Lead Pharmacist Inpatient and Urgent Care - East Sussex

NHS; Hastings; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare trust in the UK is seeking a highly committed Lead Pharmacist (Mental Health) to join their Medicines Management Team. The role is primarily based in Hastings and involves offering advice on complex medicines, providing direct patient care, and developing leadership skills in a supportive team environment. Ideal candidates should have relevant qualifications and experience in mental health services, and are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to make a significant impact in patient care.

Benefits

Access to psychological support

Flexible working opportunities

Generous holiday entitlement

Excellent NHS Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Demonstrable evidence of meeting the gateway KSF for Specialist Pharmacist.
• Significant experience in hospital pharmacy post qualification.
• Experience in providing Medicines Information queries.

Responsibilities

• Offer advice on complex medicines queries.
• Deliver direct patient care in mental health.
• Support the urgent care and inpatient services.

Skills

Excellent clinical pharmacy skills

Mental health experience

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Ability to work on own initiative

Education

Degree in Pharmacy

Clinical Pharmacy postgraduate qualification

Registered Member of General Pharmaceutical Council

Job description

Job Summary

Are you a caring, engaging and innovative pharmacist? If so, you could be well suited to this role.

We are looking to recruit a highly committed band 8a Lead Pharmacist (Mental Health) to be part of the Trust Medicines Management Team working with our urgent care and inpatient services in East Sussex. This post will be based in Hastings to cover urgent care services and providing clinical cover to outlying units like Amberstone and Beechwood.

You will be offering advice on complex medicines queries along with delivering direct patient care, with the opportunity to become a qualified prescriber embedded within the team.

We are looking to recruit a pharmacist with mental health experience who is looking to develop their leadership skills.

This post is subject to an enhanced check with adults barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

Main Duties of the Job

This post presents a great opportunity for an experienced pharmacist motivated by the desire to provide excellent patient care to support the urgent care and inpatient services. You will be working with Specialist Pharmacists, Technicians and Assistants to provide this service.

The role demands an organised, flexible individual with excellent communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to work on their own initiative.

The team provides a well-structured support system, access to professional training, and excellent opportunity for professional development.

There is no dispensary commitment with this role.

About Us

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest mental health trusts in the UK. We focus on the wellbeing of our patients and staff, and we are committed to reducing health risks for mental health patients. Our reward packages reflect the immensely important work we do.

We are a friendly and committed pharmacy team, keen to support the wellbeing of our patients and each other.

Benefits

• Access to full psychological support, the wellbeing team
• Excellent supervision programmes.
• Flexible working opportunities
• Access to a host of discount schemes (including gyms, shopping, restaurants and cars)
• A position within a trust rated as Outstanding for caring and Good overall by the CQC
• Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays) pro rata
• Excellent NHS Pension Scheme

Job Details

• Date posted: 17 December 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: 8a
• Salary: £55,690 to £62,682 a year pro rata for part time
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Job share, Flexible working
• Reference number: 354-CO-21752-A
• Job location: Cavendish House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3AA

Responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification. If you have any queries please feel free to contact to discuss further, we would be more than happy to chat through the particulars of the role.

Person Specification – Qualifications

• Degree in Pharmacy at a British School of Pharmacy, or recognised equivalent
• Clinical Pharmacy postgraduate qualification (e.g. certificate or diploma)
• Registered Member of General Pharmaceutical Council.

Person Specification – Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Demonstrable evidence of having met the full gateway KSF for 7 Specialist Pharmacist
• Experience of working with different healthcare professions and managers across the wider healthcare economy
• Understand the key stakeholders the post is likely to support and how they will be expected to support them
• Demonstrable expertise in highly relevant field of pharmacy specialism
• Significant experience of working within a hospital pharmacy department post qualification, including experience in mental health service provision
• Experience of working with working age mental health services
• Excellent clinical pharmacy skills with particular emphasis on medicines used in mental health
• Experience in providing both written and verbal information on drug usage
• Experience in carrying out Medicines Information queries, providing both verbal and written specialist advice

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous convictions.

Skilled Worker Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers requiring current skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here: Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

• Employer name: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Address: Cavendish House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3AA
• Website: https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/