Advanced Specialist Pharmacist - Physical Health

Advanced Specialist Pharmacist - Physical Health

This role provides specialist clinical pharmacy support within the Primary Healthcare team at West London Forensic Services, focusing on the optimisation of physical health medications for patients with mental health conditions. As an Advanced Specialist Pharmacist, the post-holder will work alongside a multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective, and evidence-based use of medicines for physical health management, particularly in populations with complex forensic mental health needs.

This fixed-term post is an ideal opportunity for an experienced pharmacist with a strong background in physical healthcare and a passion for improving the physical health outcomes of mental health service users.

The successful candidate will need to be confident working autonomously within a forensic mental health setting, with strong communication and collaborative working skills.

Experience with managing metabolic health, cardiovascular risk, and weight management interventions is essential, as is the ability to contribute to ongoing clinical and service development work.

Main duties of the job

A key area of focus in this role is the review and management of medications related to metabolic health, including the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight management in patients with antipsychotic-induced weight gain and metabolic syndrome. The successful candidate will take a lead on this initiative, ensuring appropriate prescribing, monitoring, and outcomes evaluation in line with national guidance and local policy.

Other responsibilities include conducting physical health medicines reviews, supporting clinical staff with prescribing queries, contributing to patient care planning, and identifying opportunities to improve prescribing practices through audits and service development projects. Close collaboration with physical and mental health teams is essential to enhance patient outcomes in secure settings.

The role also involves line management of senior (band 8a) pharmacists, supporting their development and ensuring consistent clinical standards.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person SpecificationQualifications

• Masters degree in pharmacy or equivalent
• Membership of the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Post-graduate qualification in clinical/mental health pharmacy or equivalent experience
• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
• Member of the CMHP
• Membership of RPS

Experience

• One year pre-registration training and experience
• Demonstrable advanced experience of working as a clinical pharmacist practitioner in a hospital setting
• Experience as an advanced level clinical pharmacist practitioner in Mental Health
• Experience of delivering training and education
• Experience of developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating protocols and guidelines
• Experience of providing medicines education to users and carers
• Experience of staff management
• Experience of managing change
• Previous experience in undertaking research

Knowledge

• Up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of new drugs in pipeline or on the market
• Knowledge of medication safety practice recommendations and guidance
• Knowledge of relevant pharmaceutical standards of practice
• Specialist knowledge of mental health pharmacy
• Knowledge of recent initiatives in pharmacy

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.

£70,396 to £80,837 a yearper annum inc HCAS

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