Chief I Pharmacist
Job Specification, Terms and Conditions
Job Title and Grade
Chief I Pharmacist
(Grade Code: 3263)
Campaign Reference
NRS03290
Closing Date
Proposed Interview
Date (s)
Taking up
Appointment
Wednesday 06/January/2016 at 12 Noon
Location of Post
Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Week Commencing 01/February/2016
A start date will be indicated at job offer stage.
There is currently one permanent, whole-time post available in this location.
A panel may be created for Connolly Hospital from which current and future, permanent and
specified purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled.
Informal Enquiries
Margaret Boland GM/CEO Connolly Hospital
Email: bernie.carty@hse.ie
Tel: 016465178
Details of Service
Connolly Hospital serves a catchment population of 331,000 in Dublin West, North Kildare
and South Meath, and is one of the fastest growing catchment areas in the country.
Connolly Hospital is a major academic training hospital providing a range of acute, medical
and surgical services, outpatient, diagnostic and support services and residential care.
Emergency services are provided on a 365 day, 24 hour basis.
Multidisciplinary teams representative of medical, nursing, allied health professionals,
management and general support staff play a pivotal role in the development, delivery,
monitoring and evaluation of services.
Reporting
Relationship
The Chief I Pharmacist will report to the appropriate CEO/Hospital Manager.
Purpose of the Post
To manage the pharmacy department and to provide leadership to ensure the pharmacy
services meet all required legislative and quality standards.
Principal Duties and
Responsibilities
Clinical/Professional
The Chief I Pharmacist will:

Ensure the purchase, storage and supply of all items is operated safely,
appropriately and economically, consistent with quality at pharmacy, ward and
department levels and with reference to legal requirements, clinical
appropriateness, transit, security and conditions of chemical and physical stability.

Develop and expand the ward pharmacy service.

Maintain records for purchasing, quality control and dispensing to the standards
required.

Provide advice and direction as required both within the hospital(s) and /or region
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to medical and nursing staff on the proper and economic use of drugs and
alternative types of drugs and medicines including participation in schemes for the
dissemination of information in relation to drugs and drug usage.

Co-operate with Clinical, Scientific and Nursing Staff on the maintenance and
development of new methods of treatment.

Participate in the hospital’s Drugs and Therapeutic Committee and Infection
Control Committee and other department/divisional hospital committees, as
required, where such committees exist.

Ensure that the needs of the patients and professional staff are being adequately
met by the Pharmaceutical service and are delivered in a manner that respects
privacy and confidentiality.

Work in collaboration with Medical, Nursing, Management and Allied Health
Professional staff towards the development and implementation of evidence-based
medicines management policies.

Work with prescribers and other healthcare staff to implement good clinical
pharmacy practice to ensure safe and efficient use of medicines; including
documentation of the effect of clinical pharmacy services.

Provide advice and information to the relevant Pharmacy, Medical and Nursing
staff on best practice in relation to all aspects of medicines management.

Liaise with appropriate healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of care to
patients in the units.

Perform as superintendent and supervising pharmacist of the Pharmacy.
Education & Training
The Chief I Pharmacist will:

Participate in the teaching and training (including in-service training) of pharmacy
and other staff as may be required.

Promote and actively participate in continuing professional development and
research activities consistent with the post.
Risk, Health & Safety
The Chief I Pharmacist will:

Maintain and implement standard operating procedures, protocols and safe
working practices, ensure ongoing quality control and validation of all services.

Ensure that correct procedures are adhered to in relation to accidents and
investigations and that proper reporting arrangements are in place in line with the
requirements of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005, to include
frequent risk assessments and adherence to the hospital Safety Statement.

Lead on the audit, monitoring, analysis and reporting of all aspects of medicine
usage within the services, including provision of feedback to prescribers and
managers and involvement in the co ordination of changes in practice required as
a result of risk management process.
Management
The Chief I Pharmacist will:

Manage the department with regard to personnel, finance, quality assurance
mechanisms, planning & operations.

Manage resources effectively and efficiently having reference to budgetary
provision.

Supervise and supply drugs, pharmaceuticals and other related items as may be
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required.

Assist Hospital Management in the development of management policy in relation
to the Pharmaceutical service in the hospital including budgetary policy.

Lead on the implementation of hospital, regional and national medicines
management policies.

Adhere to confidentiality policy: In the course of your employment you may have
access to, or hear information concerning the medical or personal affairs of
patients and/or staff or other health services’ business. Such records and
information are strictly confidential, unless acting on the instructions of an
authorised officer, on no account must information concerning staff, patients or
other health service business be divulged or discussed except in the performance
of normal duty. In addition records must never be left in such a manner that
unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be kept in safe custody
when no longer required.
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties
involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties
as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and
to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Eligibility Criteria
Each candidate must have at the latest date of application:
Qualifications and/ or
experience
(a) Be a registered Pharmacist with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) or be
entitled to be so registered
(b) Have at least five years satisfactory post registration hospital experience
and
(c) Possess a high standard of administrative, managerial or business ability
and
(d) Possess the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability
and management ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
Please note that appointment to and continuation in posts that require statutory registration
is dependent upon the post holder maintaining annual registration in the relevant division
of the register maintained by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would
indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character
Age
Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new
entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, 2004). A candidate
who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age.
Please note that appointment to and continuation in posts that require statutory registration
is dependent upon the post holder maintaining annual registration in the Register of
Pharmacists maintained by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
Post Specific
Requirements
Demonstrate significant depth and breadth of experience in providing pharmacy services in
a hospital setting as relevant to the role.
Other Requirements
Specific to the Post
N/A
Candidates must:
Skills, Competencies
and/or Knowledge

Demonstrate knowledge of all aspects of pharmacy legislation and how legislation
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applies to professional practice in the hospital environment.
Campaign Specific
Selection Process
Ranking/Shortlisting /
Interview

Demonstrate a broad clinical pharmaceutical knowledge and a strong understanding of
the role of Chief I Pharmacist.

Demonstrate evidence of effective planning and organising skills including awareness
of resource management and importance of value for money

Demonstrate leadership and team management skills including the ability to work with
multi disciplinary team members.

Demonstrate focus on providing a quality service.

Demonstrate effective problem solving and decision making strategies, including the
ability to be flexible and innovative in these challenging times.

Demonstrate effective communication skills including the ability to present information
in a clear and concise manner and deliver complex information in understandable
terms.

Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to empathise with and
treat patients, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect.

Demonstrate a working knowledge of standard PC software.
A ranking and or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information
supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and or shortlisting are based on
the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies
and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you
think about your experience in light of those requirements.
Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being
called forward to the next stage of the selection process.
Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an
order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of
the organisation.
Code of Practice
The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of
Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code
of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be
applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on
candidates, facilities for feedback to applicants on matters relating to their application
when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the
recruitment and selection process and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the
Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the
document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information for
Candidates”.
Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on
www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of
Practice, Information for Candidates” or on www.cpsa.ie.
The reform programme outlined for the Health Services may impact on this role and as structures change the job
description may be reviewed.
This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither
definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.
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Chief I Pharmacist
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Tenure
The current vacancy available is permanent and whole-time.
The post is pensionable. A panel may be created from which permanent and specified
purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled. The tenure of these posts will be
indicated at “expression of interest” stage.
Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the Health Act
2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment) Act 2004.
Remuneration
The Salary scale for the post (as at 01/07/13) is: EURO 71,573 - 74,856 - 76,128 - 77,860
- 79,781 - 81,740
Working Week
The standard working week applying to the post is to be confirmed at job offer stage.
HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs (Extended Working
Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards
2016” applies. Under the terms of this circular, all new entrants and staff appointed to
promotional posts from Dec 16th 2008 will be required to work agreed roster / on call
arrangements as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of work are liable to
change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet the requirements for
extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement
(Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).
Annual Leave
The annual leave associated with the post will be notified at job offer stage.
Superannuation
This is a pensionable position with the HSE. The successful candidate will upon
appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme. Pension scheme
membership will be notified within the contract of employment. Members of pre-existing
pension schemes who transferred to the HSE on the 01st January 2005 pursuant to
Section 60 of the Health Act 2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit terms under the
HSE Scheme which are no less favourable to those which they were entitled to at 31 st
December 2004.
Probation
Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the Health Service
Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months as
stipulated in the Department of Health Circular No.10/71.
Protection
of
Persons
Reporting Child
Abuse Act 1998
As this post is one of those designated under the Protection of Persons Reporting Child
Abuse Act 1998, appointment to this post appoints one as a designated officer in
accordance with Section 2 of the Act. You will remain a designated officer for the duration
of your appointment to your current post or for the duration of your appointment to such
other post as is included in the categories specified in the Ministerial Direction. You will
receive full information on your responsibilities under the Act on appointment.
Infection Control
Have a working knowledge of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards
as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the
Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc.
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Ethics in Public
Office 1995 and
2001
Positions remunerated at or above the minimum point of the Grade VIII salary scale (€
64,812 as at 01.01.2010) are designated positions under Section 18 of the Ethics in Public
Office Act 1995. Any person appointed to a designated position must comply with the
requirements of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 as outlined below;
Positions
remunerated at
or above the
minimum point
of the Grade VIII
salary scale (€
64,812
as
at
01.01.10)
A) In accordance with Section 18 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, a person holding
such a post is required to prepare and furnish an annual statement of any interests which
could materially influence the performance of the official functions of the post. This annual
statement of interest should be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer not later than 31st
January in the following year.
B) In addition to the annual statement, a person holding such a post is required, whenever
they are performing a function as an employee of the HSE and have actual knowledge, or
a connected person, has a material interest in a matter to which the function relates,
provide at the time a statement of the facts of that interest. A person holding such a post
should provide such statement to the Chief Executive Officer. The function in question
cannot be performed unless there are compelling reasons to do so and, if this is the case,
those compelling reasons must be stated in writing and must be provided to the Chief
Executive Officer.
C) A person holding such a post is required under the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995
and 2001 to act in accordance with any guidelines or advice published or given by the
Standards in Public Office Commission. Guidelines for public servants on compliance with
the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 are available on the
Standards Commission’s website http://www.sipo.gov.ie/
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