Deputy Chief Pharmacist – Operations and Governance

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Reading; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in England seeks an experienced Deputy Chief Pharmacist to lead operational pharmacy services. The role involves providing strategic leadership, overseeing pharmacy dispensary services, and ensuring effective governance. Suitable candidates will have operational leadership experience, governance knowledge, and a strong commitment to patient care. Benefits include flexible working options, generous annual leave, and excellent career development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave

Generous NHS pension scheme

Excellent learning and career development opportunities

Cycle to Work scheme

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Discounts at retailers and restaurants

Generous maternity and paternity leave

Free parking at Trust sites

Qualifications

• Experience in operational leadership in pharmacy services.
• Comprehensive knowledge of governance and medication safety.
• Proficiency in digital tools for pharmacy improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management of pharmacy services.
• Oversee pharmacy dispensary services for patients and staff.
• Ensure an effective governance structure for pharmacy services.

Skills

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 medicines optimisation

Supporting the Chief Pharmacist in service delivery

Liaising with internal and external stakeholders

Job description

Are you seeking a new and exciting leadership challenge in pharmacy?

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.

As Deputy Chief Pharmacist You Will

• 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.

Skills

• 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 they will drive 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 will work 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.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our Values At Berkshire Healthcare Are

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

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• 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

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Michelle Jones | Job title: Executive Business Assistant | Email address: [e-mail] | Telephone number: 01344 944016