Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Advanced Clinical Pharmacist - Neurosciences

The closing date is 31 July 2025

Job summary

Expected Shortlisting Date

28/07/2025

Planned Interview Date

05/08/2025

The pharmacy team are offering a unique and exciting opportunity of Advanced Clinical Pharmacist in neurosciences for a fixed term of 12 months. The postholder will form a core part of this uniquely talented team serving the specialist neurosciences centre, and will have the opportunity to build a diverse portfolio. Clinical areas covered by the post will include spinal surgery, specialist pain services, neurology - including stroke medicine. The role will also support the delivery of homecare and daycase services to neurology patients, work alongside head and neck services, and support the wider neurosciences CSU.

Neurosciences specialities have driven exponential growth in recent years, to support greater numbers and complexity of patients and people with long term conditions. The department has supported the shift of delivery of care including innovative new therapies from inpatient services to people at home to maintain health, prevent illness and avoid admissions.

If this has piqued your interest and youd like to know more, please contact Emily Cutts, Jeremy Robson, Sumrah Shaffiq (neurosciences ACPs) or Mary Christie (clinical pharmacy team leader) - we look forward to hearing from you.

Main duties of the job

Supporting neurology, stroke and neurosurgery wards, neurology daycase unit prescribing and validation.

Working with patients and staff in immunology and neurology to co-ordinate safe switches to new regimens - e.g. when shortages arise.

Offering advice and guidance to clinicians in LTHT and regionally, to support safe prescribing and management of new medicines, innovative therapies and associated monitoring.

Learn about biosimilar / generic switches, application of amber guidance, managing risks and actions regarding medicines shortages.

Attending and contributing to clinical governance meetings agendas.

Taking part in the core professional commitments applicable to all LTHT pharmacists.

About us

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals is one of the biggest NHS Trusts in the country, offering a range of both general and specialist hospital services with excellent clinical outcomes for patients. We have an international reputation for excellence in specialist care, research and academic training.

Our vision as a Trust is to be the best for specialist and integrated care. This is underpinned by our values - The Leeds Way. The Leeds Way defines who we are, what we believe and how we will work together to deliver the best outcomes for our patients.

MMPS is nationally recognised as an exemplar service. The CSU responsibilities span the provision and use of medicines across all patient pathways. We offer a range of diverse opportunities to all our staff - https://youtu.be/yxygQFQZcr0.

Our vision is Making it easy for people to get the most from their medicines and we are continually innovating to improve our services for patients and staff.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Details

Date posted

10 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9298-MMP-405

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

To lead, deliver, develop and evaluate highly specialised clinical pharmacy services to a given clinical speciality within the Trust.

JOB DIMENSIONS

Leads the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients and the multidisciplinary team within a given clinical speciality. Ensures medicines are used appropriately, safely, and cost-effectively in accordance with Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieved in specific circumstances.

Manage other pharmacists providing specialised clinical pharmacy service within own clinical speciality depending on size of area.

Works directly and regularly with consultants, senior nursing staff and managers within the clinical speciality. Monitors and interprets expenditure on medicines within own clinical speciality. Provides the Directorate with regular reports to assist in the safe use of medicines, the management of the drug budget and clinical governance issues. The report also includes risk management such as the recording of significant clinical interventions and near misses.

Supervise, along with other members of their multidisciplinary team, the development and implementation of treatment protocols, and guidelines for use of drugs within the clinical area.

Responsible for training pharmacists, and other health care professionals, on aspects of drug use within the clinical area.

Provides minimum of at least one 4 hour session of core professional commitment(s) each week. This can include aseptics services, anticoagulation bridging rota or Leeds Medicines Advisory Service. Participates in evening, weekend and bank holiday rota and where appropriate, out of hours services.

To act as the Responsible Pharmacist in line with local procedures.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Masters qualification in Pharmacy (4 years) or equivalent qualification plus one year pre-registration experience

Registrant of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Postgraduate diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience or qualification

Non medical prescriber status

Substantial post registration experience as a practising clinical pharmacist. Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF)

Experience of dealing with highly complex clinical issues which require the pharmacist to analyse information from a range of sources, which may not be in agreement, to formulate a response. In such situations, it may be necessary to find a novel solution to an unusual clinical situation. The pharmacist will have developed negotiating and persuasive skills with other clinical team members, patients and relatives

Experience of dealing with a wide variety and grade of hospital staff (including senior medical and managerial staff) on a regular and ongoing basis, and liaising with staff across interfaces of care.

Specialist knowledge of clinical area/department which demonstrates ability to manage a caseload, preferably within the clinical speciality

CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in clinical pharmacy practice, preferably in the specific clinical field.

Be professionally accountable for action and advice.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Clinical

Lead the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients and the multidisciplinary team within a given clinical speciality.

Supports the Trust's Prescribing Standards and challenges practice where prescribers have not adhered to the Medicines Code.

Demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost-effective use of medicines in accordance with Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. This will include individual prescription review to optimise therapy, advising on dosage and side effects and on safe administration of medicines. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieve in specific circumstances.

Pharmacists who are registered as prescribers will, with the agreement of the clinical director of the speciality, prescribe within their level of competence, to support patient care.

Plan, manage, monitor and review individual patient care plans.

Participate in consultant ward rounds and multi-disciplinary team meetings.

Manage difficult and ambiguous problems, often when information is limited.

Undertake risk management, including investigating clinical incidents in the clinical area and ensuring compliance with medicine legislation.

The post holder will be expected to identify, where necessary, areas that require service changes and develop a strategy to carry out the change through consultation with senior colleagues within and outside the pharmacy.

Manage the introduction of new drugs, including unlicensed drugs, into the clinical speciality.

Manage the clinical pharmacist input into clinical trials.

Develop and update policies for the safe, effective and economic use of medicines through discussion with medical and nursing staff.

Communication with Primary Care about medicines policies or guidelines specific for their area of practice.

Management

Monitor and interpret expenditure on medicines within own clinical speciality. Provide the Directorate with regular reports to assist in the management of the drug budget

a. Attend the monthly Clinical Speciality Management meetings to advise on medicine use and financial implications

- Horizon scan for new drugs and advise the clinical speciality meetings on the financial implications

b. Co-ordinate Medicines Use Savings Projects

c. Review prescribing data from out-patient clinics

Contribution to financial initiatives

Write or respond to business cases for service development to secure additional funding.

Responsible for day to day supervision / management of specialist clinical pharmacists in clinical speciality (some staff)

Research and Education

Occasionally participates in research and development within clinical speciality

Undertakes own research/audit within clinical speciality

Supervise, teach, and assess junior pharmacy staff completing training modules within the clinical area. This input varies, mostly based on the experience of the post holder, and will typically include:

- Acting as a trainer to pre-registration and junior pharmacists in their area of specialist practice

- Being a named tutor for a pre-registration and/or diploma pharmacist

- Lecturing on clinical issues relevant to the specialty, as part of the pre-registration training program, the clinical diploma, and any other in service training.

The post holder is also expected to participate in the training of other clinical professionals within their specialist area as requested.

Develop the role of a specialist pharmacist through national links.

Other

Perform other duties as directed by manager

Participate in the weekend service and where contracted, the emergency duty service

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

To lead, deliver, develop and evaluate highly specialised clinical pharmacy services to a given clinical speciality within the Trust.

JOB DIMENSIONS

Leads the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients and the multidisciplinary team within a given clinical speciality. Ensures medicines are used appropriately, safely, and cost-effectively in accordance with Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieved in specific circumstances.

Manage other pharmacists providing specialised clinical pharmacy service within own clinical speciality depending on size of area.

Works directly and regularly with consultants, senior nursing staff and managers within the clinical speciality. Monitors and interprets expenditure on medicines within own clinical speciality. Provides the Directorate with regular reports to assist in the safe use of medicines, the management of the drug budget and clinical governance issues. The report also includes risk management such as the recording of significant clinical interventions and near misses.

Supervise, along with other members of their multidisciplinary team, the development and implementation of treatment protocols, and guidelines for use of drugs within the clinical area.

Responsible for training pharmacists, and other health care professionals, on aspects of drug use within the clinical area.

Provides minimum of at least one 4 hour session of core professional commitment(s) each week. This can include aseptics services, anticoagulation bridging rota or Leeds Medicines Advisory Service. Participates in evening, weekend and bank holiday rota and where appropriate, out of hours services.

To act as the Responsible Pharmacist in line with local procedures.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Masters qualification in Pharmacy (4 years) or equivalent qualification plus one year pre-registration experience

Registrant of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Postgraduate diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience or qualification

Non medical prescriber status

Substantial post registration experience as a practising clinical pharmacist. Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF)

Experience of dealing with highly complex clinical issues which require the pharmacist to analyse information from a range of sources, which may not be in agreement, to formulate a response. In such situations, it may be necessary to find a novel solution to an unusual clinical situation. The pharmacist will have developed negotiating and persuasive skills with other clinical team members, patients and relatives

Experience of dealing with a wide variety and grade of hospital staff (including senior medical and managerial staff) on a regular and ongoing basis, and liaising with staff across interfaces of care.

Specialist knowledge of clinical area/department which demonstrates ability to manage a caseload, preferably within the clinical speciality

CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in clinical pharmacy practice, preferably in the specific clinical field.

Be professionally accountable for action and advice.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Clinical

Lead the highly specialised clinical pharmacy service to patients and the multidisciplinary team within a given clinical speciality.

Supports the Trust's Prescribing Standards and challenges practice where prescribers have not adhered to the Medicines Code.

Demonstrate the ability to provide safe, clinically effective and cost-effective use of medicines in accordance with Trust policy, standard operating procedures and medicine legislation. This will include individual prescription review to optimise therapy, advising on dosage and side effects and on safe administration of medicines. The post holder is expected to determine how the outcomes are best achieve in specific circumstances.

Pharmacists who are registered as prescribers will, with the agreement of the clinical director of the speciality, prescribe within their level of competence, to support patient care.

Plan, manage, monitor and review individual patient care plans.

Participate in consultant ward rounds and multi-disciplinary team meetings.

Manage difficult and ambiguous problems, often when information is limited.

Undertake risk management, including investigating clinical incidents in the clinical area and ensuring compliance with medicine legislation.

The post holder will be expected to identify, where necessary, areas that require service changes and develop a strategy to carry out the change through consultation with senior colleagues within and outside the pharmacy.

Manage the introduction of new drugs, including unlicensed drugs, into the clinical speciality.

Manage the clinical pharmacist input into clinical trials.

Develop and update policies for the safe, effective and economic use of medicines through discussion with medical and nursing staff.

Communication with Primary Care about medicines policies or guidelines specific for their area of practice.

Management

Monitor and interpret expenditure on medicines within own clinical speciality. Provide the Directorate with regular reports to assist in the management of the drug budget

a. Attend the monthly Clinical Speciality Management meetings to advise on medicine use and financial implications

- Horizon scan for new drugs and advise the clinical speciality meetings on the financial implications

b. Co-ordinate Medicines Use Savings Projects

c. Review prescribing data from out-patient clinics

Contribution to financial initiatives

Write or respond to business cases for service development to secure additional funding.

Responsible for day to day supervision / management of specialist clinical pharmacists in clinical speciality (some staff)

Research and Education

Occasionally participates in research and development within clinical speciality

Undertakes own research/audit within clinical speciality

Supervise, teach, and assess junior pharmacy staff completing training modules within the clinical area. This input varies, mostly based on the experience of the post holder, and will typically include:

- Acting as a trainer to pre-registration and junior pharmacists in their area of specialist practice

- Being a named tutor for a pre-registration and/or diploma pharmacist

- Lecturing on clinical issues relevant to the specialty, as part of the pre-registration training program, the clinical diploma, and any other in service training.

The post holder is also expected to participate in the training of other clinical professionals within their specialist area as requested.

Develop the role of a specialist pharmacist through national links.

Other

Perform other duties as directed by manager

Participate in the weekend service and where contracted, the emergency duty service

Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

Essential

  • Team player
  • Enthusiastic
  • Self-motivated
  • Able to work under own initiative
  • Be highly adaptive to changing circumstances and situations
  • Meticulous attention to detail
  • Organised
  • Lateral thinker and good problem solver
  • Exceptional communication skills written, verbal, and listening
  • Highly developed influencing and negotiating skills
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Be able to plan effectively both own workload and that of specialist team

Desirable

  • Effective prioritisation skills
  • IT competent (eg Microsoft teams, Use of Word, PowerPoint and Excel)

Experience

Essential

  • Understanding and appreciation of local and national pharmaceutical and clinical strategies
  • Advanced clinical pharmacy knowledge in a relevant area
  • Understanding of NHS/government policy and its applications
  • Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF)

Desirable

  • Team dynamics and effective leadership strategies to optimise performance
  • Formal Quality Improvement experience or credentials

Experience

Essential

  • Understanding and appreciation of local and national pharmaceutical and clinical strategies
  • Advanced clinical pharmacy knowledge in a relevant area
  • Understanding of NHS/government policy and its applications
  • Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF)

Desirable

  • Team dynamics and effective leadership strategies to optimise performance
  • Formal Quality Improvement experience or credentials

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registrant of GPhC
  • Post graduate diploma in clinical pharmacy or equivalent
  • Non-medical prescriber status

Desirable

  • Leadership / Management qualification
Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

Essential

  • Team player
  • Enthusiastic
  • Self-motivated
  • Able to work under own initiative
  • Be highly adaptive to changing circumstances and situations
  • Meticulous attention to detail
  • Organised
  • Lateral thinker and good problem solver
  • Exceptional communication skills written, verbal, and listening
  • Highly developed influencing and negotiating skills
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Be able to plan effectively both own workload and that of specialist team

Desirable

  • Effective prioritisation skills
  • IT competent (eg Microsoft teams, Use of Word, PowerPoint and Excel)

Experience

Essential

  • Understanding and appreciation of local and national pharmaceutical and clinical strategies
  • Advanced clinical pharmacy knowledge in a relevant area
  • Understanding of NHS/government policy and its applications
  • Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF)

Desirable

  • Team dynamics and effective leadership strategies to optimise performance
  • Formal Quality Improvement experience or credentials

Experience

Essential

  • Understanding and appreciation of local and national pharmaceutical and clinical strategies
  • Advanced clinical pharmacy knowledge in a relevant area
  • Understanding of NHS/government policy and its applications
  • Ability to demonstrate foundation level competencies in all 6 domains of the Advanced to Consultant Level Framework (ACLF)

Desirable

  • Team dynamics and effective leadership strategies to optimise performance
  • Formal Quality Improvement experience or credentials

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registrant of GPhC
  • Post graduate diploma in clinical pharmacy or equivalent
  • Non-medical prescriber status

Desirable

  • Leadership / Management qualification

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Pharmacy Team Leader

Mary Christie

mary.christie4@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

10 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

C9298-MMP-405

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Supporting documents

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