Deputy Chief Pharmacist

BERKSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Reading; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is seeking an experienced Deputy Chief Pharmacist to join their team. This role involves strategic leadership of pharmacy services, ensuring operational efficiency and effective governance. The candidate must be a registered pharmacist with substantial clinical experience, particularly in mental health. The position offers a supportive work environment with a strong focus on quality care and patient satisfaction, alongside flexible working options and excellent career development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave

Generous NHS pension scheme

Learning and career development opportunities

'Cycle to Work' scheme

Wellbeing tools and services

Retail discounts

Supportive staff networks

Generous special leave

Free parking

Qualifications

• Substantial post-registration experience in a variety of clinical specialties.
• Experience providing medicines information to mental health patients.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to influence across organizations.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management for pharmacy services across the Trust.
• Oversee pharmacy dispensary services ensuring efficiency.
• Manage and develop pharmacy staff, focusing on training and performance.

Skills

Mental-health pharmacy expertise

Budget management

Strategic analytical skills

Education

Registered UK pharmacist

Job description

Do you want to join a team committed to delivering cutting‑edge pharmacy services and practices with high end-user satisfaction? We are looking for an experienced Deputy Chief Pharmacist to join our forward‑thinking Trust. We have a quality‑improvement culture—\"better never stops\" is at the heart of everything we do. Berkshire Healthcare is a CQC Outstanding trust, a Global Digital Exemplar, and a leading provider of community and mental health services. We are proud to be one of only eight trusts nominated as an Advanced Trust, ranked third nationally among Mental Health and Community Trusts, and the highest‑scoring community and mental health trust for staff recommending their organisation as a great place to work.

Role responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership, expertise, and management of operational, governance, and informatics pharmacy services across the Trust.
• Oversee effective and efficient pharmacy dispensary services for patients and staff.
• Ensure an effective governance structure for pharmacy services, including reporting and assurance to relevant committees and the Board.
• Promote cost‑effective distribution and use of medicines.
• Manage and develop pharmacy staff, including recruitment, performance management, and training.

If you're passionate about patient care and staff development, we'd love to welcome you to our team.

Accountability & Key Responsibilities

• Operations including dispensary, procurement, stores and clinical trials.
• Governance, including medicines information, formulary, audit and medication safety.
• Informatics, including ePMA, digital innovation, and transformation.
• Providing professional leadership and advice on all matters associated with medicines optimisation and leading service improvement and efficiencies through increased use of technology and data analysis to inform and drive service improvement, enabling best and most efficient use of resources.
• Supporting the Chief Pharmacist in the delivery of the vision and priorities for the pharmacy department and working alongside other managers within the pharmacy department to ensure patient‑centred services are provided by a competent and versatile pharmacy workforce.
• Abide by the General Pharmaceutical Council's Code of Ethics.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, including commissioners, regional pharmacy services, and professional networks.

Qualifications

• Be a registered UK pharmacist with substantial post‑registration experience, including pharmacy practice in a wide range of clinical specialties.
• Have mental‑health pharmacy experience, including providing medicines information to mental‑health patients.
• Expertise in medicines optimisation, budget management, and NHS governance frameworks.
• Strong strategic, analytical and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence across complex organisations.

At Berkshire Healthcare, we foster an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs.

We welcome talent from all backgrounds and offer guaranteed interviews to disabled applicants and armed forces community members who meet the minimum criteria.

Watch our careers video to learn more.

Please note we may close positions before the advertised date. If you need help with your application, please contact us on [e-mail].

Once you have applied, please check your email regularly for updates. All appointments are subject to NHS Employment Checks, and false information may result in withdrawal of offers. For information on how we store your information, please review our privacy statement. No agencies, please.

Values

• Caring for and about you is our top priority.
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services.
• Working together with you to develop innovative solutions.

Benefits

• Flexible working options to support work‑life balance.
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell.
• Generous NHS pension scheme.
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities.
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles.
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services.
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants.
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality.
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave.
• Free parking across Trust sites.