Job summary
Specialist Pharmacist - Frailty & CoE
Department: Pharmacy
Band 7: £47,810 - £54,710 per annum
Full-time: Hours: 37.5hrs per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you a Pharmacist with a passion for Elderly Care and Frailty?
Now is an excellent time to become part of the pharmacy team at MKUH; we are a friendly, forward-thinking department who continue to grow in both size and influence. Recent enhancements include a major departmental refurbishment, the introduction of a new Pharmacy Robot, the establishment of a new Pharmacy and Aseptic Unit in the Cancer Centre, and the opening of a new Outpatient Pharmacy.
Our services are evolving to provide our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with more time to work alongside patients while supporting their medical and nursing colleagues. Our commitment is to ensure that every patient receives safe, high-quality care, placing our patients at the heart of our mission. This role is a compelling career opportunity for a skilled and dedicated pharmacist to join our hardworking, forward-looking, and innovative pharmacy team.
If successful, you will be part of a supportive and learning environment that encourages both professional and personal development. If you would like to find out more, please contact Emily McDonald, Clinical Pharmacy Manager - Frailty, Elderly Care & Endocrine atemily.mcdonald@mkuh.nhs.uk for an informal discussion.
Interview date: w/c 22 September 2025
Main duties of the job
- You will work closely with the Principal Pharmacist to providing pharmacy input in the form of comprehensive medication reviews to elderly inpatients. You will support with providing safe and effective use of medicines to enable the best possible outcomes, reduce inappropriate polypharmacy & improve adherence and patients understanding of medicines.
- In addition to delivering ward based clinical pharmacy services within elderly care, as well as clinical support to the dispensary, you will have the opportunity to gain experience in supporting and supervising junior staff, undertaking quality improvement and audit work, advocating for medicines optimisation and safety initiatives at the ward level, and collaborating with the Principal Pharmacist to address any medicines related issues affecting the elderly care division.
- To take akey role in the delivery, development and evaluation of the Pharmaceutical Service provided to Divisional Teams and Clinical Service Units (CSU); to meet the requirements of pharmacy customers in accordance with pharmaceutical legislation, national guidance and departmental objectives.
- To deputise, with appropriate support, for the Principal Pharmacists at meetings and in delivery of training within their assigned areas of pharmaceutical care.
- To provide ward-based clinical pharmacy services, working alongside our other specialist pharmacists and technicians, and supporting pharmacists and technicians and trainees.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
"We Care We Communicate We Collaborate We Contribute"
Our standard working hours now consist of four long days (8 am to 6.30 pm) per week, with coverage on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays on a rota basis. After a period of induction and training, you will contribute to the pharmacy out-of-hours service.
We are looking for an outstanding pharmacist who is enthusiastic, self-motivated and committed to forging excellent communication between primary and secondary care teams and drive the pharmacy team forward. You will be passionate about helping the elderly patients get the best from their medicines, and keen to use your initiative and drive to take opportunities to create an outstanding service and demonstrate leadership around optimal and safe medication use within the board rounds.
As the Specialist Pharmacist you will work as part of a pharmacy team and develop specialist clinical pharmacy services to elderly patients working across the interface. The post holder will develop the role in the transfer of care across the interface to ensure optimisation and safe discharges for the elderly population.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Job description
Job responsibilities
"We Care We Communicate We Collaborate We Contribute"
Our standard working hours now consist of four long days (8 am to 6.30 pm) per week, with coverage on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays on a rota basis. After a period of induction and training, you will contribute to the pharmacy out-of-hours service.
We are looking for an outstanding pharmacist who is enthusiastic, self-motivated and committed to forging excellent communication between primary and secondary care teams and drive the pharmacy team forward. You will be passionate about helping the elderly patients get the best from their medicines, and keen to use your initiative and drive to take opportunities to create an outstanding service and demonstrate leadership around optimal and safe medication use within the board rounds.
As the Specialist Pharmacist you will work as part of a pharmacy team and develop specialist clinical pharmacy services to elderly patients working across the interface. The post holder will develop the role in the transfer of care across the interface to ensure optimisation and safe discharges for the elderly population.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- B.Sc. / B.Pharm. / M.Pharm
- Registered with GPhC
- Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy (or equivalent)
- Evidence of on-going CPD (in line with GPhC requirements)
Desirable
- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or evidence of equivalent experience e.g. GLF
- Member of RPS
- Evidence of a good understanding of medicines management issues at the interfaces between primary, secondary and tertiary care
Experience
Essential
- Post registration experience in a hospital-based clinical post
- Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care
- Experience of clinical audit work.
- An awareness of current national standards, guidelines and service delivery issues.
- Experience of Medicines Information.
- Knowledge of the medical management of disease in a range of the specialties
Desirable
- At least 2 years post registration experience in a hospital-based clinical post
- Evidence of influencing medicines use to optimise care and help clinicians manage expenditure
- Evidence of experience managing prioritisation in relation to the use of new drugs and new uses for drugs
- Evidence of significant contribution to innovative or developmental roles and activities within pharmacy
Skills
Essential
- Effective and safe pharmaceutical skills
- Ability to manage time effectively and work to deadlines
- Ability to plan, prioritise and organise self and others and deal effectively with unexpected demands
- I.T. skills such as computer literacy, word processing and spreadsheet skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with other staff, patients and members of the public
- Good presentation skills.
- Good written communication skills
- Problem solving
- Good team work and ability to work alone
- Evidence of leadership skills
- Ability to motivate and act as a role model
Desirable
- Good negotiation skills and ability to justify advice given should this be challenged
- Critical appraisal skills
- Evidence of understanding of clinical risk and clinical governance
- Innovative Thinking
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of supervising and developing colleagues
- Evidence of Continuous Professional Development to meet GPhC standards
- Evidence of leadership
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
- Evidence of team working
- Evidence of effective and timely project delivery
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Flexible, polite and courteous
- Dedicated professional attitude
- Able to take the initiative
- Ability and willingness to take responsibility for own actions and lead, when required, including when on call
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- B.Sc. / B.Pharm. / M.Pharm
- Registered with GPhC
- Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy (or equivalent)
- Evidence of on-going CPD (in line with GPhC requirements)
Desirable
- Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or evidence of equivalent experience e.g. GLF
- Member of RPS
- Evidence of a good understanding of medicines management issues at the interfaces between primary, secondary and tertiary care
Experience
Essential
- Post registration experience in a hospital-based clinical post
- Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care
- Experience of clinical audit work.
- An awareness of current national standards, guidelines and service delivery issues.
- Experience of Medicines Information.
- Knowledge of the medical management of disease in a range of the specialties
Desirable
- At least 2 years post registration experience in a hospital-based clinical post
- Evidence of influencing medicines use to optimise care and help clinicians manage expenditure
- Evidence of experience managing prioritisation in relation to the use of new drugs and new uses for drugs
- Evidence of significant contribution to innovative or developmental roles and activities within pharmacy
Skills
Essential
- Effective and safe pharmaceutical skills
- Ability to manage time effectively and work to deadlines
- Ability to plan, prioritise and organise self and others and deal effectively with unexpected demands
- I.T. skills such as computer literacy, word processing and spreadsheet skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with other staff, patients and members of the public
- Good presentation skills.
- Good written communication skills
- Problem solving
- Good team work and ability to work alone
- Evidence of leadership skills
- Ability to motivate and act as a role model
Desirable
- Good negotiation skills and ability to justify advice given should this be challenged
- Critical appraisal skills
- Evidence of understanding of clinical risk and clinical governance
- Innovative Thinking
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience of supervising and developing colleagues
- Evidence of Continuous Professional Development to meet GPhC standards
- Evidence of leadership
Communication
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
- Evidence of team working
- Evidence of effective and timely project delivery
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Flexible, polite and courteous
- Dedicated professional attitude
- Able to take the initiative
- Ability and willingness to take responsibility for own actions and lead, when required, including when on call
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).
