Advanced Specialist Pharmacist Critical Care

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Plymouth is looking for an Advanced Specialist Pharmacist to support Critical Care services. This role offers opportunities to advance your clinical skills in a multidisciplinary environment while contributing to patient outcomes. Candidates seeking progression from Band 7 to Band 8a will be considered with support. This permanent position offers flexible full-time hours and a salary range of £55,690 to £62,682 per annum.

Qualifications

• Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Non-medical prescriber (or must be willing to undertake this when requested).
• Demonstrable experience in a range of clinical specialties.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for strategic planning and delivery of clinical pharmacy services to patients in Critical Care.
• Support in developing, monitoring, and reporting on drug expenditure.
• Provide highly specialist clinical pharmacy care to patients in critical care areas.

Skills

Excellent proven knowledge of clinical pharmacy and drug use within Critical Care

Proven skills in leadership, communication, negotiating, persuasion and influencing

Proven knowledge of strategic care agendas

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Education

Master's Degree (or equivalent) in Pharmacy

Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate

Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma

Job description

Job Summary

Are you an enthusiastic, motivated, and dynamic Clinical Pharmacist with a passion for Critical Care? We have an exciting opportunity for one of two Advanced Specialist Pharmacists to provide expert clinical pharmacy input to our Critical Care Services.

This Role Is Perfect If You Are:

• Looking to develop your clinical skills within a well-respected, proactive multidisciplinary team
• Eager to manage and deliver a specialist clinical pharmacy service to Critical Care
• Interested in working towards credentialing for a consultant post while using your expertise as a non-medical prescriber across the Critical Care service line

If you\'re looking for a position where you will be supported, challenged, and valued—with opportunities to contribute to research, service development, and patient outcomes at the highest level—we would love to hear from you.

Candidates who meet the qualifications for this post but may not yet demonstrate the full proven knowledge or demonstrable experience required at Band 8a will still be considered for this role as a Band 7 to Band 8a progression opportunity. The successful candidate will receive the necessary support to achieve the required progression milestones and demonstrate the expected level of practice before progressing to an advanced specialist Band 8a role.

About Us

University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS is the largest hospital on the Southwest Peninsula providing comprehensive secondary & tertiary care to a population of around 2,000,000 people who can access our specialist services including cardiothoracic surgery, kidney transplantation, neurosurgery, & the regional trauma Centre. Our specialist cancer treatments include bone marrow transplant, sarcoma surgery and hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer surgery (not exhaustive). We work closely with our community partners delivering health & social care.

Our purpose-built 28-bed combined general and neuro intensive care unit admits over 1,600 patients each year. As an integral member of our multidisciplinary team, our Critical Care Pharmacists regularly use their non-medical prescribing (NMP) skills to make a real difference in patient care.

Over half of our ICU admissions are non-surgical, covering a broad range of specialities - from acute medicine, neurology, hepatology, and endocrinology to cardiology, haematology, renal, and respiratory medicine. Our ICNARC standardised mortality ratio is consistently below 1, and our last CQC inspection rated us Good. We\'re not just about clinical excellence - we\'re innovators. As active members of the South West Critical Care Network Pharmacy Group, we lead research and quality improvement projects, including our recent work on post-ICU discharge follow-up, showcased at the EAHP Conference in Copenhagen (March 2025).

Details

Date posted: 01 October 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £55,690 to £62,682 a year Per Annum

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number: 216-AH-C7442834

Job locations: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8DH

Job Description

Job responsibilities

• Responsible to the Associate Chief Pharmacist Clinical Services for strategic planning and delivery of clinical pharmacy services to patients within Critical Care.
• Support the Chief Pharmacist / Deputy Chief Pharmacist / Associate Chief Pharmacist and Care Group Lead Pharmacist in developing, monitoring and reporting on drug expenditure and medicines budget and the delivery of financial savings as part of the pharmacy cost improvement programme.
• Development, implementation and update of clinical pharmacy policy in conjunction with senior pharmacists within the clinical pharmacy team and Critical Care.
• Work as a member of the Clinical Pharmacy Team, Critical Care Service Lines and wider UHP pharmacy team.
• Monitor, review and report on medicines related incidents within Critical Care.
• Provide highly specialist clinical pharmacy care to patients in the Critical Care areas and related units.

Qualifications

Essential

• Master\'s Degree (or equivalent) in Pharmacy.
• Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Certificate.
• Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma
• Non-medical prescriber (or must be willing to undertake this when requested)

Desirable

• Current registration with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Member of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA)
• Active member of Critical Care Group within UKCPA or equivalent pharmacist specialist interest group
• Postgraduate leadership qualification
• Postgraduate qualification in speciality

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Excellent proven knowledge of clinical pharmacy and drug use within Critical Care
• Demonstrable experience in a range of clinical specialties
• Excellent proven knowledge of general clinical pharmacy and drug use
• Proven skills in leadership, communication, negotiating, persuasion and influencing
• Proven knowledge of strategic care agendas
• Proven understanding of NHS priorities and how to apply these locally
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to address highly complex issues
• Report writing skills
• Proven evidence of CPD
• Demonstrable experience of teaching, training and people development
• Demonstrable multidisciplinary working / ward round experience

Desirable

• Proven knowledge of treatment pathways and commissioning of therapies for drugs used in Critical Care
• Experience supporting hospital directorate or division management
• Senior pharmacy management experience within a recognised area of practice
• Experience designing and developing pharmacy services
• Experience presenting research
• Experience in diploma mentorship and/or pre-registration tutorship
• Experience in budget and staff management

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

• Good communication skills, written and verbal, with clarity and effectiveness at all levels.
• Time Management Skills

Desirable

• Demonstrate potential management ability
• Understanding of financial issues

Disclosures and Sponsorship

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A submission for Disclosure to the DBS will be required.

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers requiring UK Skilled Worker sponsorship will be considered. See the UK Visas and Immigration website for details.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. See NHS Careers for more information.

Additional information: This post may include other standard checks and requirements as part of the appointment process.