JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB DETAILS

Job Title: Specialist Pharmacist - Aseptic Services & Clinical Trials

Band: Band 7

Hours: 37.5 hours

Department: Pharmacy

Base: Royal Sussex County Hospital

Division: Medicine

ORGANISATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

Accountable to: 1. Managed by Lead Specialist Pharmacist – Aseptic

Services

2. Professionally accountable to the Chief Pharmacist

RSCH

Liaises with: 1. Lead Specialist Clinical Pharmacist and Specialist

Clinical Pharmacist, Cancer Services

2. Senior medical, nursing and other staff involved in the

care of oncology and haematology patients.

3. Pharmacy team at RSCH and other pharmacy

departments within BSUH

ROLE SUMMARY

The post holder, as a specialist pharmacist will contribute to ensuring that the Aseptic
Services comply with all relevant legislation, relevant aspects of clinical governance and
professional ethics and provides expert clinical knowledge in aseptics.
The post holder will contribute to providing the pharmacist supervision and release of
products required in the un-licensed Aseptic Unit, as specified under section 10 exemption
of the Medicines Act 1968.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Aseptic Service responsibilities

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

 Ensure all aseptic duties are carried out according to national standards and the
following texts governing aseptic practice: Rules and Guidance for Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers and Distributors, Aseptic Dispensing for NHS Patients (Farwell), Quality
Assurance of Aseptic Preparation Services, Isolators for Pharmaceutical Applications and
the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain’s Code of Ethics.

 Ensure departmental SOPs are followed.

 To have expertise in the area of cytotoxic reconstitution and aseptic preparative

services.

 Review chemotherapy prescriptions from all hospitals within the trust in line with the
Trust prescribing guidelines, NICE guidelines and Sussex Cancer Network dose banding
guidelines and amend or contact the prescriber where necessary.

 To evaluate the clinical appropriateness, safety and legality of chemotherapy

prescriptions including those for clinical trials based upon the patients’ diseases, co-
morbidities, and other medication and treatments taken, contacting the prescriber to make
agreed changes as appropriate

Clinical responsibilities

 To provide proactive information and advice to staff, patients and carers on medicines and
medicines use

 To counsel patients / carers on the use of medicine with the aim of improving
concordance with treatment.

 To aid the Trust in the management of risk relating to medicines usage

 To contribute to the clinical pharmacy input for clinical governance within oncology,
aseptic services and the pharmacy. Deputise for the lead specialist or specialist cancer
pharmacist(s) in their absence.

This role includes provision of ward-based pharmacy services to Cancer patients as a

specialist clinical pharmacy practitioner including:
 participation in consultant led ward rounds
 drug history taking
 medication review (including review of complex prescribed regimes)
 patient counselling
 identification of patients who need additional help with their medication
 prioritisation of patients for early discharge
 transcription of prescriptions for discharge medication.

 To act as a resource in investigation of clinical incidents and complaints regarding

medication.

 The post holder will act as a role model for the rotational pharmacists and pre-
registration pharmacists and all other members of pharmacy staff.

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

 May be required to work in the dispensary at the RSCH to provide professional support
and to provide pharmacy services (clinical and supply) for in-patients, out-patients and
patients participating in clinical trials to fulfil the clinical and legal requirements of a
dispensary service

Management/leadership responsibilities

 To provide supervision to the rotational pharmacist and technicians when working in the
Aseptic Unit.

 To participate in the induction of rotational pharmacist posts within BSUH.

 To act as a role model for rotational pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists for
development of clinical pharmacy expertise and the development of knowledge used within
the setting of an aseptic unit.

 To take professional lead in the provision of pharmacy based dispensary service at

RSCH providing added support and clinical expertise for other pharmacists and pharmacy
staff. This role includes the provision of medication and advice for in-patients, out-patients
and patients participating in clinical trials, and risk management for prescribing and
dispensing.

 To deputise for the Lead Specialist Pharmacist – Aseptic Services in his/her absence.

Educational/Training responsibilities

 To participate in the provision of education for pharmacy staff and members of the
multidisciplinary team on aseptic dispensing, chemotherapy and prescribing issues.
joint educational venue for summer students
 To participate in the provision of education and training for rotational pharmacists and
pre-registration pharmacists on aseptic dispensing, chemotherapy and prescribing issues.

 To input into the pharmacy team presentations at multi-disciplinary clinical and audit
presentations.

 To take responsibility for own continuing professional development (CPD) and maintain
an up-to-date portfolio of evidence to meet the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great
Britain’s requirements for CPD

 Successfully complete the Aseptic Services Training Manual whilst undertaking duties
within the unit and at intervals as specified in SOPs.

 Achieve in-house accreditations for ‘formula and assembly’ checking, ‘clinical

screening’ and ‘final product’ checking and maintain these skills on a regular basis. Repeat
tests as specified in the departmental SOPs to maintain accreditation.

 Successfully complete the assessment for the dispensing and releasing of intrathecal
chemotherapy in line with government guidelines and update on an annual basis, to
ensure continued inclusion on the trust’s intrathecal register.

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

Research and development

 To participate in pharmacy input into multi-disciplinary audit and pharmacy led audits in
areas relevant to oncology and oncology/haematology clinical trials.

 To participate in implementation of pharmacy issues resulting from audit projects.

Where applicable to publish the results of such projects.

Additional duties/responsibilities

 To participate in weekend/bank holiday rota providing pharmacy services (clinical

and supply) to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital for children
and the Sussex Eye Hospital.

 To participate in Emergency Duty Commitment.

COMPETENCE

 The post holder is required to participate in the Trust appraisal process and work
towards meeting identified development needs.
 The post holder is required to demonstrate on-going continuous professional
development.
 At no time should the post holder work outside their defined level of competence. If the
post holder has concerns regarding this they should immediately discuss this with their
Manager. The post holder has the responsibility to inform those supervising their duties if
they are not competent to perform a duty.

REGISTERED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

All staff who are members of a professional body must comply with standards of
professional practice/conduct. It is the post holders responsibility to ensure they are both
familiar with and adhere to these requirements.

RISK MANAGEMENT/HEALTH & SAFETY

The post holder has a responsibility to themselves and others in relation to managing risk,
health and safety and will be required to work within the policies and procedures laid down
by the Trust. All staff have a responsibility to access occupational health, other staff
support services and/or any relevant others in times of need and advice.

FLEXIBILITY STATEMENT

This job description is not inflexible but is an outline and account of the main duties. Any
changes will be discussed fully with the post holder in advance. This job description will be
reviewed periodically to take into account changes and developments in service
requirements.

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

CONFIDENTIALITY

As an employee of this Trust you may gain privileged knowledge of a highly confidential
nature relating to private affairs, diagnosis and treatment of patients, information affecting
members of the public, personal matters concerning staff, commercial confidences of third
parties, and details of items under consideration by this Trust. Such information should not
be divulged or passed to any unauthorised person or persons, and the requirements of the
Trust’s Code of Conduct for Employees in Respect of Confidentiality, a copy of which is
available from your Head of Department, must be adhered to with particular regard to the
responsibilities of individuals and the Trust under appropriate legislation, notably the Data
Protection Act. Failure to comply with this requirement may constitute gross
misconduct under the Trust’s Disciplinary Policy which may lead to summary
dismissal.

Date Reviewed: ……………………………

Agreed by:

Signed by Post holder………………………………….. Date …………………………….

Signed by line manager………………………….. Date …………………………….

Date of next review: …………………………………….

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

 PERSON SPECIFICATION TEMPLATE

JOB TITLE: Specialist Pharmacist, Aseptic Services

Department: Pharmacy RSCH

Area Requirements

Qualifications Essential Desirable

(Use categories e.g
Nursing, Scientific,
Technical as/where
appropriate)
BPharm / BSc (pharmacy) / Certificate/Diploma in
MPharm / equivalent clinical pharmacy or
pharmacy degree equivalent experience
Member of the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society of
Great Britain (MRPharmS)

Previous experience in
providing a clinical pharmacy
service within an acute
hospital setting (this may
include the pre-registration
pharmacy year) and
rotational experience at
junior level in providing a
pharmacy aseptic
reconstitution service

Registration (where
applicable) MRPharm S

Knowledge & Experience

Non-clinical
(e.g Scientific, Technical,
Administrative,
Managerial – use one or
more categories
as/where appropriate)
Able to identify own training
and development needs
Able to formulate and
prepare extemporaneous
medication and parenteral
preparations
Evidence of previous
input into the provision of
pharmacy expertise to
the clinical governance
agenda
Experience of objective
setting

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

Clinical (where relevant)
Knowledge and experience Ability to make clinical
of multi-disciplinary and decisions where limited
pharmacy led audit information is available

Ability to undertake
prescription review of
complex medication regimes
individualised for patients
with cancer

Experience in providing
timely and professional
checks within an aseptic unit

Skills
Communication/
relationship Excellent verbal and written Able to present complex
communication skills information to a large
group of staff
Ability to communicate with
patients and their relatives
regarding prescribed
medications providing both
verbal and written
communication

To negotiate and influence

other members of the multi-
disciplinary team
To optimise the use of
medicines for an individual
patient or for a group of
patients

To work autonomously when

required.

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

Analytical/ judgmental
Able to prioritise workload
Able to interpret
haematological/biochemical
data for individual patients
and the impact of these
results on medication
Ability to apply evidence
based medicine to
prescribed regimes and
balance the risks and
benefits of the prescribed
treatments for the
individual patient

Ability to calculate complex Able to analyse situations

drug regimes and or processes to
identify areas of clinical
To be skilled in therapeutic risk
drug monitoring and able to
advise on dosing and dose
adjustment of patient’s dose
regime

Planning/ organisational
Identifies and priorities own Ability to manage time,
workload staff and resources to
deliver targets
Able to work alone and within
a within a multi-disciplinary
team

Able to work under pressure

Able to delegate tasks

appropriately

IT IT literacy including word Use of computer

processing, email and use of programmes for report
the internet writing and data analysis

Experience of pharmacy
JAC programmes and
Chemocare
Abilities
Physical Able to work in an aseptic
unit, ward, office, and
dispensary

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014

Mental Able to respond under
pressure to interruptions in
work pattern to deal with
urgent enquiries

Able to concentrate for

prolonged periods of time on
the review of complex
prescription regimes
and/dose calculations
Emotional Able to cope with situations Able to cope with
involving exposure to pressure generated by
distressed patients and/or other members of the
relatives, terminally ill healthcare team due to
patients and/or acutely ill or conflicting priorities and
traumatised patients urgencies
Working conditions To work for prolonged
periods in the aseptic
preparation unit handling
cytotoxic medicines
Other
Able to take responsibility for
the security of the pharmacy
department and act as a key
holder for the department

Please attach any additional information on a separate sheet.

Signed by post holder:______________________ Date _____________________

Signed by line manager:______________________ Date _____________________

Job Reference: 379-MAY531-14 Closing Date: 04 June 2014