QA Specialist - Specialist Pharmacy Service | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Liverpool; Remote; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization based in the UK is seeking a highly motivated Quality Assurance Specialist to join its national team. This role involves supporting the quality assurance of unlicensed medicines in a collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will have strong audit skills and experience in pharmaceutical microbiology. The position allows for remote working across the North West Region.

Qualifications

• Experience in quality assurance within a pharmaceutical setting.
• Knowledge of cleanroom technology and sterility assurance.
• Proficient in risk management practices related to pharmaceuticals.

Responsibilities

• Conduct audits of aseptic units and facilities.
• Provide quality assurance support to NHS Trusts.
• Develop best practice guidance and project management.

Skills

Audit skills

Pharmaceutical microbiology

Project management

Communication

Education

Relevant degree in pharmacy or related field

Job description

Overview

The vacancy is for the Specialist Pharmacy Service, based at the Pharmacy Practice Unit (PPU). The PPU is a service hosted by Liverpool University Hospitals. The SPS Quality Assurance team seeks to recruit a highly motivated, enthusiastic and forward thinking individual to join the Hub team based at the Pharmacy Practice Unit in Liverpool. The Quality Assurance Specialist will work as part of a national team delivering successful patient outcomes by ensuring medicines that are bought, prepared and supplied in the NHS are evidenced based, safe, and of high quality. This will involve working closely with the pharmaceutical industry and NHS manufacturing and preparation units.

To deliver a range of specialist Quality Assurance duties as part of the North West Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance team relating to:

• Audit of unlicensed aseptic units.
• Provision of advice and support
• Development of best practice guidance
• Quality assessment of medicines
• Project management & delivery
• Workforce training & development

Responsibilities and scope

The Specialist Pharmacy Service’s (SPS) national Quality Assurance Service supports the principles of medicines optimisation by developing and championing best practice and by ensuring continuous improvement through the implementation of quality risk management systems in NHS medicines manufacturing & preparation and NHS supply chain management.

The post will be hosted by Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with remote working facilitating candidates to reside anywhere in the NW Region and beyond.

Key activities

• Audit of unlicensed aseptic units in accordance with EL 97(52).
• Support Trusts in the design and validation and operation of clean rooms, facilities and equipment.
• Support Trusts in applying for and maintaining their MHRA Specials licences, including provision of specialist advice during MHRA inspections.
• Providing specialist advice to technical service managers with regard to sterility assurance, pharmaceutical microbiology, cleanroom technology, medicines formulation, stability and process validation; Quality Risk Management of the Medicines Supply chain.
• Provide a highly specialist service to underpin the procurement of licensed and unlicensed medicines to NHS Trusts to optimise the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and related products used by NHS Hospitals.
• Supporting licensed and unlicensed medicines contracting through development of service/tender specifications and technical agreements, assessment of suppliers through audit and evaluation of quality risk management systems to ensure compliance with service specifications and regulatory requirements, assessing the pharmaceutical quality of medicines and medical devices and their potential for medication error.
• Evaluation of scientific and technical reports relating to medicines (e.g. drug stability reports).
• Providing ongoing contract support by reviewing quality indicators and liaising closely with suppliers to resolve quality issues.
• Facilitating the effective communication of drug alerts and recalls from the MHRA to Trusts.
• Reviewing and assessing reports of defective medicines from Trusts, liaising with suppliers where required and submitting summaries to the national reporting system.

How to apply / further information

For full details, please refer to the attached job description.

This advert closes on Monday 15 Sep 2025