NHS Scotland
260977 (GH) Lead Pharmacist - Acute and General Medicine
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Lead Clinical Pharmacist
Acute & General Medicine
NHS Lothian Pharmacy & Medicines Service
Various NHS Lothian Sites (with expectation to travel to other sites)
Band 8B | 1.0 WTE | 36 Hours | Permanent
(including public holiday commitment)
About the Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, innovative and forward-thinking pharmacist to lead clinical pharmacy services across Acute and General Medicine within NHS Lothian.
As the Lead Clinical Pharmacist for Acute and General Medicine, you will provide strategic, professional and operational leadership across one of NHS Lothian's largest and fast-paced clinical portfolios. You will lead service development and transformation initiatives, workforce development, medicines optimisation and governance, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care.
This senior leadership role sits within NHS Lothian's transformed Pharmacy Leadership Structure and offers a unique opportunity to influence pharmacy practice at scale while maintaining clinical credibility through direct patient-facing practice.
About The Service
NHS Lothian’s Acute and General Medicine services are delivered across the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital and St John’s Hospital. These services provide care for patients with a broad range of acute and complex medical conditions across both inpatient and outpatient settings and play a pivotal role in emergency care, patient flow and multidisciplinary working.
Services include Emergency Departments, Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC), Acute Medicine, Medical Day Case, Medicine of the Elderly, Frailty Services, Diabetes and Endocrinology, and Minor Injuries Units, supporting timely assessment, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing management throughout acute and ambulatory care pathways.
Key Responsibilities
- Providing strategic, professional and operational leadership for Acute and General Medicine pharmacy services across NHS Lothian.
- Setting, reviewing and assuring standards for safe, effective and evidence-based pharmacy practice.
- Leading service redesign, quality improvement, innovation and workforce transformation programmes.
- Supporting medicines optimisation and governance and the effective use of medicines including oversight of medicines efficiency initiatives.
- Providing expert pharmaceutical and prescribing advice to senior clinical, operational and pharmacy leaders.
- Contributing to pharmacy strategy, service planning and wider organisational transformation initiatives.
- Maintaining a clinical role within one of the clinical specialities within this portfolio to support professional leadership, clinical credibility and direct patient care.
- Contribute through direct involvement or supervision of research and development activities within the portfolio.
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About You
You will be an experienced clinical pharmacy leader with a proven track record of leading change, developing services and delivering improvement within complex healthcare environments.
- Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree or equivalent, with registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
- Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent Master's-level knowledge and experience.
- An Independent Prescribing Qualification.
- Completed Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or Masters of Science (MSc) in Clinical Pharmacy or be able to demonstrate competence to the level of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Core Advanced Curriculum.
- Candidates who have not completed a Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or MSc in Clinical Pharmacy must demonstrate substantial progress across the four pillars of the RPS Core Advanced Pharmacist Curriculum through:
- Engagement with the RPS Core Advanced Curriculum
- Active participation in a community of practice/peer network
- Submit a screenshot of portfolio (programme of learning page)
- Complete the RPS learning needs analysis tool to assess progress with the Core Advanced Curriculum and any gaps that will need addressed as part of PDP plans
- Candidates who have completed a Postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy Diploma or MSc in Clinical Pharmacy should complete the learning needs analysis (LNA) using the LNA tool in the RPS e-portfolio, identifying any gaps that will need addressed as part of PDP plans.
- Significant experience in clinical pharmacy leadership, workforce development and people management.
- Advanced knowledge of therapeutics, prescribing practice, medicines optimisation and governance.
- Experience in quality improvement, audit, research and service redesign.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Ability to lead change, develop people and improve outcomes for patients and services.
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Why Join Us?
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of Acute and General Medicine pharmacy services across NHS Lothian. Working in partnership with senior clinical, operational and pharmacy leaders, you will play a key role in developing innovative services, supporting the pharmacy workforce and improving outcomes for patients across some of Scotland's busiest and most complex acute care services.
If you are a motivated and compassionate pharmacy leader with the vision, expertise and drive to deliver service excellence, we would welcome your application.
About NHS Lothian
NHS Lothian covers Edinburgh city, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian. We are the second largest health system in NHS Scotland and one of only four teaching Boards. We have strategic partnerships with local Universities, Local Authorities, and our four Integration Joint Boards. We serve a population of 900,000, providing a range of primary, community-based, and acute hospital services. We also provide regional and national services across a range of clinical specialties.
The vision for the Pharmacy & Medicines Service is to deliver clinically led, person-centred services to ensure patients across Lothian get the best from their medicines and pharmacy services. We are focused on creating an environment where each person in the team can flourish, develop, and make the best use of their skills.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
For comprehensive details regarding the responsibilities of this position and the qualifications we are seeking, please consult the job description and person specification provided below.
If you’re curious about the role, the team you’ll be joining, or the opportunities that come with it, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to the hiring manager for an informal chat; it’s a great opportunity to ask questions and see how this role could fit with your career goals.
For further information on what is included in the role and what skills/experience are being looked for, click on the links at the bottom of the screen to the job description and person specification. If after reading this information you have any questions, please contact Jenny Scott, Head of Clinical Pharmacy, Medicine, Women and Children, REAS and Associated Services - email jenny.scott@nhs.scot
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