safe and effective use of medicines in children and young people (CYP).

Clinically assess CYP referred for medicines optimisation support, undertake comprehensive medication reviews, and identify required clinical management, including initiating, adjusting or discontinuing medication within an agreed scope of practice and in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.

Work as an independent non-medical prescriber (or be willing to work towards this), delivering pharmacist-led clinics and managing an independent caseload of CYP receiving psychotropic medication. Support safe prescribing, treatment optimisation, adherence, physical health monitoring and shared decision-making with CYP and carers, in line with Trust policies and evidence-based guidance.

Provide specialist CAMHS and psychopharmacology advice across primary, secondary and tertiary care settings, and lead or contribute to medicines optimisation, medicines safety, audit, quality improvement and service development projects to support high-quality, evidence-based care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The role will be based within the CAMHS Division, providing specialist pharmacy support to services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Base will be confirmed on appointment. Some hybrid remote working may be possible post-induction.

Travel to other AWP locations and primary care sites will be required for meetings and training.

Please see job description for full details of key result areas.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree in Pharmacy from an accredited British School of Pharmacy, or recognised equivalent
• Current GPhC registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Post-graduate qualification in clinical or mental health pharmacy (diploma or MSc) or willing to undertake this qualification
• Registered Independent Non-medical Prescriber, or willing to complete this qualification within a year of entering post

Desirable criteria

• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Full (Credentialed) Membership of the College of Mental Health Pharmacists, or willingness to work towards this
• Membership of the British Association of Psychopharmacology

Experience/Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Significant experience of working within a secondary care pharmacy department post qualification with associated development of excellent clinical pharmacy skills
• Significant experience of working in specialist mental health or paediatric inpatient and/or community settings
• Understanding of how the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act support safe and legal treatment

Desirable criteria

• Experience in compiling reports
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of multi professional team working and an ability to promote the role of the non-medical prescribing pharmacist within it
• Experience and training in carrying out clinical audit
• Experience of educating and training of others
• Highly specialist and up-to-date knowledge of the pharmacological treatment options for different mental health conditions including their adverse effects

Skills and abilities

Essential criteria

• Excellent written and verbal skills for communicating with team members, service users and carers, and other healthcare professionals
• Ability to access, review and process complex clinical information from appropriate sources
• Ability to manage own time and workload and prioritise clinical work
• Adherence to the professional standards of the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Ability to work collaboratively with other staff
• Empathy towards service users, carers and other staff
• Self-motivated and self-directing
• Ability to appraise own performance to identify own development/training needs
• Assertive, polite and robust in debate
• Flexible attitude to service provision and an enthusiasm for service development
• Car driver with valid UK license or otherwise independently mobile with the facility to move quickly across the Trust with possible limited access to public transport

Desirable criteria

• Competent with standard information technology and associated tools
• Knowledge of specific Trust systems such as Safeguard, IAPTUS and Ascribe
• Evidence of specific achievements that demonstrate leadership skills

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