The Palliative Care Pharmacist is the lead pharmacist forRotherham Hospice and provides strategic and operational leadership andmedicines advice for safe, effective and person centred use of medicines acrossall hospice services.
Main duties of the job
Working as part of the Care Navigation hub, the post holder works with the Head of Care Navigation, Triage Manager, Doctors, Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) and Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) with expert advice on medicines, prescribing and stewardship. They oversee the onsite drugs room, work closely with TRFT pharmacy services for medicines supply, and lead the hospice transition to e prescribing.
The Palliative Care Pharmacist is responsible for clinical pharmacy services, medicines governance, policies and audits, and for ensuring that medicines support Living Lifes Wishes, helping patients to manage symptoms and maintain quality of life in the safest and most effective way possible.
About us
Rotherham Hospice is a charity dedicated to the people of Rotherham, offering specialist palliative and end of life care to our community since 1996.
We provide comprehensive, compassionate care through two primary patient services:
- 24-hour Hospice at Home Service
Additionally, we offer wider support to patients and their families through:
- Complementary therapies & hairdressing
- Counselling and Bereavement Support for adults, children and teenagers
- Day services with individual and group sessions
- Family memory events
- Occupation therapy and physiotherapy
- Tailored experiences for patients and loved ones
Job responsibilities
Clinical Responsibilities
Deliverexpert pharmaceutical care to hospice inpatients, day patients, and communitypatients where applicable
Reviewand optimise medication regimens for symptom control e.g. pain, nausea,agitation, breathlessness
Provideadvice on complex prescribing, including syringe drivers and anticipatorymedications
Supportdeprescribing and rationalisation of medicines in line with patient goals ofcare
Monitorfor adverse drug reactions and interactions, particularly in frail and complexpatients
Participatein ward rounds and multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings
Ensurethe safe, legal, and effective supply of medicines within the hospice
Overseecontrolled drugs management in accordance with UK legislation
Developand implement policies, guidelines, and standard operating procedures
Supportaudit and quality improvement initiatives related to medicines use
Contributeto formulary development and cost-effective prescribing
Education and Training
Providetraining and education to healthcare professionals on palliative carepharmacotherapy
Supportthe development of junior pharmacists, nurses, and medical staff
Offerguidance to patients and carers on medication use, including administration andside effects
Patient and Family Support
Providecompassionate, patient-centred counselling on medicines
Supportpatients and families in understanding treatment options and symptom management
Contributeto advance care planning discussions where appropriate
Governance and Quality
Participatein clinical audit, research, and service evaluation
Ensurecompliance with professional standards e.g. GPhC, NICE, local policies
Contributeto risk management and incident reporting processes
Eprescribing preparation and implementation
Leadthe planning and implementation of e prescribing within the hospice, workingwith clinical, IT and external partners.
Contributeto system design, testing, training and go live planning to ensure safe anduser friendly e prescribing processes.
Developand maintain associated policies, procedures and guidance for e prescribing andmedicines administration.
Teamleadership and development
Linemanage and support the Pharmacy Technician, ensuring regular supervision,appraisal and development.
Promotea culture of openness, learning and high standards within the pharmacy and CareNavigation teams.
General
Actat all times in line with the values and behaviours of Rotherham Hospice.
Ensurecompliance with hospice policies, including health and safety, infectionprevention and control, safeguarding, lone working, information governance andconfidentiality.
Participatein meetings, training and mandatory updates as required.
Undertakeany other duties commensurate with the role and grade, as agreed with the Headof Care Navigation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Masters degree in Pharmacy – MPharm or equivalent
- Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council – GPhC
- Postgraduate clinical pharmacy experience
- Experience working in hospital or specialist clinical settings
- Strong knowledge of pharmacotherapy, particularly in pain and symptom management
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and within a multidisciplinary team
- Independent Prescriber qualification, or working towards
- Experience in palliative care, oncology, or geriatrics
- Postgraduate diploma or MSc in clinical pharmacy or palliative care
- Experience in hospice and community-based care
Experience
- Compassion and sensitivity when working with patients at end of life.
- Strong clinical decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Attention to detail and commitment to patient safety.
- Ability to manage complex and emotionally challenging situations.
- Commitment to continuous professional development.
- Professional, reliable and accountable, with high standards of integrity.
- Detail focused and safety conscious.
- Compassionate and person centred, with a focus on quality of life.
- Flexible and adaptable, able to work across services and respond to change.
- Enthusiasm for developing pharmacy and medicines optimisation in a hospice environment.
- Ability to design and deliver training and education sessions.
- Skills in data analysis and presentation for medicines related reports.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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