Job summary
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an exceptional Senior Lead Pharmacist to take clinical and strategic leadership of our cancer pharmacy service across oncology and haematology.
This is a newly created Band 8b post, reflecting the Trust's commitment to investing in dedicated, specialist leadership for cancer pharmacy at a time of growing demand and increasing complexity in SACT delivery and cancer medicines commissioning.
You will lead a team of specialist pharmacists, driving clinical excellence and professional development across the cancer pharmacy service. You will work in close partnership with clinical and operational leaders across the Trust to ensure patients receive safe, timely and evidence-based cancer treatment.
This is a rare opportunity to take a specialist cancer pharmacy service forward with genuine autonomy, clear accountability and the backing of a pharmacy department that recognises the importance of getting this right. If you are ready for the challenge of building something meaningful, we would welcome your application.
For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Grant Sugiura, Associate Chief Pharmacist and Operations Lead.
Main duties of the job
- This is a senior clinical leadership role responsible for the strategic direction, operational delivery and continuous improvement of clinical pharmacy services to oncology and haematology patients across the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.
- The post holder will be the designated clinical lead for the cancer pharmacy team, providing visible, credible and accountable leadership to a multidisciplinary group of pharmacists delivering specialist pharmaceutical care across inpatient wards, day case units and outpatient clinics.
- The post holder will line manage the Band 8a Lead Pharmacists in oncology and haematology and hold umbrella accountability for the wider clinical cancer pharmacy workforce, including Band 7 and Band 6 pharmacists.
- The post holder will hold clinical governance oversight for the final authorisation to treat for all systemic anti-cancer therapy, a safety-critical function requiring expert assessment of prescribing appropriateness, blood results and patient fitness.
- The post holder will provide expert pharmaceutical leadership on cancer medicines, working at the interface of clinical governance, medicines optimisation and commissioning to ensure compliance with NHS England frameworks including the Cancer Drugs Fund, Blueteq and SACT dataset reporting.
- The post holder will work in close partnership with the Accountable Pharmacist for the Aseptic Unit to ensure the end-to-end SACT pathway operates as a cohesive, patient-centred service.
About us
Diversity makes us interesting... Inclusion is what will make us outstanding.
Inequality exists and the journey to eliminate it is not easy. Every step we take will be a purposeful step forward to deliver a truly inclusive culture where all our people are enabled to deliver outstanding care, where background is no barrier, and where everyone can be their authentic self and we truly represent our patient community.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where possible. All applicants who have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the post can opt for a guaranteed interview.
If you need additional help with your application please get in touch by calling the recruitment team on 0118 322 6997 or 0118 322 5342.
Our primary method of communication will be via email. However, if you would prefer to be contacted through a different method, please inform the recruitment team.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description for the full list of main responsibilities and the person specification for essential and desirable criteria.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description for the full list of main responsibilities and the person specification for essential and desirable criteria.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a Pharmacist
- Postgraduate clinical pharmacy qualification at diploma or MSc level
- Independent Prescriber
Desirable
- Faculty Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Advanced Clinical Practitioner
- Post-graduate training in leadership and management or a related area or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent through experience at senior management level and relevant short courses taught at postgraduate level
- Formal change management qualification (Lean, Six Sigma, PRINCE2)
Knowlkedge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive post-registration hospital pharmacy experience with a substantial period at senior level in oncology and/or haematology (>5 years)
- Experience of practising as a pharmacist independent prescriber in oncology or haematology within a pharmacist led clinic
- Advanced specialist knowledge of the pharmaceutical care of patients receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy, including cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and supportive care.
- Experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of pharmacy to achieve Trust wide developments
- Experience of implementing new services and procedures
- Experience of working with clinical trials involving SACT
- Working knowledge of NHS England commissioning processes for cancer medicines, including the Cancer Drugs Fund and Blueteq.
- Understanding of clinical governance, risk management and patient safety principles as they apply to cancer pharmacy services
- Proven track record of managing teams to high performance levels and through change
Desirable
- Experience of managing cross-functional relationships with medical, nursing and operational stakeholders at senior level
- Experience providing senior clinical pharmacy service to non-cancer areas
- Experience of developing business cases for service development or investment in an NHS setting
- Experience of contributing to or developing guidelines or protocols
- Experience of carrying out research into practice
- Budget management experience
- Experience of presenting at regional or national conferences or professional forums
- Active involvement in professional networks or national pharmacy organisations relevant to cancer services
Skills
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to provide highly complex information on pharmacy services and medicines optimisation issues messages to patients, clinical staff, and senior colleagues
- Ability to make sound, autonomous clinical judgements on highly complex SACT prescriptions
- Be able to provide highly complex information on medicines use and financial issues to multidisciplinary groups involving staff outside of pharmacy
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Current registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as a Pharmacist
- Postgraduate clinical pharmacy qualification at diploma or MSc level
- Independent Prescriber
Desirable
- Faculty Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Advanced Clinical Practitioner
- Post-graduate training in leadership and management or a related area or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent through experience at senior management level and relevant short courses taught at postgraduate level
- Formal change management qualification (Lean, Six Sigma, PRINCE2)
Knowlkedge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive post-registration hospital pharmacy experience with a substantial period at senior level in oncology and/or haematology (>5 years)
- Experience of practising as a pharmacist independent prescriber in oncology or haematology within a pharmacist led clinic
- Advanced specialist knowledge of the pharmaceutical care of patients receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy, including cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and supportive care.
- Experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of pharmacy to achieve Trust wide developments
- Experience of implementing new services and procedures
- Experience of working with clinical trials involving SACT
- Working knowledge of NHS England commissioning processes for cancer medicines, including the Cancer Drugs Fund and Blueteq.
- Understanding of clinical governance, risk management and patient safety principles as they apply to cancer pharmacy services
- Proven track record of managing teams to high performance levels and through change
Desirable
- Experience of managing cross-functional relationships with medical, nursing and operational stakeholders at senior level
- Experience providing senior clinical pharmacy service to non-cancer areas
- Experience of developing business cases for service development or investment in an NHS setting
- Experience of contributing to or developing guidelines or protocols
- Experience of carrying out research into practice
- Budget management experience
- Experience of presenting at regional or national conferences or professional forums
- Active involvement in professional networks or national pharmacy organisations relevant to cancer services
Skills
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to provide highly complex information on pharmacy services and medicines optimisation issues messages to patients, clinical staff, and senior colleagues
- Ability to make sound, autonomous clinical judgements on highly complex SACT prescriptions
- Be able to provide highly complex information on medicines use and financial issues to multidisciplinary groups involving staff outside of pharmacy
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
