Locum Out of Hours ACP/Prescribing Pharmacist/ParamedicNHS

Job summary

Are you an experienced Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Prescribing Pharmacist or Paramedic Practitioner looking for a rewarding out-of-hours opportunity where your expertise can have a direct impact on patient care?

We are seeking autonomous, highly skilled clinicians to provide expert clinical assessment, treatment, prescribing (where within scope), medicines optimisation, escalation planning and professional support to nursing teams caring for adult inpatients across Worcestershire Community Hospitals during out-of-hours periods.

This is an exciting opportunity to work across a diverse range of community inpatient settings, supporting patients with rehabilitation, intermediate care, sub-acute care and palliative care needs while contributing to safe, responsive and high-quality care delivery.

Main duties of the job

Full list of main duties can be found in the attached Job Description.

The successful clinician will play a key role in delivering timely clinical interventions, supporting nursing teams and ensuring patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

• Clinical Triage, Assessment and Response
• Autonomous Clinical Practice
• Prescribing, Medicines Optimisation and Treatment Review
• VTE Assessment and Admission Support
• End of Life Care and Escalation Planning
• Clinical Documentation and Digital Systems
• Governance, Safety and Quality
• Communication and Multidisciplinary Working

Job description

Working as an autonomous clinician, you will provide expert assessment, clinical decision-making, treatment planning and, where qualified, prescribing support for adult inpatients. You will work closely with nursing teams and wider healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive timely, safe and effective care during evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

The role offers a varied and rewarding caseload, supporting patients across rehabilitation, intermediate care, frailty, sub-acute and palliative care pathways. You will be trusted to make complex clinical decisions, identify deterioration, coordinate escalation where required and contribute to positive patient outcomes across multiple community hospital settings.

Key areas of responsibility include:

1. Clinical Triage, Assessment and ResponseProviding a responsive clinical service, including telephone advice, remote clinical review and face-to-face patient assessment in line with agreed service response standards. You will assess patients presenting with acute illness, deterioration or clinical concerns, ensuring timely intervention and appropriate escalation where required.

2. Autonomous Clinical PracticeUndertaking comprehensive clinical assessments, formulating management plans and making evidence-based decisions within your scope of practice. You will work independently whilst recognising when patients require input from senior clinicians, GPs or emergency services.

3. Prescribing, Medicines Optimisation and Treatment ReviewWhere appropriately qualified, you will provide independent prescribing, medication review and medicines optimisation support. You will help ensure safe prescribing practices, antimicrobial stewardship and effective use of electronic prescribing systems to support high-quality patient care.

4. VTE Assessment and Admission SupportSupporting admission processes through clinical documentation, risk assessment and identification of key patient risks. This includes VTE assessment and ensuring important clinical information is communicated effectively to the wider clinical team.

5. End of Life Care and Escalation PlanningProviding compassionate clinical support for patients approaching the end of life, working alongside nursing teams, specialist palliative care services and families. You will contribute to escalation planning and ensure patients' wishes and treatment preferences are recognised and respected.

6. Clinical Documentation and Digital SystemsMaintaining accurate, timely and comprehensive clinical records using Trust electronic systems, ensuring all assessments, decisions and actions are clearly documented in accordance with professional and organisational standards.

7. Governance, Safety and QualityWorking within established clinical governance frameworks to promote patient safety, quality improvement and best practice. You will contribute to risk management, incident reporting, audit activity and the continuous development of the service.

8. Communication and Multidisciplinary WorkingBuilding effective relationships with nursing teams, GPs, community services, acute trusts, palliative care teams and emergency services. You will ensure clear communication, safe handover of care and collaborative decision-making to support seamless patient care.

Professional RequirementsApplicants must be appropriately qualified and registered with their relevant professional body and be able to demonstrate the skills, knowledge and experience required to undertake the role safely and effectively.

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for the full details of the role, responsibilities and essential criteria.

About us

This innovative service provides responsive out-of-hours clinical cover for adult inpatients residing in Worcestershire community hospitals and other local inpatient settings.

Working alongside multidisciplinary teams, you will support timely clinical decision-making, assessment, prescribing, treatment planning, escalation decisions, end-of-life care and safe transfers of care during evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Your contribution will help ensure patients continue to receive safe, effective and person-centred care whenever they need it.

This role offers the opportunity to work with a wide range of patients and clinical presentations across multiple community hospital sites, whilst maintaining a high degree of professional autonomy and clinical responsibility.

Base/Location

The role will involve clinical review, advice and face-to-face visits across Worcestershire sites as clinically required.

Hours of Work

The service operates during the following out-of-hours periods:

• Saturday shifts either 10:00-14:00 or 14:00-20:00