Lead Pharmacist, High-Cost Medicines and Homecare

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Watford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare institution in the UK is seeking a Lead Pharmacist to manage the Homecare and High-Cost Medicines team. The ideal candidate will possess a Master's Degree in Pharmacy, relevant experience in providing clinical pharmacy services, and excellent communication skills. This full-time role involves working closely with clinical teams and managing financial implications of high-cost medicines. A strong commitment to patient care and ability to work under pressure is essential.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Support for staff wellbeing and development

Qualifications

• Must have extensive pharmacy experience with diverse specialties.
• Experience with biologics and biosimilar medicines is essential.
• Able to manage and coordinate a homecare team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the High-Cost Medicines and Homecare team to ensure service delivery.
• Work closely with clinical teams and provide expert advice.
• Involve in financial management related to high-cost medicines.

Skills

Expert clinical knowledge and skills

Organizational skills

Ability to work under pressure

Critical appraisal skills

Education

Master's Degree in Pharmacy

Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy

Tools

Spreadsheets

Word processing software

Job description

Band 8a - Lead Pharmacist, High-Cost Medicines and Homecare

The closing date is 27 January 2026

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals is looking for a highly motivated and driven pharmacist with excellent clinical and communication skills to lead our growing Homecare and High‑Cost Medicines team.

This role has been created to better enhance service delivery in line with the Trust commitment for service innovation and investment.

Your role will be key in ensuring high quality and cost‑effective high‑cost medicines are provided via Home­care delivery services to patients as part of the medicines optimisation strategy in close collaboration with the clinical teams, NHS England and ICB.

This is a full‑time vacancy, for 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday, shifts covering between 8:45 am to 5:15 pm.

The post holder will be expected to participate in weekend/bank holiday and late duty rotas in the dispensary.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a pharmacist with significant hospital experience, ideally with a knowledge and understanding of biologic medicines.

You will need excellent organisational skills and be able to work under pressure to provide a high quality, safe and efficient service to our patients.

You must be able to work alone and as a part of the team and will manage the homecare team.

You will be required to work closely with the Trust Finance team and the ICB to ensure medicines are appropriately invoiced and provide expert high‑cost and home‑care service information to the chief pharmacist and senior management to support departmental operational service development and planning.

The role also includes a clinical and operational commitment to maintain a working knowledge of Trust and national processes.

About us

With a new hospital planned for Watford and work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award‑winning virtual hospital and re‑imagining models of care, working ever more closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority at our Trust, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others. We offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance. www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/flexibleworking If you have a disability or long‑term health condition and should you require support or guidance please [e-mail] If you are a Service Leaver, Veteran, Military Reserve, Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, or partner/spouse of those serving please tick "Member of the Armed Forces Community" on the application form. We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for a full list of duties and details about the role.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Pharmacy (or equivalent).
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent Post graduate qualification.
• IT skills required - ability to use email, spreadsheets and basic Word processing as a minimum.
• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
• Membership of a Clinical Pharmacy organisation.

Knowledge:

• Expert clinical knowledge and skills relevant to area of practice.
• In depth therapeutic and clinical knowledge and understanding of the principles of evidence‑based healthcare.
• Up to date knowledge of national pharmacy issues and medicines legislation.
• Critical appraisal skills.
• NHS organisational structure.
• Understanding of financial implications of high‑cost medicine use.
• Prior experience in use of biologics and biosimilar medicines.

Experience:

• Extensive relevant Pharmacy experience, including providing a clinical pharmacy service to a variety of specialties and dealing with clinical service interface issues.
• Experience of working on biologics switching to biosimilar medicines.
• Experience of high‑cost medicines and funding applications.

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.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust