Lead Pharmacist High-Cost Drugs and Homecare

NHS; Worthing; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in Worthing is seeking a Lead Pharmacist for High-Cost Drugs and Homecare. This role involves leading pharmacy services, managing contracts, and ensuring patient safety in line with national standards. The ideal candidate will possess a Master's degree in Pharmacy, extensive experience in hospital pharmacy, and strong leadership skills. Competitive salary range of £64,455 to £74,896 per annum, pro rata, is offered.

Benefits

Wellbeing Programme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Substantial post-registration hospital pharmacy experience.
• Proven ability to manage and develop staff.
• Experience implementing governance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-cost drugs and homecare pharmacy services.
• Manage contracts and service-level agreements.
• Ensure compliance with national and regulatory standards.

Skills

Pharmaceutical leadership

Staff management

Medicines governance

Service improvement

Financial management

Digital innovation

Education

Master's degree in Pharmacy

Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Pharmacy

Job description

Go back University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Lead Pharmacist High-Cost Drugs and Homecare

The closing date is 01 December 2025

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and forward-thinking pharmacist to lead and shape the delivery of high-cost medicines and homecare services across University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. The postholder will provide strategic, operational, and professional leadership to ensure that these services are safe, efficient, financially sustainable, and aligned with national standards and the Trust's Patient First values.

Working collaboratively with clinical teams, finance, procurement, and regional partners, the role will drive continuous improvement in medicines governance, commissioning processes, and patient access to complex therapies. The postholder will also play a key role in digital transformation, contract management, and service redesign—enhancing both patient safety and the quality of pharmaceutical care across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will lead and develop high-cost drugs and homecare pharmacy services across University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring safe, efficient, and patient-centred delivery in line with national standards. You will manage contracts and service-level agreements with homecare providers, oversee high-cost drug commissioning and recharging processes, and drive service improvement through digital innovation and process standardisation.

Working closely with clinical teams, finance, procurement, and regional partners, you will provide expert pharmaceutical leadership to enhance medicines governance, optimise resources, and support equitable patient access to specialist therapies. You will lead, mentor, and develop the homecare pharmacy team and deputise for the Lead Pharmacist for High Cost Drugs, Business, Homecare and Procurement as required.

About us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and 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, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and 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 and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

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.

The postholder will provide professional, and operational leadership for the Trust's High Cost Drugs and Homecare Pharmacy Services, ensuring they are delivered safely, efficiently, and in accordance with national standards and regulatory frameworks.

You will be responsible for the day-to-day management, governance, and development of homecare services across all Trust sites, ensuring medicines are procured, supplied, and monitored in a way that safeguards patients and delivers value for money. This includes leading service transformation to streamline processes, enhance automation and digital tools, and strengthen clinical and financial governance.

Key responsibilities

• Managing homecare provider contracts and service-level agreements, ensuring performance, quality assurance, and compliance with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Homecare Standards.
• Supporting commissioning and recharging processes for high-cost drugs, ensuring accurate data capture, validation, and reporting in collaboration with Finance and NHS England/ICB teams.
• Providing expert pharmaceutical advice to clinicians and service leads on the safe and effective use of high-cost and homecare medicines.
• Leading and developing the homecare pharmacy workforce, ensuring staff are supported, trained, and equipped to deliver high-quality services.
• Driving service improvement initiatives that reduce waste, increase treatment capacity, and enhance patient experience.
• Ensuring that incidents, complaints, and clinical risks within homecare and high-cost drug services are appropriately investigated, reported, and acted upon in line with Trust governance processes.
• Collaborating with regional homecare networks, suppliers, and commissioners to influence best practice and innovation.
• Deputising for the Lead Pharmacist for High Cost Drugs, Business, Homecare and Procurement where required, contributing to Trust-wide medicines efficiency, governance, and strategic planning.

This role has a direct and significant impact on service delivery and patient safety, ensuring continuity of treatment for thousands of patients who rely on homecare and high-cost medicines. The postholder will play a key role in ensuring that University Hospitals Sussex remains compliant, efficient, and at the forefront of safe, patient-focused pharmacy practice.

Shortlisting

• Master's degree in Pharmacy (MPharm or equivalent) and current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Substantial post-registration hospital pharmacy experience, including demonstrable impact in medicines optimisation, high-cost drugs, or homecare service delivery.
• Proven ability to manage, motivate, and develop staff; experience in workforce planning, recruitment, and performance management.
• Experience implementing governance frameworks, audits, and service improvement initiatives to enhance safety and efficiency.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, interpret complex financial data, and deliver efficiency savings or cost improvement programmes.
• Demonstrates alignment with Trust values and Patient First principles; evidence of professionalism, inclusion, and commitment to quality improvement.
• Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Pharmacy, Leadership, or Management.
• Experience contributing to regional or national homecare or high-cost drug networks or committees.
• Experience leading multi-site or cross-organisational pharmacy teams.
• Experience developing or implementing digital or automation solutions to improve medicines processes.
• Experience producing business cases, benchmarking data, or financial reports for senior leadership.
• Evidence of contribution to professional development, publications, or peer networks.

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)

£64,455 to £74,896 a yearPer annum pro rata