Senior Pharmacist - Clinical Trials and Aseptic Services

Job summary
Are you a Pharmacist with a keen interest in clinical trials or pharmacy technical services looking for greater speciality or to further develop your career? Are you looking to gain experience working to set up cancer clinical trials involving collaboration with principal investigators and the parenteral service unit? Do you want to work within a senior team managing a large section 10 Aseptic unit?

We are looking for a Band 8a Senior Pharmacist to join our team on a fixed term basis to cover Maternity Leave for 10 months. You will be fully supported by a team of experienced pharmacists and technical staff.

Please see the attached documentation for more information.

Main duties of the job

• Responsible for leading and managing clinical trials in the aseptic Unit, including the set-up of new trials, ongoing management, and closing on completion. This involves regular collaboration with principal investigators and research staff both within the Trust, particularly in oncology/haematology, and outside the Trust, particularly national and commercial trials organisations.
• Manage the set-up of clinical trial protocols on the chemotherapy electronic prescribing system (Chemocare), collaborating with the chemotherapy e-prescribing lead pharmacist where required, and quality management systems (IQM).
• Work in collaboration with the Senior Pharmacists for Aseptic Services in the provision of the aseptic preparation service in the Parenteral Services Unit, including providing expert advice and problem solving in this area and deputising for the Accountable Pharmacist on PSU related issues.
• Member of the team of authorised pharmacists for the provision of chemotherapy, TPN and other intravenous additives, providing pharmacist supervision and carrying out Product Approval on a sessional basis according to rotas. Assisting with the training and supervision of staff in the unit, and acting as mentor to pharmacists.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Job responsibilities
Refer to Job Description and Person Specification.

The post holder will be required to work within specialist aseptic clean room facilities which we are required to operate under strict regulatory rules. The guidelines covering the operation of these aseptic facilities mean that staff members with certain long term or recurrent medical or health conditions, such as gastrointestinal or skin conditions, can represent a risk of microbial contamination which therefore precludes access to the clean room. For candidates information, our Occupational Health team will carry out an assessment at the stage when conditional offers are made. The assessment will consider whether any candidate would not be able to work in an aseptic facility and/or whether any candidate would be able to work in an aseptic facility with any restrictions or reasonable adjustments.

Person Specification
Essential

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy (or equivalent: BPharm or BSc [Pharmacy])
• Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Specialist knowledge of aseptic services including chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition preparation.
• Knowledge of clinical trial governance and investigational medicinal products.
• Ability to review and process information at a level appropriate to the role
• Ability to challenge and influence clinical and technical practice.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate highly complex information effectively and problem-solving skills.
• Training, coaching and mentoring skills.
• Knowledge of current national developments in aseptic services.
• Computer literate with appropriate IT skills for the role - pharmacy computer systems, standard PC office
• Significant post-registration hospital pharmacy experience at Band 7 level or above.
• Experience of working within aseptic services
• Experience of Chemocare or equivalent electronic chemotherapy prescribing systems.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Experience providing specialist advice to healthcare professionals.
• Confident and articulate communicator
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic
• Flexible and adaptable
• Commitment to patient safety and continuous improvement
• Ability to work collaboratively and build effective relationships
• Able to work under pressure in a busy and demanding environment
• Effective time management skills, including ability to prioritise, plan and organise own workload and that of the team.

Desirable

• Postgraduate Diploma or MSc in Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmacy Practice or PTQA.
• Membership of the Royal College of Pharmacy
• Experience supporting or managing clinical trials within pharmacy technical services.
• Experience participating in MHRA inspections and/ or NHSE Regional Quality Assurance Audits (QAAPs).
• Experience leading service developments and quality improvement initiatives.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Parenteral Services Unit, Level 8 BHOC, Horfield Road, Bristol, BS2 8ED, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Contact: Ass. Director of Pharmacy- Cancer Aseptic Services, Jenny Breslin, jenny.breslin1@nhs.net, 01173424068

Equal opportunities employer.