Deputy Chief Pharmacist – Operations and Governance

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust; Reading; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in Reading seeks a Deputy Chief Pharmacist to deliver strategic leadership and governance for pharmacy services. The ideal candidate will have substantial post-registration experience, expertise in medicines optimisation, and strong abilities in influencing complex organizations. This role is vital for ensuring efficient pharmacy operations, managing staff, and promoting high-quality patient care within the Trust. Excellent career development opportunities offered, alongside a range of benefits including flexible working options and professional development support.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave

Excellent learning and career development opportunities

'Cycle to Work' scheme

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Staff discounts

Qualifications

• Registered UK pharmacist with substantial post registration experience in clinical specialties.
• Expertise in medicines optimisation and NHS governance frameworks.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills with ability to influence.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management of pharmacy services across the Trust.
• Oversee pharmacy dispensary services and governance structures.
• Manage and develop pharmacy staff including recruitment and training.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Clinical auditing

Interpersonal communication

Budget management

Education

Good BPharm/MPharm/BSc Pharmacy or equivalent

Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Postgraduate diploma in clinical or psychiatric pharmacy

Masters (MSc) in clinical pharmacy or leadership equivalent

Job description

Deputy Chief Pharmacist – Operations and Governance

Are youseekinga new and exciting leadership challenge in pharmacy?

Do you want to join a team committed to deliveringcutting-edgepharmacy services and practices with high end-user satisfaction?We are looking for an experiencedDeputy Chief Pharmacistto join our forward-thinking Trust. We've 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 asa great placeto work.

AsDeputy Chief Pharmacistyou 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.

Ifyou'repassionate about patient care and staff development,we'dlove to welcome you to our team.

Main duties of the job

The role requires a highly competent pharmacist with broad experience and expert clinical, leadership and managerial skills tobe accountable for:

• Operations including Dispensary, Procurement, Stores and Clinical Trials
• Governance, including Medicines Information, formulary,auditand medication safety
• Informatics, includingePMA, digital innovation, and transformation

Providingprofessional 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.

Supportingthe 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.

About us

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
• 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

Job responsibilities

Theideal candidate will:

• Be a registered UK pharmacist withsubstantial post registration experience.This should include pharmacy practice in a wide range of clinical specialities.
• HaveMental health pharmacy experience/providing medicines information to mental health patients.
• Expertisein medicines optimisation, budget management, and NHS governance frameworks.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and interpersonal skills with ability to influence across complex organisations.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet thecriteria in theperson specificationand write about thispoint-by-pointin your supporting statementfor the best chance of being shortlisted.

Werecommitted to equal opportunitiesand welcomeapplications fromall sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected inour accreditations:Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award.Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Pleasedonthesitate tocontact ToluOlusoga, Medical Director, by emailing:[e-mail] delighted to help.

We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups.

Please note, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so pleasesubmityour application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Good BPharm/MPharm/BSc Pharmacy or equivalent
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Postgraduate diploma in clinical or psychiatric pharmacy or equivalent
• Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
• Member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP)
• Masters (MSc) in clinical pharmacy or leadership equivalent
• Other postgraduate qualifications relevant to pharmacy practice, such as management or education and training qualifications

Continuous Professional Development

• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Previous Experience

• Substantial post registration experience as a practising pharmacist. This should include pharmacy practice in a wide range of clinical specialities
• Substantial hospital and clinical pharmacy experience
• Mental health pharmacy experience/providing medicines information to mental health patients
• Experience of delivering and developing teaching/training/ education up to and including post-graduate level
• Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit
• Demonstrable experience formulating long-term strategic plans for the effective development of Pharmacy Services
• Demonstrable experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of Pharmacy to achieve across Trust developments
• Demonstrable experience of managing, developing and mentoring a large number of staff/teams
• Experience in budget management/financial procedures
• Experience in policy/procedure writing and implementation
• Demonstrable track record of driving and implementing change

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal communication and reporting skills, verbal and written (tact, empathy, negotiation, diplomacy)
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills including: email, word processing, spreadsheets, databases
• Proven negotiation/clinical reasoning skills
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines
• Self-motivated

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.