Lead Clinical Pharmacist

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust; Dartford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in mental health is looking for an enthusiastic Clinical Pharmacist to join their team in Dartford. This role involves providing expert medication management and supporting children and young people within community settings. Candidates should hold a Master's Degree in Pharmacy and have a minimum of two years in mental health services. The position offers opportunities for professional development and a commitment to patient-centered care, alongside a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Flexible work-life balance

Support for postgraduate qualifications

Qualifications

• Must have independent prescribing qualification or working towards one.
• At least 5 years of post-graduate experience.
• 2 years' experience working in Mental Health services.

Responsibilities

• Lead medication-related care aspects within CYPMHS.
• Provide expert medicines information and support.
• Contribute to the development of clinical guidelines.

Skills

Good written and verbal communication skills

High level of analytical skills

IT skills - word-processing, PowerPoint, Excel

Confident and assertive

High level of interpersonal skills

Education

Master's Degree in Pharmacy

Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Pharmacy

Job description

We are seeking an enthusiastic, motivated, and committed Clinical Pharmacist to join the Kent and Medway Children and Young People's Mental Health Service (CYPMHS).

This is an exciting opportunity for a pharmacist looking for an innovative clinical role at the forefront of patient-centred care within the community, offering excellent opportunities for professional development and a good work-life balance.

In this role, you will work closely with a multidisciplinary team, supporting children and young people within community settings and, occasionally, in inpatient units across the Trust. This position offers significant scope for professional growth and advanced clinical practice.

The successful candidate should hold (or be working towards) an independent prescribing qualification, have a postgraduate qualification in pharmacy, and possess experience in mental health. Ongoing training and clinical supervision will be provided by the Consultant Pharmacist and Consultant Psychiatrists. You will also be supported by a Pharmacy Technician and the wider Trust Pharmacy Team, including community lead pharmacists.

Our pharmacists benefit from numerous professional development opportunities, including support for postgraduate mental health pharmacy qualifications and NHS leadership programmes.

The base for this post is the Kent and Medway CYPMHS in Dartford, with periodic travel to other sites across Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.

Main duties of the job

The purpose of this role is to lead the medication-related aspects of care within CYPMHS. This includes providing expert medicines information, delivering education and training, and offering both group and one‑to‑one support for children and young people. You will also contribute to the development of clinical guidelines and protocols, and work closely with Consultant Psychiatrists and Non‑Medical Prescribers to promote safe, effective, and cost‑efficient prescribing.

Key responsibilities include:

Providing a high‑quality clinical pharmacy service within CYPMHS, optimising patient outcomes, enhancing patient experience, and supporting care pathways across Kent and Medway in partnership with wider healthcare providers.Contributing to improved health outcomes by taking a holistic approach to care and ensuring the safe, effective use of medicines within CYPMHS.Engaging directly with children, young people, and their families, ensuring that their views inform decisions about their care

If this sounds like the opportunity you've been waiting for, come and join our diverse and compassionate team, committed to delivering excellent care and support for children, young people, and their families.

About us

We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.

Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.

Job responsibilities

The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

• Promoting improvements in the quality, safety, and cost‑effectiveness of medicines use, and supporting holistic management of clinical conditions across CYPMHS.
• Line‑managing Pharmacy Technicians within CYPMHS.
• Participating in the clinical pharmacist on‑call rota.

Please refer to the attached job description for full details and main responsibilities of the role.

What is High Cost Area Allowance?The High‑Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.

As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.

As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month. 5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,258 and a maximum payment of £2,121. (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly).

We are serious about diversity and inclusion, and we are working hard to build this into our DNA. We warmly welcome applications for any of our roles from people from diverse backgrounds, and we are proactively encouraging applications from under‑represented communities for our more senior roles, like this one.

Person Specification

Qualification

• Master's Degree in Pharmacy
• Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council, with at least 5 year's post graduate experience
• Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent specialist knowledge, acquired through a broad spectrum of clinical pharmacy training and experience
• Non‑Medical Prescribing qualification or working towards this qualification
• Member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy

Experience

• 2 years' experience of working in Mental Health services
• Knowledge of Mental Health therapeutics
• An awareness of NHS Plan, National Service Framework (NSF), and clinical governance priorities
• Evidence of Education, training, performance management and development of staff
• Proven experience in managing change or developing and delivering pharmacy services
• Experience of leading undertaking clinical audits
• Experience of budget setting and management of drugs budgets
• Experience working in CYPMHS

Knowledge & Skills

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• High level of analytical skills and problem solving ability, to ensure that the post holder is able to provide advice on complex issues relating to medicine management and Trust policies.
• Knowledge and experience of Primary and Secondary Care working
• Confident and assertive when dealing with other professionals
• High level of Interpersonal skills, to ensure that the post holder is able to effectively exchange highly complex and sensitive information with patients and relatives, prescribers and senior managers
• IT skills - word-processing, PowerPoint, Excel, statistical package and internet use, so that the post holder can communicate effectively with other Health care professionals and for training purposes.
• Up to date knowledge of prescribing issues in Mental Health

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.

Kent and Medway Children and Young People's Mental Health Service, Dartford

Kent and Medway Children and Young People's Mental Health Service, Dartford