Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated pharmacist to join the fabulous North East London (NEL) ICB Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation team. The team works as a multi-disciplinary group of individuals, who operate with a broad range of skills and experience. We are key enablers for collaboration and integration across all health and social care partners in the NEL Integrated Care System. As a team player you will be supported to fully commit to this way of working, especially with regards to transformational work with medicines and pharmacy.
This post is based in the NEL ICB Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation team. The post holder leads the team delivering on medicines optimisation within the designated place and contributes to the development of the pharmacy and medicines optimisation strategy for Mental Health across NEL. The team provides an effective and professional medicines optimisation service to our local boroughs as well as matrix working across boroughs and with our stakeholders. The post holder will lead on the safe, quality and cost-effective use of medicines, that is evidence based, by implementing the principles of medicines optimisation.
Please note this part time post is offered on a fixed term contract. Applicants who have previously applied for this post will not be considered at this time. Interviews will aimed to be held week commencing 17th November 2025.
Main duties of the job
Lead Medicines Optimisation pharmacists will be expected to spend up to 50% of their time providing clinical pharmacy and medicines optimisation leadership to the mental health workstream. This will include the commissioning of Clinical Pathways and representing the Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation Team in system wide clinical network meetings. This may involve working under the supervision of a different Deputy Director or Head of Medicines Optimisation.
o Leads at borough level, driving transformation as well as value for money in planning, commissioning, development of patient pathways and services with regards to Medicines Optimisationo Oversees projects to support the delivery of the pharmacy and medicines optimisation team strategy and objectives. This includes responsibility for ensuring the planning, development and delivery of medicines optimisation projectso Provides expertise, experience and leadership in medicines at place-based level as well as across the Integrated Care Systemo Provides expert clinical pharmacy and medicines optimisation input to a designated clinical specialty, network or initiative as requiredo Leads the place-based team that supports GPs, non-medical prescribers and other health and care professionals in the safe use of medicines, evidence-based prescribing, cost-effective management of the prescribing budget and support local and national measures
About us
NHS North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) was formed on 1 July 2022.
We are an exciting new organisation putting the needs of communities at the heart of our commissioning arrangements.
We are working with local people and partners across health, social care and the voluntary sector in innovative ways to improve health and wellbeing for all our communities. Our key priority in the next year will be to develop closer integrated and collaborative ways of working with all our partners to implement our Out of Hospital Strategy.
We can only do this with great staff who are encouraged and supported, which is why we invest in them, listen to them, make sure we are representative of our populations and that we foster their health and wellbeing.
Please note that all vacancies will be subject to a 6 months' probation period in line with the Probation Policy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leads at place, the management of risks associated with medicines, ensuring that relevant risks are recorded on the risk register, regularly reviewed and mitigations are undertaken and reported as appropriate Provide clinical pharmacy input to a range of guidelines and clinical pathways to include but not limited to long term conditions Ensures that policies in relation to medicines optimisation and governance are: available current, in line with national, ICB and ICS policies and are appropriately implemented Ensures the communication, promotion and encouragement of best practice in relation to medicines optimisation across boroughs are in place Leads and supports the investigation of medicines related incidents and complaints and facilitates systems to implement best practice
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full duties and responsibilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leads at place, the management of risks associated with medicines, ensuring that relevant risks are recorded on the risk register, regularly reviewed and mitigations are undertaken and reported as appropriate Provide clinical pharmacy input to a range of guidelines and clinical pathways to include but not limited to long term conditions Ensures that policies in relation to medicines optimisation and governance are: available current, in line with national, ICB and ICS policies and are appropriately implemented Ensures the communication, promotion and encouragement of best practice in relation to medicines optimisation across boroughs are in place Leads and supports the investigation of medicines related incidents and complaints and facilitates systems to implement best practice
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level in Pharmacy - MPharm or equivalent qualification
- Competency assessed and examined professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain
- Additional postgraduate qualification or equivalent (clinical/managerial diploma)
Experience
Essential
- Extensive, community and /or hospital pharmacy experience or experience of providing prescribing support to primary care organisations or practices.
- Experience of effectively responding to medicines information queries and supervising and training others to do the same.
- Experience of using local and national data to support the development and monitoring of patient pathways.
- Experience of co-ordinating projects in complex and challenging environments
Knowledge
Essential
- Working knowledge of legislation, national guidance, governance and financial frameworks which relates to medicines supply, prescribing and practice.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of safe, quality and cost-effective use of medicines, that is evidence based, by implementing the principles of medicines optimisation
- Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems in relation to medicines optimisation project or service delivery.
Other
Essential
Person Specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level in Pharmacy - MPharm or equivalent qualification
- Competency assessed and examined professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain
- Additional postgraduate qualification or equivalent (clinical/managerial diploma)
Experience
Essential
- Extensive, community and /or hospital pharmacy experience or experience of providing prescribing support to primary care organisations or practices.
- Experience of effectively responding to medicines information queries and supervising and training others to do the same.
- Experience of using local and national data to support the development and monitoring of patient pathways.
- Experience of co-ordinating projects in complex and challenging environments
Knowledge
Essential
- Working knowledge of legislation, national guidance, governance and financial frameworks which relates to medicines supply, prescribing and practice.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of safe, quality and cost-effective use of medicines, that is evidence based, by implementing the principles of medicines optimisation
- Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems in relation to medicines optimisation project or service delivery.
Other
Essential
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).