Chief Pharmacist

West London NHS Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 119,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

West London NHS Trust seeks an experienced Chief Pharmacist to lead pharmacy services, medicines optimisation and medicines governance across the Trust, shaping strategic direction and championing high-quality patient care.

Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, you will lead around 100 pharmacy staff, drive service improvements, manage significant budgets, and act as the Trust's Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer, ensuring compliance with legislation and national standards while

Qualifications

• Must hold a 4 year Masters in Pharmacy with pre-registration training.
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
• Postgraduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy clinical practice.
• Management qualification relevant to the NHS or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development (CPD).
• Recognised training in education or professional tutoring.
• RPS Faculty accreditation and active engagement with professional standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and professional leadership for all pharmacy services across the Trust.
• Accountable for medicines optimisation, medicines governance, and controlled drugs management.
• Lead financial and workforce planning, ensuring compliance with legislation and national standards.
• Drive service improvement, quality improvement and research across the Trust and wider health system.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Budgeting & financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Education

4 year Masters in Pharmacy + pre-registration

GPhC registration

RPS member

Postgraduate hospital pharmacy qualification

NHS management qualification

CPD commitment

Education/tutoring training

RPS Faculty accreditation

Job description

We are looking for an experienced and visionary Chief Pharmacist to lead pharmacy services, medicines optimisation and medicines governance across West London NHS Trust. This senior leadership role offers the opportunity to shape strategic direction, champion high-quality patient care and support the continued development of services across a diverse organisation delivering mental health, community and specialist care.

Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, you will lead a team of around 100 pharmacy staff, drive strategic developments across the Trust and wider health system, and act as the Trust's Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer.

This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished pharmacy leader to have a significant impact on service quality, workforce development and the future delivery of pharmacy services.

Main duties of the job

As Chief Pharmacist, you will provide strategic and professional leadership for all pharmacy services across the Trust. You will be accountable for medicines optimisation, medicines governance, controlled drugs management, financial and workforce leadership, and compliance with relevant legislation and national standards.

Working closely with executive colleagues, Integrated Care Board partners and external stakeholders, you will lead service improvement, quality improvement and research initiatives, ensure the safe and effective use of medicines, manage significant budgets and resources, and contribute to the development of pharmacy services.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• 4 year vocational Masters Degree in Pharmacy + pre-registration training
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Postgraduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy clinical practice
• Management qualification relevant to the NHS or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development
• Recognised training in education or professional tutoring.
• RPS Faculty accreditation

Experience

• Considerable post registration experience in hospital pharmacy or equivalent relevant area of practice
• Significant experience as a Chief Pharmacist or equivalent
• Management of risk with respect to the clinical use of medicines
• Record of achieving results against set targets
• Experience in budget setting and management
• Business planning with project and financial management
• Experience of managing teams
• Experience of working with other senior healthcare professionals outside of pharmacy to achieve trust wide initiatives.
• Experience of working across organisations and systems
• Experience of disciplinary and other HR matters and be able to impart results from them to staff in an appropriate and considered manner

Knowledge

• Knowledge of all regulations and legislation relevant to pharmacy and medicines optimisation
• Knowledge of the requirements of national organisations involved with pharmacy and medicines optimisation
• Extensive knowledge of financial reporting, analysis and budgetary management

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.

£118,919 to £135,920 a yearper annum inclusive