Deputy Chief Pharmacist - RSCH & PRH

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279); Brighton; On-site; GBP 91,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in Brighton is seeking a Deputy Chief Pharmacist to lead and develop innovative pharmacy services. You will play a key role in optimizing medicines, ensuring safety, and fostering an inclusive team. The ideal candidate should have a Master's degree in Pharmacy, experience in clinical leadership, and a proven track record in managing teams. This position offers a competitive salary and a dynamic environment within the NHS, focusing on both patient care and staff development.

Qualifications

• Registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Experience of leading and managing a large team in an acute hospital setting.
• Evidence of commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Responsibilities

• Act as the site’s expert in medicines optimisation.
• Deputise for the chief pharmacist to provide leadership.
• Ensure pharmacy services are patient-centred and safe.

Skills

Leadership in pharmacy practice

Medicines optimisation

Clinical leadership

Team management

Audit and service evaluation

Education

Master's degree in Pharmacy

Post-graduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy practice

Leadership or Management qualification at Diploma or Masters level

Job description

Go back University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Deputy Chief Pharmacist - RSCH & PRH

The closing date is 08 February 2026

As Deputy Chief Pharmacist, you will play a pivotal role in leading, developing, and delivering safe, effective, and innovative pharmacy services across our hospitals. Working closely with the chief pharmacist and pharmacy board, you'll help drive our new trust strategy in matters related to medicines optimisation, support national priorities, and ensure regulatory compliance.

You’ll lead a diverse team of pharmacy professionals across multiple sites, fostering a culture of inclusion, learning, and excellence. You will also drive innovation and create a culture of continuous improvement. The role involves deputising for the chief pharmacist in representing pharmacy within senior trust and regional networks when needed -- influencing policy, service design, and quality improvement.

This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary pharmacy leader who thrives on strategic challenges and wants to make a lasting impact on patient care.

Main duties of the job

• Act as the sites' expert in medicines optimisation, with delegated responsibility from the chief pharmacist.
• Deputise for the chief pharmacist to provide strategic and professional leadership for medicines optimisation services across the trust and to external customers.
• Ensure pharmacy services are patient-centred, safe, progressive, cost-effective, and delivered within agreed budgets by competent staff.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in pharmacy services, embedding quality improvement and R&I principles.
• Lead and manage strategic project planning for pharmacy services, assessing resource requirements and potential impact across the trust.
• Positively influence stakeholders to achieve high standards in medicines optimisation across the organisation.
• Lead on business planning, formulating cases of need and submitting bids for procurement of additional resources based on evaluation, research, quotations and established contracts.
• Appraise and evaluate service delivery and role development.
• Represent the pharmacy department at trust committees and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, such as other NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).
• Delegated management of allocated pharmacy budget for RSCH and PRH pharmacy.
• Member of pharmacy board.

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

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

• Act as the sites' expert in medicines optimisation, with delegated responsibility from the chief pharmacist.
• Deputise for the chief pharmacist to provide strategic and professional leadership for medicines optimisation services across the trust and to external customers.
• Ensure pharmacy services are patient-centred, safe, progressive, cost-effective, and delivered within agreed budgets by competent staff.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in pharmacy services, embedding quality improvement and R&I principles.
• Provide professional leadership and development support to all pharmacy staff.
• Maintain responsibility for audit, research, and service evaluation activities related to medicines optimisation across their sites.
• Lead and manage strategic project planning for pharmacy services, assessing resource requirements and potential impact across the trust.
• Positively influence stakeholders to achieve high standards in medicines optimisation across the organisation.
• Lead on business planning, formulating cases of need and submitting bids for procurement of additional resources based on evaluation, research, quotations and established contracts.
• Appraise and evaluate service delivery and role development.
• Represent the pharmacy department at trust committees and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, such as other NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).
• Delegated management of allocated pharmacy budget for RSCH and PRH pharmacy.
• Member of pharmacy board.

Shortlisting

• Registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
• Master's degree in Pharmacy or equivalent (earlier BSC or BPharm).
• Post‑graduate qualification relevant to hospital pharmacy practice.
• Leadership or Management qualification relevant to the NHS at Diploma or Masters level or substantial senior management experience and success in previous roles.
• Clinical leadership in an acute hospital setting.
• Experience of leading and managing a large team in an acute hospital setting.
• Evidence of commitment to CPD.
• Track record of high performance.
• Responsible Person (RP) qualified as per Good Distribution Practice (GDP) principles.
• Experience with wholesale dealer's authorisations and MHRA inspections.
• Experience with other regulatory bodies such as GphC and CQC.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

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

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)

£91,342 to £105,337 a yearPer annum pro rata