Specialist Pharmacist Women & Children

Integrated Care System; Isleworth; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in England is looking for a Specialist Pharmacist to join their Women and Children's team. This role involves providing clinical pharmacy services, training and supervising pharmacists, and participating in the development of pharmacy services across various specialties including paediatrics and maternity. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in a hospital pharmacy setting and a commitment to improving patient care.

Qualifications

• Experience working in hospital pharmacy, providing clinical pharmacy services.
• Education and training of pharmacy staff.
• Writing policies and guidelines.
• Supervision of less experienced pharmacists.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical pharmacy service to Women's and Children's division.
• Support development of medicine-related guidelines.
• Undertake audits and quality improvement projects.
• Participate in ward rounds as part of the multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Clinical pharmacy service provision

Training and supervision

Organisational skills

Experience in women's and children's health

Multidisciplinary team collaboration

Education

Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy Practice

Registered pharmacist with the GPhC

Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or equivalent

Tools

Cerner prescribing system

Job description

Go back Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Pharmacist Women & Children

The closing date is 10 August 2025

This is a fantastic opportunity for a pharmacist to work within our Women's and Children's team at West Middlesex Hospital site covering a wide range of different specialties (including Special Care Baby Unit, Paediatrics, Maternity and Gynaecology patients).

There will be training/supervision for involvement in guideline and Patient Group Direction review, financial reporting and other core directorate work.

This is an ideal opportunity for a pharmacist who is keen to train others, build on their women's and children's experience, as well as their management skills to help the ongoing development of a patient focused clinical pharmacy service to help meet the changing needs of the organisation.

Main duties of the job

To provide a specialist clinical pharmacy service to patients within the Specialist Care Division and West London Children's Healthcare to ensure the safe, effective, legal and accurate use of medicines within the speciality and to support and supervise less experienced pharmacists on rotation.

To provide training and supervision to trainee and rotational pharmacists rotating through Women's and Children's services.

The post holder must be organised, efficient and be able to provide operational and professional support to the Women's and children's lead divisional pharmacist in order to provide a high quality, efficient pharmacy service to patients and staff within West Middlesex Hospital.

About us

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites--Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital--along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.

We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.

The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Job responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities Women and Children

Provide a clinical ward pharmacy service to W&C division wards, which includes neonates, paediatrics and obstetrics.

Provide day-to-day support to the Sunshine & Paediatric Short Stay Unit (PSSU).

Support the W&C divisional pharmacist in the development, implementation and review of medicine related guidelines, policies and procedures, and Patient Group Directions within the speciality.

Undertake audits and quality improvement projects within the division.

Support with the development and implementation of shared-care guidelines to promote seamless care for patients.

Support with the development and review of new drug applications.

Gain an insight on the drugs budget and drug expenditure within the division.

Support the integration of clinical pharmacy services within the MDT and within strategic decision making.

Undertake medicines reviews to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy and adverse effects and to improve adherence and patients understanding of medicines.

Review and analyse medication errors and complete incident reports as necessary.

Work closely with Medicines Management Technicians (MMTs) and supervise junior pharmacy staff.

General Clinical Practice

Job description

Job responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities Women and Children

Provide a clinical ward pharmacy service to W&C division wards, which includes neonates, paediatrics and obstetrics.

Provide day-to-day support to the Sunshine & Paediatric Short Stay Unit (PSSU).

Support the W&C divisional pharmacist in the development, implementation and review of medicine related guidelines, policies and procedures, and Patient Group Directions within the speciality.

Undertake audits and quality improvement projects within the division.

Support with the development and implementation of shared-care guidelines to promote seamless care for patients.

Support with the development and review of new drug applications.

Gain an insight on the drugs budget and drug expenditure within the division.

Support the integration of clinical pharmacy services within the MDT and within strategic decision making.

Undertake medicines reviews to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy and adverse effects and to improve adherence and patients understanding of medicines.

Review and analyse medication errors and complete incident reports as necessary.

Work closely with Medicines Management Technicians (MMTs) and supervise junior pharmacy staff.

General Clinical Practice

Be responsible and accountable for the clinical pharmacy service provided.

o Review prescriptions for accuracy and legality and identify actual or potential problems.

o Ensure the effective supply of medicines suitable for use as an inpatient and appropriately labelled for discharge if applicable.

o Ensure the effective outcomes of treatment with medicines.

o Monitor patients for potential and actual adverse effects of their medicines.

o Take steps to ensure patients understand the purpose of their medicines and deal with any practical issues that may prevent the optimal use of their medicines.

o Support the planning of patient discharge with respect to medication, including the transcription of requests for dispensing.

o Demonstrate professional accountability to patients.

Liaise and work closely with the senior clinical pharmacy team to develop clinical pharmacy services to the division including ward pharmacy and medicines management.

Aim to provide safe, clinically effective and cost-efficient use of drugs in the patients as allocated.

Make appropriate referrals where necessary; ensure the clear and effective communication of patients pharmaceutical needs to other pharmacists and health care professionals both within the trust and in other health care environments.

Demonstrate and apply general pharmaceutical knowledge, and where applicable, specialist clinical pharmacy knowledge in core areas in order to plan, manage, monitor and review therapeutic programmes for patients allocated, thereby ensuring the quality of patient care.

• Participate in ward rounds to integrate into the multidisciplinary team and raise the pharmacy profile via contributions at consultant level.

Demonstrate appropriate clinical reasoning and judgement.

Work across traditional boundaries, including the transcription of discharge medication.

Be readily available and keen to answer any general medicine related pharmaceutical queries from patients, pharmacists and other members of staff within pharmacy as well as from other health care professionals including medical staff.

Proactively provide advice and information on any pharmaceutical issues within the division to pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals as needed.

Demonstrate awareness and commitment to the Trusts Clinical Governance Agenda.

Support the maintenance and development of the Medicines Management Initiatives including use of patients own medicines and self-medication.

Leadership

Act as a role model for junior pharmacists and trainee pharmacists in the rotation.

Promote best practice e.g. evidence-based practice through prescription monitoring.

Implement and/or follow agreed clinical governance initiatives such as incident/error reporting and investigation.

Develop clinical pharmacy services in line with local and national objectives and contribute to pharmacy research initiatives being undertaken within the department.

Be involved in the process of recruitment and selection of staff.

Management of Service

Ensure national and local agendas are delivered.

Follow and conform to relevant standards of care.

Identify and manage risks in relation to medicines use according to policy/protocol.

Delegate duties / responsibilities appropriately to junior staff.

Evaluate the performance of junior staff against identified criteria using departmental/Trust IPR tools and General Level Competence Framework.

Provide evaluated pharmaceutical and financial information in accordance with the needs of the division.

Identify changes in prescribing practices that may impact on the drugs budget, thereby providing information on drug usage and expenditure to the division.

Deputise for the Lead Divisional Pharmacist W&C as required and represent pharmacy at divisional meetings.

Evaluation of Service

Monitor clinical pharmacy in order to ensure safe, clinically effective and cost efficient use of drugs in these patients.

Document the workload and quality of pharmacy services in line with departmental and corporate objectives.

Perform audits of drug usage within the division as part of the multi-disciplinary audit process, based on national and service priorities e.g. NICE, CQUIN, and locally agreed requirements.

Undertake assessments/evaluations as required e.g. of unlicensed or new products within the allocated speciality.

Research and Service Development

Demonstrate a critical approach towards pharmacy practice.

Integrate research evidence into practice.

Develop clinical pathways within the speciality area.

Actively seek to improve the ward and clinical services provided.

Assist with the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate projects.

Adopt continuous improvement methodology and support Pharmacy in becoming a continuous improvement department.

Education and Training

Participate in the training and supervision of junior pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and MMTs in providing a clinical pharmacy service.

Identify training needs of junior staff in order to undertake their required roles.

Develop strategies to meet the training needs of staff.

Provide education and training to pharmacy and other staff.

Evaluate the training provided.

Participate in the clinical training of medical and nursing staff.

Identify own training needs and maintain a portfolio of practice.

Participate in the Departmental Education and Training Programme and ensure that a written record of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is maintained for review at appraisal.

Participate in in-service clinical pharmacy teaching and multi-disciplinary teaching as appropriate.

• Act as a GPhC trainee pharmacist Practice Supervisor/ Educational Supervisor (depending on experience).
• Actively participate in the development of current and future pharmacy workforce.
• Participate in and help co-ordinate pharmacy department clinical meetings and lunch time teaching sessions.

Other

Maintain a broad level of pharmacy practice through ensuring a sound base of pharmaceutical knowledge.

Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.

Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.

Participate in education and training programmes to develop skills as part of a commitment to continuing education and the concept of lifelong learning.

Be aware of, and apply, relevant legislation such as the H & SAWA, COSHH, Medicines Act, GMP etc.

At all times practice in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

Follow legal, ethical, professional and employers codes of conduct.

To provide dispensary cover on a rotational basis.

Any other duties as reasonably required within the band and overall scope of role.

To participate in on-call, weekend/bank holiday and shift working as well as 7 day working when required on a rotational basis.

To participate in Practice Research as required.

This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and his/her manager.

All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy Practice or equivalent relevant general experience
• Registered as a practising pharmacist with the GPhC
• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy Practice / equivalent experience or FS2 (Minimum 18 months experience)

Experience

• Experience working in hospital pharmacy, including providing clinical pharmacy services
• Education and training of staff
• Writing policies, procedures and guidelines
• Working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Supervision of staff
• Women and Children experience as a registered pharmacist
• Experience in carrying out audit and/ or service evaluation /improvement
• Experience designing and delivering training in a multidisciplinary (MDT) environment
• Experience using Cerner prescribing system
• Meets the necessary GPhC requirements in order to undertake role of GPhC Trainee Pharmacist Educational Supervisor (Tutor)

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.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Middlesex University Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

£53,751 to £60,651 a yearper annum incl. HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

289-CS-120

Job locations

West Middlesex University Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust