Lead Pharmacist - Medication Safety Officer

Job responsibilities

Reports to and is directly managed by the Chief Pharmacist as the Trusts Medication Safety Officer, providing leadership and oversight for all medicines safety initiatives.

Leads the Trusts medication safety programme, managing a portfolio of safety projects and quality improvement initiatives, including clinical audits, incident reviews, and risk reduction strategies, as agreed with the Chief Pharmacist.

Works closely with the Chief Pharmacist, Medical Director, Director of Nursing, and other senior leaders to embed medicines safety within clinical systems, standard operating procedures, and patient safety processes across the organisation.

Collaborates with the Pharmacy leadership team and Patient Safety, Governance, and Digital Transformation teams to align medicines optimisation with workflows, data insights, and safety intelligence, ensuring continuous improvement.

Ensures that lessons learned from incident reporting, audit and research are analysed and applied to drive proactive risk management, policy development, and quality improvement initiatives across the Trust.

Represents the Trust in regional and national Medication Safety Officer Networks and contributes to NHS England patient safety programmes, sharing best practice and supporting national safety initiatives.

Acts as the key link between the Trust, the MHRA, and NHS England regarding medicines safety incidents, regulatory compliance, and the implementation of local and national guidance and alerts.

Contributes to the development and delivery of the Trusts Pharmacy and Medicines Management Strategy and supports operational planning, ensuring services are safe, effective, and patient-focused.

Provides line management to members of the Medication Safety and Health Informatics teams within the pharmacy department.

Offers specialist advice and guidance to staff across the department, the wider Trust, and the local health economy to promote the safe and effective use of medicines in all care settings.

Communicates complex medicines information and safety guidance to consultants, clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, patients, and carers to improve understanding, compliance, and patient outcomes.

Participates actively in key clinical and strategic committees, including the Trust Medication Safety Committee, contributing expertise and recommendations to support organisational decision-making.

Special Requirements

Essential

• Able to build good relationships with colleagues
• Team player who delegates appropriately
• A problem solver with good negotiation and influencing skills
• Desire to develop clinical skills
• Able to prioritise own workload
• Able to travel across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post

Desirable

• Excellent presentation skills

Statutory Registration

Essential

• Registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience as a senior clinical pharmacist
• Experience of medication safety / clinical governance
• Extensive experience of managing pharmacy services.
• Experience of developing good working relationships in multi-professional teams
• Experience of leading and managing a team of staff
• Experience of Project Management / Change Management / Audit and Performance management
• Experience of service evaluation and development
• Experience of education and training provision
• Experience and knowledge of legislation relating to pharmacy practice
• Experience of providing HR support to a team

Desirable

• Experience of practice research

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Good understanding of current pharmacy / NHS issues
• Demonstrable leadership and management skills
• Demonstrable clinical skills
• Ability to interpret complex data and present complex information
• Works well as part of a team
• Able to work as an autonomous practitioner in all areas of pharmacy practice
• Ability to deliver training
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Sound knowledge of MI resources
• Problem solver with good negotiation and influencing skills
• Able to build good relationships with colleagues
• Team player who delegates appropriately
• Key board skills, ability to use basic Microsoft office applications

Desirable

• Proven ability to communicate effectively across professional boundaries
• Proven ability to influence others outside direct management control

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters Degree in Pharmacy or equivalent
• Relevant post graduate clinical qualification (to at least diploma level)
• Management training or equivalent experience
• Evidence of CPD and education

Desirable

• Post graduate Masters qualification in a relevant subject
• Qualified Pharmacist Prescriber
• 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).

UK Registration

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