Job summary
Interviews will take place w/c 6th October 2025
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic pharmacist (Band 8A) to join NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS). This is a fixed term (12 months) and newly established post (1.0 WTE) working across the Medicines Use and Safety (MUS) team. 12 month secondments will also be considered.
This post is hosted by NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, but it is expected that the successful candidate will work fully remotely. This is one of two similar posts that SPS is advertising (the other being a permanent post working across the MUS and Medicines Advice (MA) functions).
We are looking for a pharmacist with substantial experience in a relevant MUS workstream (medicines governance/medicines mechanisms, medication safety, medicines optimisation and network engagement) and who has a passion for supporting the development of safer and optimised use of medicines with the NHS.
You will have a broad and varied role working in collaboration with colleagues across the MUS team, other functions of SPS and key external stakeholders. You will apply your experience and knowledge to deliver high quality SPS resources. You will build strong working networks across organisations to realise the aims of the SPS Medicines Use and Safety programme.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will:
- Work across the MUS workstreams (medicines governance, medicines safety, medicines optimisation and medicines network engagement) producing quality assured resources and ensuring continuity of service.
- Contribute to the development, delivery and maintenance of quality assured MUS workstream resources to support commissioners, organisations, and health professionals. Resources may include webinars, podcasts, videos, website articles and workspaces on NHS Futures.
- Support the SPS workstream enquiry answering services, including those related to Patient Group Directions (PGDs) and other medicines mechanisms and medication safety.
About us
About SPS
The NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) supports the NHS to develop best practice systems of work-related to buying, making and using medicines. The service provides leadership, instructive and informative specialist input and operational support to the sourcing, supply and use of medicines across the system.
Our strengths are borne out of connecting national expertise with policy teams and arm's length bodies to ensure consistency and high standards. The service supports both regional and local connections to ensure that the service's outputs resonate with and support local NHS organisations which deliver care to patients. The key successes of SPS are through the development and delivery of their "Do Once and Share" methodology.
Medicines Use and Safety (MUS) team
Our Medicines Use and Safety (MUS) team are a well-respected team who work closely with policy makers, regulators and strategic leaders and engage with an extensive range of clinical networks to share experience and expertise. We interpret legislation and deliver practical guidance and support to NHS organisations and practitioners in providing safe patient care across the entire medicines pathway. Our resources support healthcare professionals to assess and improve medication safety culture, strategy and policy within the healthcare system.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Delivers outcomes within agreed timescales, liaising with stakeholders across England.
- Exercises professional judgment and makes decisions in complex situations whereinformation is partial or conflicting, or when ethical issues are involved. Provides expertguidance on aspects of content planning, maintenance, and management in specialistmedicines related fields. Includes consideration of clinical governance implications, tofrontline practitioners, managers and directors in provider and commissioner settings.
- Contributes to uniting and integrating SPS outputs to ensure all resources are sharedacross the country, thus maximising efficiency, and productivity.
- Develops and contributes to the outputs of the MUS workstreams e.g. medicinesmechanisms template development (including PGDs), medication safety resources andevents, medicines optimisation resources and events, networking events.
- Develops and maintains appropriate resources on the SPS website, ensuring accuracy ofinformation which is up to date with current policy and best practice and applies allgovernance requirements.
- Is highly proficient in methods of data capture, analysis, and communication and able todeal with large amounts of information on a continuous basis, including internet, email,word-processing, presentation (PowerPoint), database and spreadsheet applications.
- Presents reports and data that have been collected or supported by the MUS team atnational meetings and conferences and is able to defend controversial findings and justifyviews and performance in a variety of forums, including large audiences.
- Contributes to local and national task groups and workstreams when requested by the MUSDirector.
- Engages with practitioners and subject matter experts across organisational boundaries to gather intelligence e.g. through regional networks or short life working groups (SLWGs).
- Maintains a robust understanding of health policy developments that impact on the deliveryof the MUS outputs and informs the business planning and service needs assessments forthe team.
- Undertakes any other duties as required by the Director of Medicines Use and Safety.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Delivers outcomes within agreed timescales, liaising with stakeholders across England.
- Exercises professional judgment and makes decisions in complex situations whereinformation is partial or conflicting, or when ethical issues are involved. Provides expertguidance on aspects of content planning, maintenance, and management in specialistmedicines related fields. Includes consideration of clinical governance implications, tofrontline practitioners, managers and directors in provider and commissioner settings.
- Contributes to uniting and integrating SPS outputs to ensure all resources are sharedacross the country, thus maximising efficiency, and productivity.
- Develops and contributes to the outputs of the MUS workstreams e.g. medicinesmechanisms template development (including PGDs), medication safety resources andevents, medicines optimisation resources and events, networking events.
- Develops and maintains appropriate resources on the SPS website, ensuring accuracy ofinformation which is up to date with current policy and best practice and applies allgovernance requirements.
- Is highly proficient in methods of data capture, analysis, and communication and able todeal with large amounts of information on a continuous basis, including internet, email,word-processing, presentation (PowerPoint), database and spreadsheet applications.
- Presents reports and data that have been collected or supported by the MUS team atnational meetings and conferences and is able to defend controversial findings and justifyviews and performance in a variety of forums, including large audiences.
- Contributes to local and national task groups and workstreams when requested by the MUSDirector.
- Engages with practitioners and subject matter experts across organisational boundaries to gather intelligence e.g. through regional networks or short life working groups (SLWGs).
- Maintains a robust understanding of health policy developments that impact on the deliveryof the MUS outputs and informs the business planning and service needs assessments forthe team.
- Undertakes any other duties as required by the Director of Medicines Use and Safety.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational master's degree in pharmacy or equivalent
- Pharmacist (registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council)
- Postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy or other relevant field e.g. management or equivalent experience of working in a specialist area
Desirable
- Additional post graduate qualification i.e. MSc in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience e.g. RPS Core Advanced Pharmacist curriculum
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable diploma level experience related to the practice of clinical pharmacy in a range of settings
- Multidisciplinary working (e.g. MDT working) and an ability to work across both professional groups and across organisational boundaries
- Demonstrable experience in relevant MUS workstream e.g. medicines, governance/medicines mechanisms, medication safety, medicines optimisation and network engagement
Desirable
- Managing complex and potentially contentious situations
- Experience of working in a complex matrix type working environment within a diffuse national organisation
Knowledge
Essential
- A clear understanding of programme and project management
- A clear awareness and appreciation of the roles of other healthcare professionals in the delivery of healthcare services to patients
Desirable
- Contemporary knowledge of NHS policy and understanding of it's application in primary, secondary and tertiary care, including an appreciation of the relationship between national bodies (e.g. the DHSC) provider and commissioner organisations
- Prior use of online content management systems to create, manage and publish online article and digital publications with knowledge of the principles of good online publishing
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational master's degree in pharmacy or equivalent
- Pharmacist (registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council)
- Postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy or other relevant field e.g. management or equivalent experience of working in a specialist area
Desirable
- Additional post graduate qualification i.e. MSc in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience e.g. RPS Core Advanced Pharmacist curriculum
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable diploma level experience related to the practice of clinical pharmacy in a range of settings
- Multidisciplinary working (e.g. MDT working) and an ability to work across both professional groups and across organisational boundaries
- Demonstrable experience in relevant MUS workstream e.g. medicines, governance/medicines mechanisms, medication safety, medicines optimisation and network engagement
Desirable
- Managing complex and potentially contentious situations
- Experience of working in a complex matrix type working environment within a diffuse national organisation
Knowledge
Essential
- A clear understanding of programme and project management
- A clear awareness and appreciation of the roles of other healthcare professionals in the delivery of healthcare services to patients
Desirable
- Contemporary knowledge of NHS policy and understanding of it's application in primary, secondary and tertiary care, including an appreciation of the relationship between national bodies (e.g. the DHSC) provider and commissioner organisations
- Prior use of online content management systems to create, manage and publish online article and digital publications with knowledge of the principles of good online publishing
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).
