Lead Pharmacist - Medication Safety Officer

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

Job summary

An NHS Trust in Tees Valley is seeking an experienced Lead Pharmacist to serve as the Medication Safety Officer. This role involves leading initiatives to ensure safe medication practices, collaborating with health professionals, and supporting the wider NHS Patient Safety Strategy. Candidates must have a Masters in Pharmacy, relevant clinical qualifications, and significant leadership skills. The position offers a salary between £64,455 to £74,896, with full-time flexible working options.

Qualifications

• Registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Extensive experience as a senior clinical pharmacist.
• Experience of medication safety / clinical governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and oversight of quality and safety strategies.
• Manage safety projects and quality improvement initiatives.
• Support the Trust’s medication safety programme.

Skills

Leadership and management skills

Clinical skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Problem-solving and negotiation skills

Education

Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent

Relevant post graduate clinical qualification

Management training or equivalent experience

Job description

Lead Pharmacist - Medication Safety Officer

The closing date is 01 December 2025

Interview dates for this post will be 9th & 10th December 2025.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is committed to providing the highest quality of patient care. We are currently seeking an outstanding candidate to be our next Medication Safety Officer to support the safe use of medicines across our healthcare settings. You will work collaboratively with health professionals within the organisation to drive quality improvements in the safe use of medicines, promoting a culture of safety and adherence to regulatory standards. The ideal candidate will be able to work in conjunction with a number of key stakeholders and influence across professional boundaries. You will lead the pharmacy health informatics strategy and support best use of digital solutions for the best use of medicines. You will be a key member of the team embedding PSIRFT principles into practice, and lead the wider medication safety agenda through participation in the Trust medication safety committee. We welcome applications from pharmacists looking to build on their experience, skills and knowledge and actively support professional development opportunities within this role.

Main duties of the job

In this role you will lead the development, implementation and oversight of quality and safety strategies both within the pharmacy departments and across the wider organisation. You will link across regional and national boundaries to identify opportunities for improving safe medication practices and be a key member of the Pharmacy Leadership Team, providing professional expertise and leadership to all members of the department, Trust and wider health system. You will align your work to the NHS Patient Safety Strategy and NHS Digital transformation agenda. Working closely with the Chief Pharmacist, Medical Director and Director of Nursing, you will support the senior Trust leadership team to embed medicines safety within clinical systems, standard operating procedures and patient safety processes across the organisation.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre‑employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites – Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester‑Le‑Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community‑based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

For the most up‑to‑date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Job responsibilities

Reports to and is directly managed by the Chief Pharmacist as the Trust’s Medication Safety Officer, providing leadership and oversight for all medicines safety initiatives.

Leads the Trust’s medication safety programme, managing a portfolio of safety projects and quality improvement initiatives, including clinical audits, incident reviews, and risk reduction strategies, as agreed with the Chief Pharmacist.

Works closely with the Chief Pharmacist, Medical Director, Director of Nursing and other senior leaders to embed medicines safety within clinical systems, standard operating procedures, and patient safety processes across the organisation.

Collaborates with the Pharmacy leadership team and Patient Safety, Governance, and Digital Transformation teams to align medicines optimisation with workflows, data insights, and safety intelligence, ensuring continuous improvement.

Ensures that lessons learned from incident reporting, audit and research are analysed and applied to drive proactive risk management, policy development, and quality improvement initiatives across the Trust.

Represents the Trust in regional and national Medication Safety Officer Networks and contributes to NHS England patient safety programmes, sharing best practice and supporting national safety initiatives.

Acts as the key link between the Trust, the MHRA, and NHS England regarding medicines safety incidents, regulatory compliance, and the implementation of local and national guidance and alerts.

Contributes to the development and delivery of the Trust’s Pharmacy and Medicines Management Strategy and supports operational planning, ensuring services are safe, effective, and patient‑focused.

Provides line management to members of the Medication Safety and Health Informatics teams within the pharmacy department.

Offers specialist advice and guidance to staff across the department, the wider Trust, and the local health economy to promote the safe and effective use of medicines in all care settings.

Communicates complex medicines information and safety guidance to consultants, clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, patients, and carers to improve understanding, compliance, and patient outcomes.

Participates actively in key clinical and strategic committees, including the Trust Medication Safety Committee, contributing expertise and recommendations to support organisational decision‑making.

Special Requirements

• Able to build good relationships with colleagues
• Team player who delegates appropriately
• A problem solver with good negotiation and influencing skills
• Desire to develop clinical skills
• Able to prioritise own workload
• Able to travel across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post
• Excellent presentation skills

Statutory Registration

• Registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Experience

• Extensive experience as a senior clinical pharmacist
• Experience of medication safety / clinical governance
• Extensive experience of managing pharmacy services.
• Experience of developing good working relationships in multi‑professional teams
• Experience of leading and managing a team of staff
• Experience of Project Management / Change Management / Audit and Performance management
• Experience of service evaluation and development
• Experience of education and training provision
• Experience and knowledge of legislation relating to pharmacy practice
• Experience of providing HR support to a team
• Experience of practice research

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Good understanding of current pharmacy / NHS issues
• Demonstrable leadership and management skills
• Demonstrable clinical skills
• Ability to interpret complex data and present complex information
• Works well as part of a team
• Able to work as an autonomous practitioner in all areas of pharmacy practice
• Ability to deliver training
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Sound knowledge of MI resources
• Problem solver with good negotiation and influencing skills
• Able to build good relationships with colleagues
• Team player who delegates appropriately
• Key board skills, ability to use basic Microsoft office applications
• Proven ability to communicate effectively across professional boundaries
• Proven ability to influence others outside direct management control

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent
• Relevant post graduate clinical qualification (to at least diploma level)
• Management training or equivalent experience
• Evidence of CPD and education
• Management Qualification

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.

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full‑time, Flexible working, Compressed hours