Principal Pharmacist - Medicines Efficiency | Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Frimley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider is looking for a Clinical Pharmacist to lead the Medicines Efficiency Team. The successful candidate will oversee the implementation of medicines optimisation projects and deliver cost-effective solutions in collaboration with stakeholders. Responsibilities include managing pharmacy resources, producing savings forecasts, and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations. This role offers significant rewards for a driven individual with strong leadership and project management skills. Apply before Monday, 29 Dec 2025.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing pharmacy teams and delivering projects.
• Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders effectively.
• Knowledge of medicines optimisation principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Medicines Efficiency Team supporting strategic pharmacy initiatives.
• Oversee implementation of medicines optimisation projects.
• Ensure compliance with financial and operational targets.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Medicines optimisation

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Education

Pharmacy degree

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, enthusiastic and motivated clinical pharmacist to work with the Chief Pharmacist and Project Management Office in the Principal Pharmacist -Medicines Efficiency role.

This newly created post as lead for the Medicines Efficiency Team will support the Trust Pharmacy department, clinicians and PMO team in delivering biosimilars switch and medicines efficiency programme, delivering cost‑effective switches and ensuring best value in the use of high‑cost medicines, particularly biologics and biosimilars. You will be expected to work across the Frimley Health Trust sites.

You will be expected to contribute to the strategic development of the department, both within the Trust and within the wider Integrated Care System.

Responsibilities

• Support the Trust Pharmacy department, clinicians and PMO team in delivering biosimilars switch and medicines efficiency programme, delivering cost-effective switches and ensuring best value in the use of high-cost medicines, particularly biologics and biosimilars.
• Oversee the identification, implementation, and evaluation of medicines optimisation initiatives and efficiency schemes across the Trust, including tracking outcomes and reporting to stakeholders.
• Update and inform the Trust’s Medicines Value Group (MVG) to coordinate the strategic approach and tracking of savings delivery for the medicines efficiency programme.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacy, medical, nursing and project management office (PMO) colleagues to promote safe, effective, and value-based prescribing of high-cost drugs, supporting improved outcomes and reduced harm.
• Provide leadership and line management to the medicines efficiency team, ensuring delivery of agreed workstreams and the development of team members.
• Manage relevant financial and workforce resources within the Pharmacy department to support effective service delivery and ensure the achievement of cost improvement targets.
• Work with the Formulary Pharmacist and the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee particularly in relation to high-cost and specialist medicines.
• Ensure timely reporting to NHS England and NHS Frimley ICB on agreed cost-saving initiatives, including audits and progress updates.
• Lead a programme of horizon scanning projects to identify biosimilar and medicines savings opportunities, including patent expiries and market entry.
• Support the development of Trust-wide policies and pathways for the safe and effective introduction of biosimilars, working with the ICB and NHSE Medicines Optimisation Teams to align procedures and pathways related to medicines.
• Provide specialist advice on commissioning and reimbursement mechanisms (e.g. BlueTeq, homecare contracts), ensuring financial and operational readiness for new high-cost drugs.
• Produce detailed monthly forecasts of potential and realised savings from biologic switches and prepare variance analysis reports for review by senior leads.
• Oversee the completion of Quality Impact Assessments for proposed medicines value savings ensuring a wide range of complex considerations and factors are assessed to implement medicines savings effectively.
• Design and deliver detailed implementation plans for each biosimilar switch, including stakeholder mapping, projected benefits, communication strategies and patient switch schedules.
• Lead/facilitate divisional switch meetings, track project milestones, and elevate issues to Medicines Value Group or Chief Pharmacist as required.
• Analyse prescribing data at specialty level (e.g. Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, Dermatology) to inform the prioritisation of switches and monitor trends.

The Frimley Health Pharmacy Department is a forward-thinking department with many innovative practices across the team. The department has an ambitious plan to deliver excellent and high quality pharmacy services to its patients and to develop the pharmacy team.

This role will offer significant rewards and seeks a driven, passionate individual with experience in engaging with various stakeholders, as well as a proven history of service development and delivering to agreed targets.

This advert closes on Monday 29 Dec 2025.