Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Advanced Community Mental Health Pharmacist (West)

The closing date is 19 April 2026

Job summary

Are you an experienced mental health specialist Pharmacist looking for a unique opportunity? EPUT Pharmacy are looking for a pharmacist with a proven track record supporting patients with severe mental illness (SMI) to join our dynamic and enthusiastic team.

The NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan identified the need for additional specialist mental health pharmacists in the community to support patients with SMI. As part of our restructured pharmacy department, we have a part time opportunity for an experienced mental health specialist to join our established team of Advanced Community Mental Health Pharmacists. This is an exciting role designed to support patients with SMI live fulfilling independent lives in the community. The success of the established service based in West Essex has been shown to offer vast patient benefits and new funding has been made available to expand the team. Joining our team will provide you with opportunities to undertake further study and help support your professional development.

This post is suitable for hybrid working with time split between your trust base and home

Main duties of the job

This post is based within a multi-disciplinary team of professionals that accept GP referrals, and have the skill and knowledge to offer expert clinical advice and personalise medication plans in real time, to keep patients well. The role requires more than undertaking medication reviews, although that will be a starting point for some patients on complex regimens. Sometimes remote advice will be required; some patients you will choose to see in person. At other times you will respond to the need to upskill primary care colleagues, giving them the confidence to manage these patients. You will be expected to forge strong professional relationships with specialist nurses, psychologists and consultant psychiatrists. This role requires a zeal for mental health, and a genuine drive to help patients; You will be working to provide practical clinical solutions, and you will be changing patients' lives for the better.

Although community based, these posts form an important pillar of the EPUT pharmacy department. At times, the post holders will need to work on our inpatient wards in order to maintain their expertise and contacts in the field. For the same reasons, supervising junior colleagues and a commitment to providing responsible pharmacist duties plus out of hours services are implicit. Post holders should ideally be registered with the GPhC as independent prescribers and be able to demonstrate their clinical credentials.

About us

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

  • Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
  • Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
  • If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
  • We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.

Benefits

  • 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
  • Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
  • Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
  • £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
  • Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

  • Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
  • Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Details

Date posted

01 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata for part time

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working, Compressed hours

Reference number

364-A-9915

Job locations

Harlow/Epping

Harlow

CM20 1QX


Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsible for leading and delivering a specialist clinical pharmacy service within Primary Care Networks in West Essex, to support the medicines-related care of patients, address and improve existing pathways in mental health, participate in training, education and research as required, and support robust medicines optimisation across the interface. To work within clinical competence, as part of a multi-disciplinary team, to provide highly specialised advice in medicines optimisation across the PCNs.

  • Develop, promote and implement high quality, evidence based, and cost effective use of medicines at the interface, in a manner that maximises the benefits of medicines to patients and service users whilst minimising clinical, legal and financial risks
  • To support and influence PCN Pharmacists and GP based Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the pharmaceutical needs of patients with mental illness are met through partnership working at the interface
  • To participate as an active member of clinical teams in West Essex to support the safe and effective use of medicines.
  • Communicate highly complex clinical pharmacy advice on the management of patients with mental illness in order to maximise benefit and minimise risk in relation to medicines.
  • Develop, promote and implement tools within the interface that support the safe use of psychotropic medicines.

For further details see the full job description and person specification in the additional documents section.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsible for leading and delivering a specialist clinical pharmacy service within Primary Care Networks in West Essex, to support the medicines-related care of patients, address and improve existing pathways in mental health, participate in training, education and research as required, and support robust medicines optimisation across the interface. To work within clinical competence, as part of a multi-disciplinary team, to provide highly specialised advice in medicines optimisation across the PCNs.

  • Develop, promote and implement high quality, evidence based, and cost effective use of medicines at the interface, in a manner that maximises the benefits of medicines to patients and service users whilst minimising clinical, legal and financial risks
  • To support and influence PCN Pharmacists and GP based Clinical Pharmacists to ensure the pharmaceutical needs of patients with mental illness are met through partnership working at the interface
  • To participate as an active member of clinical teams in West Essex to support the safe and effective use of medicines.
  • Communicate highly complex clinical pharmacy advice on the management of patients with mental illness in order to maximise benefit and minimise risk in relation to medicines.
  • Develop, promote and implement tools within the interface that support the safe use of psychotropic medicines.

For further details see the full job description and person specification in the additional documents section.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

  • Master's degree in Pharmacy or equivalent
  • General Pharmaceutical Council registration
  • PG certificate/diploma in mental health pharmacy or equivalent experience
  • Member of the RPS / Faculty membership

Desirable

  • Independent prescriber / willing to work towards
  • Certificate in management studies / equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

  • Post registration experience in mental health
  • Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Experience of clinical audit
  • Experience of managing quality and cost effectiveness initiatives

Desirable

  • Post registration experience in primary care
  • Experience of managing staff

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

  • Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
  • Evidence of CPD
  • Proficient IT skills

Desirable

  • Evidence of planning and delivering training
  • Evidence of writing procedures, guidelines etc

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Driving license / access to a car for work
Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

  • Master's degree in Pharmacy or equivalent
  • General Pharmaceutical Council registration
  • PG certificate/diploma in mental health pharmacy or equivalent experience
  • Member of the RPS / Faculty membership

Desirable

  • Independent prescriber / willing to work towards
  • Certificate in management studies / equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

  • Post registration experience in mental health
  • Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Experience of clinical audit
  • Experience of managing quality and cost effectiveness initiatives

Desirable

  • Post registration experience in primary care
  • Experience of managing staff

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

  • Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills
  • Evidence of CPD
  • Proficient IT skills

Desirable

  • Evidence of planning and delivering training
  • Evidence of writing procedures, guidelines etc

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Driving license / access to a car for work

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).

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.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Harlow/Epping

Harlow

CM20 1QX


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Harlow/Epping

Harlow

CM20 1QX


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Pharmacist Team Lead

Ade Aderogba

ade.aderogba1@nhs.net

07581056127

Details

Date posted

01 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata for part time

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working, Compressed hours

Reference number

364-A-9915

Job locations

Harlow/Epping

Harlow

CM20 1QX


Supporting documents

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