Job Description
Service
Clinical Operations
Job Title
Medicines Management Pharmacist (KC1758)
Hours
37.5 hours per week
Base
National - base to be confirmed
Scale Point
40 - 45
Reports to
Lead Pharmacist
Operating
Principles
CRI has developed a number of operating principles that it believes are
essential to providing effective and inspirational care and support for its
service users. They should be viewed as overarching expectations for
all roles at CRI.
All staff will contribute to the ongoing development of an ambitious,
inspirational and outcome focussed culture at every level of service
delivery.
All roles will tangibly contribute to provide hope, empowerment, choices
and opportunities that promote people reaching their full potential as
individuals and community members.
All service delivery will model the belief that we all have the potential to
make positive changes and to lead meaningful and purposeful lives, as
involved and contributing members of society.
CRI Values
Purpose of Job

Focus - on the service user as the way to achieve positive
change for the individual and the community at large

Empowerment - so that service users can reach their full
potential and achieve their ambitions

Social Justice - a shared commitment as individuals and as an
organisation

Respect - for each person we engage, without reservation or
judgement

Passion - driven by innovation and determination - to bring
about the safest, healthiest outcomes for individuals and
communities

Vocation - our work is more than a job
The focus of the post will be to:
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Manage patients and health care professionals medicine
queries
Increase quality and safety of prescribing through mechanisms
such as audit and PDSA cycles
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Key Activities
Manage practice formularies to improve the quality, safety and
cost effectiveness of prescribing
Implement drug withdrawals and alerts e.g. MHRA aimed at
improving medicines safety
Work with primary care professional and patients to implement
NICE and other evidence based guidelines
Secure qualitative, safe, robust and appropriate support
services in the management of controlled drugs stationary
Work with the CRI Medical Director to develop a culture that
ensures the safety and effectiveness of the Medicine
Management strategy
Work with clinical colleagues, the public, service users and
partners to establish effective strategies for the on-going
improvement of services and ensure systems are in place to
effectively communicate this vision to all stakeholders
Ensure that CRI has the capacity and capability to exercise its
statutory duties both in terms of quality and effective use of
public funds
Work with Regional Directors when calculating drug costs for
tender submissions
Work with Service Managers during implementations to secure
prescription pads ( FP10)
Monitor project prescribing practices
Frequently audit prescriptions on Epact data
Below is a non-exhaustive list of key activities
1. Medicines Management
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To ensure that medicines are used safely and effectively across
the organisation, and within the resources available.
To ensure that medicines management policies and procedures
are developed in accordance with best practice and professional
guidelines.
Produce quality standards and audit against practices reflected
in services with aim to raise standards.
Ensure robust systems are in place to ensure communication of
essential information relating to the quality and safety of
medicines to other clinical staff as necessary.
Ensure, in co-operation with the Lead Pharmacist, that Patient
Group Directives (PGDs) are developed and delivered in
accordance with national standards to ensure safe and effective
systems are in place.
Support the Lead Pharmacist in analysing incidents, and
sharing the learning outcomes through actions both internally in
services and externally as part of LINs.
Carry out mock CQC inspections along with Safety &
Compliance Team to ensure services meet standards.
2. Strategic Planning
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Work with the Lead Pharmacist to effectively deliver the
medicines management business plan.
Develop strategies to implement national Medicines
Management initiatives to improve efficiency, reduce risk and
enhance the patient experience.
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To develop and implement information services in line with new
technology.
Work alongside Lead Pharmacist to develop a structured
Community pharmacy working relationship that includes
education & training, SLA’s, and financial management.
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3. Professional and Legal Advice
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Provide legal advice internally and externally on all aspects of
medicines management.
Assist Lead Pharmacist in ensuring appropriate sites hold the
relevant Home Office licenses.
Ensure policies & procedures are reflective of up to date
legislation.
4. Financial Management
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Provide analysis of prescribing/dispensing trends and costeffective medicines use, and ensuring the provision of timely
and effective prescribing feedback and advice
Analyse EPACT data to assist in validating financial invoices.
Identify areas in which savings can be made in relation to
medicines management.
Ensures that information and advice is provided to all health
care professions in relation to usage and expenditure on drugs,
and promotes clinical economy and cost beneficial drug
utilisation.
Promotes cost-effective drugs usage within the organisation,
within the local Health economy, within partner regions and at
national level as appropriate.
Is proactive in the efficient and cost effective management of
drug budgets within the organisation, contributing locally and
nationally to contracting and purchasing initiatives.
Plays an active part in controlling drugs expenditure within the
organisation.
5. Quality and Clinical Governance
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Be responsible for providing medicines information and
professional advice on complaints and performance issues,
which may require sensitive, professional judgements to be
made, involving the analysis, interpretation and consideration of
a highly specialised and complex range of situation and/or facts.
Ensure the identification and dissemination of regional learning
from complaints and performance issues.
Support the development and implementation of medicines
management audit programmes.
Analyse medicines use and recommend, where appropriate,
implementation of evidence based, cost effective changes in
prescribing practice ensuring compliance with policy e.g.
Pharmaceutical Clinical Effectiveness Programme.
6. Personal Practice
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Keep up to date with developments in clinical and
pharmaceutical practice in order that such developments are
recognised and reflected by the Medicines Management staff
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and the services provided to patients and the organisation by
the department.
Participate in appropriate courses and conferences ensuring
continuous professional development and adherence to the
principles of clinical governance.
Support the development of governance systems that are there
to protect service users, their families and local communities
Support the development of governance systems to increase
the workforce effectiveness when working with service users
and to improve the quality of care provided
Contribute to the implementation of the full range of CRI policies
across the sphere of operational responsibility and contribute to
new policy and procedure development.
General terms of In carrying out the above duties the post holder will:
reference:
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Participate in appraisal, supervision and Learning &
Development processes
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Keep abreast of developments in services, legislation and
practice relevant to the post
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Ensure the implementation of all CRI policies and Procedures
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Contribute to maintaining safe systems of work and a safe
environment
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Work flexibly across the organisation travelling to the Regional
sites as necessary
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Take responsibility for personal development and participate in
regular supervision and appraisal
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Seek to improve personal performance, contribution, knowledge
and skills.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications
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Valid registration with GPhC
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Commitment and evidence of formal continuous professional development (CPD)
Experience
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At least 3 years experience as a registered pharmacist within the UK
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Able to demonstrate a wider understanding of pharmacy practice and the workings of
the NHS, including prescribing and medicines management.
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Computer literate with Microsoft packages
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Able to communicate with a wide range of staff from a range of disciplines from both
within and outside the NHS
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Report writing skills
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Ability to work independently or as a member of a team – builds effective working
relationships with team and colleagues
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Experience of developing clinical protocols and PGDs
Knowledge and Understanding
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Demonstrable understanding of the CRI principles and values as set out in the CRI
Vision
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Up to date clinical knowledge within the substance misuse field
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Financially literate with the ability to critically review, challenge and effectively utilise
financial information for decision making
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A clear understanding of national system reform policies
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A strong understanding of the principles of value for money and an ability to
challenge performance on this basis
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A strong understanding of the requirements of effective financial governance and
probity
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Good understanding of the role of effective communications and engagement with
patients, public, workforce and stakeholders
Attributes and Competencies
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Demonstrable commitment to continuously improve outcomes, tackling health
inequalities and delivering the best value for money for the tax payer
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Ability to work well with others in teams, networks and organisations
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Demonstrable understanding of the CRI principles and values as set out in the CRI
Vision
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Capability to understand and analyse complex issues, drawing on a breath of data to
inform decision-making, and to see that information ethically to balance competing
priorities and make difficult decision.
This post is subject to a DBS check at an enhanced level.
Amendments: This is a new post and may be subject to change depending on the
changing needs within the organisation. Any changes will of course be subject to
consultation.