Chief Pharmacist

NHS; Worthing; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Chief Pharmacist to lead its pharmacy services across a large acute Trust. The role includes overseeing compliance, optimising patient safety, and driving innovation within pharmacy operations. Ideal candidates are expected to have significant leadership experience and a strong understanding of NHS guidelines. This position offers a unique opportunity for impact within a collaborative healthcare environment, making it an ideal choice for those looking to advance their careers.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Wellbeing programme for staff

Diversity networks

Qualifications

• Registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Evidence of continuous professional development in Clinical Leadership.
• Extensive senior-level pharmacy leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead pharmacy services ensuring compliance and optimising patient safety.
• Manage a programme of transformation to develop positive team culture.
• Drive change and improvement in pharmacy services across multiple sites.

Skills

Strong oral and written communication skills

Analytical skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Knowledge of NHS policy

Financial management

Education

Masters level degree in Pharmacy

Leadership or Management qualification relevant to the NHS

Tools

IT systems (Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint)

Job description

Go back University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Chief Pharmacist

The closing date is 13 July 2025

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Chief Pharmacist to lead our pharmacy services. This is an exciting leadership role in a large acute hospital Trust with four main sites and several satellite campuses including:

Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton

Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Health

Worthing Hospital, Worthing

Interviews are scheduled in person on 8th August 2025

Stakeholder presentation is scheduled via teams on 29th July 2025

Main duties of the job

The role offers an excellent opportunity to join a Trust committed to improvement through our Patient First improvement methodology and to further strengthen our pharmacy services ensuring alignment with our clinical divisions. The Trust already has robots at three of our hospital sites and ensuring that we continue to embrace technology and innovation will be a key part of the role.

The Chief Pharmacist will provide proactive and engaging leadership ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation and standards. They will also lead work related to medicines optimisation, patient safety, quality assurance, risk management and pharmacy efficiency.

If this sounds like you, please get in touch with:

Dr John Laurie - Chief of Service, Clinical Support Services Division - [e-mail] or;

Professor Catherine Urch - Chief Medical Officer - [e-mail]

About us

At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme,for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop.We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.

Job responsibilities

Demonstrating a real passion for service improvement, our new Chief Pharmacist will manage a programme of transformation ensuring that we develop a positive team culture with a shared sense of purpose and vision across all sites.

To succeed in the role, you are likely to be a Deputy Chief Pharmacist or Chief Pharmacist looking to further develop your career in one of the largest hospital Trusts in the Southeast. You will role model a transformational and inclusive leadership style and be ready to drive change and improvement at scale for the benefit of our staff and patients.

For full details regarding role and responsibilities, please refer to the attached document

Person Specification

Experience & Qualifications

• Masters level degree in Pharmacy or equivalent.
• Registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council. Membership of the RPSGB
• Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development Clinical Leadership
• Extensive senior level pharmacy leadership and managerial experience within an acute NHS Trust (or comparatively large and complex multi-disciplinary organisation).
• Significant recent experience in organising and managing clinical, technical and patient pharmacy services Significant experience of delivering advanced level clinical pharmacy services to a specialist area
• Evidence of undertaking clinical audit and contributing to research programmes / studies and quality improvement.
• A strong understanding of, and experience of managing and responding to, Medicine Guidance Notes, MHRA Alerts, NHS Improvement, PSIRF investigations, etc.
• A strong understanding of the EU Clinical Trial Directive, Good Manufacturing Practice and other relevant guidance.
• A strong understanding of clinical / risk management guidance as it is applied to Medicines Optimisation, including legal / coroners' context.
• Research Methodology Training Leadership or Management qualification relevant to the NHS at Diploma or Masters level
• Post-graduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy practice.
• Significant and recent senior experience (within the last 5 years) as either a Chief Pharmacist in a teaching hospital or a district general hospital or a Deputy Chief Pharmacist in a teaching hospital.

Skills

• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, complex information to others
• Gain co-operation and/or agreement from others by negotiation and persuasion
• Ability to interpret complex information and to take appropriate action or provide expert advice as a result
• Communicate sensitively distressing information to staff or patients and staff Strong analytical and judgemental skills
• Ability to interpret complex occurrences, such as critical incidents or service complaints, and take appropriate action or provide expert advice as a result
• Think strategically, develop vision and convey this vision to others
• Significant recent experience of planning and improving quality of pharmacy services provided
• Extensive knowledge of governance systems, clinical governance and risk management
• A strong understanding of national NHS policy and strategy as it relates to pharmacy staff and broader clinical workforce, as well as current professional challenges.
• Significant experience in business planning and constructing business cases for service developments. Financial Management
• Experience of planning and making drug and staffing efficiencies
• Significant experience in setting and managing pay and non-pay budgets for pharmacy services.
• Significant experience in setting and managing pay and non-pay budgets for pharmacy services.
• Information and Communication Technology Working knowledge of IT systems, to include Excel, Access, Word and PowerPoint
• Able to take personal responsibility for complex decision making taken at speed taking into account the complexity of legal frameworks, clinical and technical issues and within acceptable frameworks.
• Experience of developing and implementing transformation programmes, including the management of service change, operational process improvement and cost reduction.
• A strong understanding of how UHSussex fits into the wider health and social care system.
• Experience working on national programmes or contributing to national policy development.
• Evidence of developing or implementing high profile initiatives underpinned by the national research and innovation agenda.

Equality Diversity & Inclusion

• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to 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.

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)