Band 8a Specialist Pharmacist - Surgery and Theatres

National Health Service; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Specialist Pharmacist for Surgery and Theatres at Heartlands Hospital. You will lead the clinical pharmacy service across the surgical pathway, providing expert medicines guidance and driving safety and efficiency improvements.

You will influence medicines use, mentor staff, and contribute to service development across the MDT, with opportunities to advance independent prescribing and teaching within a fast-paced surgical

Qualifications

• Registered Pharmacist with GPhC
• Postgraduate clinical pharmacy qualification or equivalent
• Willingness to progress non‑medical prescribing
• Demonstrated leadership in a complex clinical environment

Responsibilities

• Lead the day‑to‑day clinical pharmacy service for surgery and theatres
• Provide expert, patient‑focused medicines advice across the surgical pathway
• Line manage and mentor pharmacy staff and students
• Lead service improvement, audits, guidelines and medicines safety initiatives
• Contribute to cost improvement plans and cross‑site collaboration

Skills

Clinical leadership

Communication

Mentoring/teaching

Professional development

Education

MPharm / Masters in Pharmacy

GPhC registration

Postgraduate clinical pharmacy qualification

Non-medical prescribing (NMP) towards qualification

Job description

Job summary

Are you ready to shape and lead a high-quality pharmacy service for surgery and theatres? We are looking for an enthusiastic and forward-thinking Specialist Pharmacist to join our team at University Hospitals Birmingham. This is an exciting opportunity to combine advanced clinical practice, leadership and service development in a fast-paced surgical environment. You will be the pharmacy lead for surgery and theatres at our Birmingham Heartlands Hospital site working closely with multidisciplinary colleagues and specialist pharmacy teams across UHB. You will have the scope to influence medicines optimisation, develop evidence-based practice and help design services that improve safety, outcomes and experience for surgical patients.

• A visible specialist role with real influence across surgery and theatres
• Opportunities to lead quality improvement, audit, research and service redesign
• Support to develop as an independent prescriber, where required
• The chance to teach, mentor and inspire pharmacy colleagues and the wider MDT
• A collaborative cross-site team committed to innovation and excellent patient care

Main duties of the job

Make a difference across the surgical pathway. As Specialist Pharmacist for Surgery and Theatres, you will lead the day-to-day clinical pharmacy service for the Birmingham Heartlands Hospital site and work collaboratively with specialist colleagues across UHB. You will provide expert, patient-focused advice, use advanced clinical reasoning and support safe, effective and cost-conscious use of medicines throughout the surgical pathway. Deliver and develop the specialist clinical pharmacy service to surgical wards and theatres and provide regular cross cover to critical care. Work as an active member of the multidisciplinary team, influencing medicines-related decisions and specialty plans. Lead service improvement, clinical audit, research, guideline development and medicines safety initiatives. Monitor medicines expenditure and contribute to cost improvement plans. Support seamless care across hospital, primary care and community pharmacy interfaces. Line manage, supervise, teach and mentor pharmacists, technicians, assistants, trainees and students. Role-model UHB's values by being Kind, Connected and Bold. We are looking for a motivated pharmacist with strong clinical judgement, excellent communication and a passion for improving surgical care. You will be confident working across professional boundaries, managing competing priorities and turning ideas into practical improvements.

About us

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.

Details

Date posted 15 October 2026

Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8a Salary 57,528 to 64,750 a year Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working Reference number 304-9019555

Job locations

Heartlands Hospital Bordesley Green E Birmingham West Midlands B9 5SS United Kingdom

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• Vocational Masters degree in pharmacy (or equivalent)
• Membership of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Has completed a postgraduate clinical pharmacy qualification or equivalent advanced practice.
• To be willing to work towards a non-medical prescribing qualification

Desirable

• Has completed a non-medical prescribing course and registered as an NMP with the GPhC
• Working towards Level I Faculty Membership with the RPS

Experience Essential

• Possesses relevant clinical knowledge in complex clinical pharmacy settings.
• Previous participation in multi-disciplinary team
• Demonstrates commitment and enthusiasm for providing high quality pharmaceutical care.
• Experience of teaching/presenting to other healthcare professionals/patients
• Commitment to own Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Desirable

• Experience in older people services

Additional Criteria Essential

• Able to demonstrate professional approach.
• Well-motivated and reliable
• Able to work with all grades and staff roles.
• Capacity to work calmly under pressure.
• Ability to travel across all Trust sites as required by job role

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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Address Heartlands Hospital Bordesley Green E Birmingham West Midlands B9 5SS United Kingdom Employer's website Employer details