Lead Pharmacist - Biologics and Medicines Value

NHS; Reading; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS healthcare provider in Reading seeks a Lead Pharmacist for Biologics to enhance patient care through safe prescribing and monitoring of high-cost medicines. The role involves working closely with clinical teams, ensuring effective treatment transitions, and contributing to the governance of medicines value programs. Ideal candidates have significant clinical pharmacy experience and strong communication skills. This is an opportunity for professional development in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Benefits

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Significant post-registration clinical pharmacy experience at a specialist level.
• Experience in medicines optimisation and delivering cost-effective changes.
• Experience of direct patient counselling and decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Support safe patient care in prescribing and monitoring treatments.
• Contribute to governance and delivery of medicines value programme.
• Work with clinical teams to improve pathways and patient outcomes.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Autonomous work and complex workload management

Advanced data visualisation skills

Education

Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy

Current registered practising Member of GPhC

Advance Clinical Practitioner

Job description

Lead Pharmacist - Biologics and Medicines Value

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated pharmacist to join our newly established Biologics and Medicines Value team as a Lead Pharmacist for Biologics (Band 8a). This is a patient-facing role with a strong focus on prescribing and medicines optimisation, offering an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to patients through the safe and effective use of biologic and biosimilar medicines.

Working closely with patients and specialist clinical teams, you will use your prescribing skills to support the safe initiation, monitoring and switching of treatments, particularly in areas such as rheumatology, gastroenterology and oncology. The post will be embedded within clinical teams to deliver biosimilar switches, ensuring continuity of care and a positive patient experience.

Alongside this, you will contribute to the governance and delivery of the Trust's medicines value programme, helping to ensure that the use of high-cost medicines remains safe, effective and sustainable. You will also support service design and quality improvement projects, working with colleagues across the Trust and the wider system to improve pathways and outcomes for patients.

This role provides excellent opportunities for professional development, including developing leadership skills, leading patient-facing projects, and building expertise in biologics and high-cost medicines.

Main duties of the job

The Pharmacy Service at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to supporting patients, carers and staff in achieving safe, effective and person-centred use of medicines. Our focus is on ensuring that medicines are used optimally to deliver the best outcomes for patients while making the most effective use of NHS resources.

We do this by:

Providing clear, evidence-based information and education about medicines to healthcare professionals, patients and carers.

Delivering clinical pharmacy services that enable safe prescribing, administration and monitoring of medicines across inpatient and community settings.

Working in partnership with clinical teams and system partners to ensure that medicines are used in a way that is both clinically effective and financially sustainable.

About us

Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated 'Good'with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements. The Trust's overall rating has also improved to 'good'. This is a great opportunity to join our clinical or non-clinical teams to create a positive and motivating environment within our trust. Come and join our team in this exciting time of change as we pride ourselves, our staff and our services on excellence.

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is"Working together to provide outstanding care for our community."

We areCompassionate in our thoughts, words and actions

We areAspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate

We areResourceful and responsible in the way we work and live

We areExcellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice

Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don't you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.

Job responsibilities

For further information on the job role, please refer to the job description and Person specification attached.

This job description is not exhaustive and will be subject to periodic review in association with the post holder.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Current registered practising Member of GPhC
• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy
• Advance Clinical Practitioner

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to patients, clinical staff, and senior colleagues
• Ability to work autonomously and manage a complex workload, prioritising effectively to meet deadlines
• Advanced data visualisation or dashboard development skills

Experience

• Significant post-registration clinical pharmacy experience at a specialist level
• Demonstrable experience in medicines optimisation and delivering cost-effective changes within clinical practice
• Experience of direct patient counselling, education, and shared decision-making regarding complex therapies
• Experience in supervising, mentoring, or training junior pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, or other healthcare professionals
• Experience in contributing to the identification and implementation of medicines efficiencies
• Experience at a specialist level in relevant areas such as Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, or Dermatology
• Experience in the practical implementation of biosimilar switches or similar formulary/guideline changes
• Experience in analysing and interpreting prescribing data to inform practice
• Experience line managing other staff
• Experience of contributing to or developing clinical guidelines or protocols

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.