Advanced Clinical Pharmacist – Frailty

Transformation Unit; Knowsley; Remote; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust seeks an Advanced Clinical Pharmacist – Frailty to join the Frailty Pharmacy team. Based at Whiston Hospital, the postholder will deliver a clinical pharmacy service to frailty patients and work with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure quality, cost-effective pharmaceutical care.

Fixed term, 37.5 hours per week, 12 months maternity cover. Experience with acutely unwell patients and non-medical prescribing (or working towards) is essential;

Qualifications

• Experience providing pharmaceutical care to acutely unwell patients.
• Non medical prescribing qualification or working towards it.
• Strong teamwork with excellent communication and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced clinical pharmacy services to frailty wards.
• Collaborate with pharmacy, medical and nursing teams to optimise medicines.
• Develop and deliver advanced pharmacist roles within the frailty service.

Skills

Clinical pharmacy

Non-medical prescribing

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Education

Pharmacy degree (MPharm)

Job description

Main area Pharmacy Grade NHS AfC: Band 8a Contract Secondment: 12 months (Maternity Cover until 31.03.28) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 409-S8361044

Employer Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Whiston and St Helens Hospitals Town Prescot Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 22/11/2026 23:59

Advanced Clinical Pharmacist – Frailty

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Job overview

We are looking to appoint a highly motivated, innovative and enthusiastic clinical pharmacist to join our Frailty Pharmacy team at Mersey and West Lancashire (MWL) Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The postholder will be based at Whiston Hospital and provide a clinical pharmacy service to frailty patients at the Whiston site.

This is a fixed term position to cover maternity leave working closely with the rest of the pharmacy team, medical and nursing colleagues providing services to the frailty directorate. All areas have well established multi-disciplinary teams focused on delivering and promoting high quality, cost-effective and patient-focused pharmaceutical care.

Previous experience of providing pharmaceutical care to acutely unwell patients is essential, you will either hold a non medical prescribing qualification or be working towards completion of the non medical prescribing qualification. You will be expected to be a team player with significant clinical experience, excellent interpersonal skills and attention to detail. You will be encouraged to develop and implement your own ideas within the role and help drive the pharmacy service forward under the guidance of the clinical service manager and principal clinical pharmacists.

Please note- it is the applicant’s responsibility to seek authorisation from their current manager to be released for the secondment before a formal application is made

Please note, interviews may include assessment tasks.

Main duties of the job

The department operates a 7 day service to the Trust and as part of this role you will be expected to participate in the rostered weekend working which is currently 1 in 5. Participation in the late night working and pharmacy on call will also be required. This role will be based at the Whiston Hospital site.

The Trust occupies two new state-of-the-art PFI hospitals, with the new Whiston Hospital having opened in April 2010, as well as Newton Hospital which has recently been integrated into the Trust’s service.

Whiston Hospital is the main site within this large, high-performing acute Trust covering a large suburban area between Liverpool and Warrington, including St Helens, Prescot and Huyton. St. Helens hospital provides diagnostic and clinic based services along with rehabilitation services with Newton providing a rehabilitation service. We manage in the region of 850 beds across all sites, have accredited teaching hospital status, and provide for most major specialties.

Working for our organisation

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population over 600,000 with a workforce over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites. We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care

Our Services

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre (St Helens Hospital)

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and wheelchair services in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the North west and Wales

Achievements

HSJ Digital Finalists (2026)

Highest performing Acute Teaching Hospital in the North West, NHS oversight framework (2025)

• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)

Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018

National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

• To assist the Chief Pharmacist and all other pharmacy staff in providing and developing an efficient and comprehensive pharmaceutical service for the patients of MWL Teaching Hospital Trust
• To assist the Deputy Chief Pharmacist - Clinical Services to develop and deliver comprehensive and progressive pharmaceutical services to the medical directorate in line with national and local medicines optimisation strategies
• To lead and deliver high quality clinical pharmacy services to the designated speciality at MWL Teaching Hospital Trust, including the development of an advanced pharmacist role
• To develop competencies in your designated speciality and deliver ward based clinical teaching to band 6/7 pharmacists & pre –registration pharmacists within the Trust
• To practice as a Trust approved Independent Non – Medical Prescriber
• To participate in clinical audit and practice research relevant to medical specialties
• To participate in the department rota to ensure a pharmacy service is provided efficiently over 7 days
• Assist the Deputy Chief Pharmacist - Clinical Services in providing clinical training and supervision to other departmental staff
• To assist the department in producing and reviewing guidelines and polices
• To critically evaluate and interpret all information obtained from all sources and to apply professional judgement, to provide clinically sound, unbiased, up-to-date, evaluated information.
• To apply sound professional judgement to complex legal and ethical issues and dilemmas.
• Be aware of changes to national policies, guidelines, NICE guidance and other medicines/health directives and recommend amendments to the formulary and medicines management policies as appropriate.
• Scan national medical and pharmaceutical news by using recognised medical and pharmaceutical databases and websites to identify current and future developments in the pharmaceutical care of medical and surgical patients

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• To provide an advanced clinical pharmacy service to specified wards in accordance with professional, departmental and Trust policies. This will include:
  • Taking drug histories on admission
  • Checking medical notes of each new patient to ascertain presenting complaint, past medical history, working diagnosis and relevant biochemical, haematological and microbiological test results to ensure safe and effective medicines use.
  • Ensuring each medicine has an appropriate indication and that each diagnosis has appropriate therapy.
  • Ensuring that existing therapy is safe to take with, and has not contributed to, the presenting complaint.
  • Ensuring that new treatments are compatible with the patients’ conditions.
  • Making recommendations on changes to drug therapy in line with the above.
  • Reviewing recommendations in the light of new results and treatment plans.
  • Advising on which medications to continue and which to stop during the peri-operative period, if appropriate
  • Monitoring for adverse drug reactions and submit ‘yellow cards’ to the CSM where appropriate.
  • Advising on therapeutic drug level monitoring for specific drugs where appropriate.
  • Ensuring compliance with formularies, policies and procedures.
  • Educating patients about their drug therapy.
  • Developing evidence based treatment protocols for use within specialities or across the Trust where appropriate.
  • Providing advice on the availability of alternative formulations suitable for use in patients who are nil by mouth
  • Providing information on the use of drugs outside their licensed indications
  • Monitoring use and ensure adequate stock levels of crucial drugs on a daily basis
• To participate in consultant ward rounds and multidisciplinary meetings where appropriate
• Provide specialist pharmaceutical information to medical and nursing staff and patients in your specialty and to General Practitioners and other staff where appropriate
• Liaise with General Practitioners and other primary care professional to obtain accurate drug histories
• Record clinical interventions in line with departmental policy
• Report any drug errors you detect to the Head of Pharmacy or their deputy. Ensure that the appropriate error form and prescriber feedback are complete
• Participate in the departmental therapeutic drug monitoring service, interpreting drug levels and providing advice to medical staff on appropriate dosage, including on call
• Liaise with appropriate healthcare professionals within local Primary Care Trusts to ensure the effective and efficient use of resources across the primary/secondary care interface and where necessary develop shared care protocol
• Professional checking of inpatient requisitions and TTO’s
• Ensuring all prescriptions comply with the Medicines Ac
• Ensuring all prescriptions comply Misuse of Drugs Act where appropriate
• Final checking of prescriptions for accuracy prior to release
• Labelling and dispensing of medication as required
• Providing advice to patients on how to take their medicines and potential side effects
• Advice to Doctors, nurses and other professionals as required
• Order, receive and dispense controlled drugs in accordance with the Misuse of Drugs Act
• To develop competencies in designated specialty and deliver ward based clinical teaching to band 6/7 pharmacists & pre–registration pharmacists within the Trust
• Supervision of pre-registration graduates and junior pharmacist
• Comply with the legal and other requirements related to the purchase, supply, use safe custody and destruction of drugs within pharmacy and other areas of the hospital
• To assist medical staff in undertaking of such clinical trials as have been approved by the Ethical Committee and to arrange under the direction of senior members of staff of the Pharmacy department the necessary supplies and aspects of clinical trials protocol affecting the pharmaceutical service
• Asist in the development, implementation and monitoring of The Clinical Pharmacy Standards across the pharmacy department
• To act as a clinical tutor for pharmacists undertaking the Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy
• To assist the Deputy Chief Pharmacist - Clinical Services in the recruitment of staff including participation on interview panels
• To assist the department in the review of patient group direction
• Return unwanted or patients own Controlled drugs from the wards in accordance with the departmental policy and the Misuse of Drugs Act
• Assist in the delivery of pharmacist teaching of junior doctor
• Participate in the training of medical and nursing staff and other paramedical disciplines either within or external to the Trust
• Participate in individual performance review and the use of personal development plans including performing appraisals where appropriate
• To assist in the organisation and participate in the weekly clinical meetings and continuing professional development feedback sessions for the pharmacist
• To attend appropriate training courses for pharmacists and to encourage other staff to undertake further training
• To participate in Continuing Professional Development and Professional Revalidation as per department policy and national guidelines from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• To assist other pharmacists in ensuring that work carried out in the departments at St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals is performed in accordance with the recommendation contained in the Guide to Good Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practice and its supplements; and the safe systems of work documentation
• To comply with Health and Safety at Work legislation, COSSH Regulations, Data Protection Act and other appropriate legislation
• To participate in a rota which enables the department to provide a full 7 day service
• To participate in the on call, Saturday, Sunday , Bank Holiday and emergency duty rota
• To maintain the security of the in-patient and out-patient dispensaries especially whilst working alone (for example on call or whilst locking the department
• To participate in the department late night and locking up rota and ensure the safe custody of all pharmacy keys in your possession both on and off sit
• To undertake any other related duties which may be require
• Work closely with the Chief Pharmacist and Pharmacy Leadership Team to develop and implement the Trust’s Medicines Optimisation Strategy.
• Assist in the production of evidence based prescribing guidance . in your speciality
• To work closely with key Trust and PMAPC colleagues to organise effective horizon scanning to identify and manage future developments in medicines which will have impact within the Trust and local health economy

Qualifications

• Vocational master’s degree in pharmacy
• Post Graduate Diploma/MSc in Clinical Pharmacy
• 1 Year pre-registration training
• Membership of General Pharmaceutical Council
• Non-Medical prescribing qualification or working towards
• Demonstrate commitment to continuing professional development/education
• Membership of Royal Pharmaceutical Society(RPS)

Knowledge & Experience

• Demonstrate extensive experience of providing clinical pharmacy services to multiple specialities within an acute hospital
• In depth clinical Knowledge and experience of Management of patients within the specified department
• Experience of working in a busy dispensary environment
• Experience of drug reporting and financial management to directorates
• Demonstrable experience of clinical audit and practice research
• Leading and supervising audit or practice research projects
• Experience in using the Pharmacy Computer System
• Experience of electronic prescribing

Skills

• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills
• Ability to work alone or as part of a team in a challenging environment
• Good organisational skills including ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work under pressure

Our Values

• We are Kind
• We are Open
• We are Inclusive

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [e-mail]

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.

The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.

Certificate of Sponsorship

eVisa Update

eVisa Update
For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK.
Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account.
Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:

• Understand how to generate an eVisa share code

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.

Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.

If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

Flexible Working

We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:

• All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
• There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
• Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.

At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.

Working for Team MWL

Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.

You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated and will check all applications against AI detection software.