Job summary
We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Principal Clinical Pharmacist to lead the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred pharmacy services at University Hospital Lewisham.
This Band 8b role is pivotal in shaping clinical strategy, medicines governance, and service development across the Medicine division.
The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership, oversee clinical pharmacy operations, and support multidisciplinary teams to optimise medicines use and improve patient outcomes.
PLEASE NOTE: We may not be able to offer sponsorship for this post
Main duties of the job
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for clinical pharmacy services across the Medicine division at UHL.
- Lead and manage a team of specialist pharmacists, ensuring safe, effective, and economical use of medicines.
- Act as a clinical role model and independent prescriber, supporting complex decision-making and multidisciplinary care.
- Oversee medicines governance, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Support the development and implementation of divisional and Trust-wide medicines optimisation strategies.
- Contribute to financial planning, PbR-excluded drug management, and delivery of cost improvement plans.
- Deputise for the Associate Director of Pharmacy for Clinical Services as required.
About us
Working for Your Organisation
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is a progressive and inclusive organisation committed to delivering high-quality care across its sites. Our pharmacy services have embraced cluster working since 2020, fostering close collaboration between University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital. This integrated model supports shared learning, consistent service standards, and innovative approaches to medicines optimisation across the Trust.
You will be joining a supportive and ambitious pharmacy team with a strong track record in clinical leadership, service development, and multidisciplinary working. We value diversity, flexible working, and professional development, and we are proud to support our staff in achieving their full potential.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Result Areas & Performance Leadership & Service Development
- Provide strategic leadership for clinical pharmacy services across the Medicine division at University Hospital Lewisham.
- Lead the development and implementation of advanced clinical roles, including pharmacist prescribing and enhanced clinical input into multidisciplinary teams.
- Support adherence to local and national guidelines to ensure safe, evidence-based, and cost-effective prescribing.
- Collaborate with divisional and Trust-wide teams to develop integrated care pathways and medicines optimisation strategies.
- Represent pharmacy in divisional governance and contribute to service planning and redesign.
- Work with colleagues across the Lewisham & Greenwich cluster and South East London ICS to promote system-wide collaboration and consistency.
Clinical Services & Patient Care - Act as a clinical role model and independent prescriber, providing expert input into complex patient care decisions.
- Provide direct clinical pharmacy services as required, including screening, prescribing, and medicines reconciliation.
- Ensure robust clinical supervision and training for pharmacists and technicians within the division.
- Lead on the development and review of prescribing protocols and clinical guidelines.
- Support the delivery of medicines optimisation targets, including biosimilar switching and PbR-excluded drug management.
Division Support - Monitor and report on medicines expenditure across the division, including forecasting and cost improvement planning.
- Provide financial oversight of high-cost drugs and support the delivery of NHSE medicines efficiencies.
- Contribute to business case development and service expansion proposals.
- Actively participate in divisional meetings and represent pharmacy in strategic discussions.
Governance, Information & Data Management - Lead on clinical audit, service evaluation, and performance reporting within the division.
- Support the investigation of medication-related safety incidents and implement improvement actions.
- Contribute to formulary management and the evaluation of new medicines and NICE guidance.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies and national standards for medicines governance.
Staff Management & Training - Line manage pharmacists within the Medicine division, overseeing performance, development, and workload allocation.
- Support the education and training of pharmacy staff, including postgraduate supervision and CPD.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, professional development, and collaborative working.
- Act as a role model and mentor for junior staff and trainees.
Research & Development - Lead and support practice research and quality improvement initiatives.
- Encourage publication and presentation of research at regional and national forums.
- Collaborate with academic partners to develop research capacity within the pharmacy team.
Financial - Provide budgetary advice and oversight of medicines spend within the division.
- Support the delivery of cost improvement plans and ensure efficient use of resources.
- Attend financial meetings and contribute to strategic financial planning.
Communications and Relationships - Liaise effectively with multidisciplinary teams, service managers, and external stakeholders.
- Communicate clearly and sensitively about medicines-related issues across the Trust.
- Provide training and education to pharmacy, nursing, and medical staff on medicines policies and developments.
General - Ensure effective management of staff within area of responsibility, including appraisals, training, and HR processes.
- Uphold the principles of safe and secure handling of medicines.
- Contribute to departmental meetings and Trust-wide initiatives as required.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Result Areas & Performance Leadership & Service Development
- Provide strategic leadership for clinical pharmacy services across the Medicine division at University Hospital Lewisham.
- Lead the development and implementation of advanced clinical roles, including pharmacist prescribing and enhanced clinical input into multidisciplinary teams.
- Support adherence to local and national guidelines to ensure safe, evidence-based, and cost-effective prescribing.
- Collaborate with divisional and Trust-wide teams to develop integrated care pathways and medicines optimisation strategies.
- Represent pharmacy in divisional governance and contribute to service planning and redesign.
- Work with colleagues across the Lewisham & Greenwich cluster and South East London ICS to promote system-wide collaboration and consistency.
Clinical Services & Patient Care - Act as a clinical role model and independent prescriber, providing expert input into complex patient care decisions.
- Provide direct clinical pharmacy services as required, including screening, prescribing, and medicines reconciliation.
- Ensure robust clinical supervision and training for pharmacists and technicians within the division.
- Lead on the development and review of prescribing protocols and clinical guidelines.
- Support the delivery of medicines optimisation targets, including biosimilar switching and PbR-excluded drug management.
Division Support - Monitor and report on medicines expenditure across the division, including forecasting and cost improvement planning.
- Provide financial oversight of high-cost drugs and support the delivery of NHSE medicines efficiencies.
- Contribute to business case development and service expansion proposals.
- Actively participate in divisional meetings and represent pharmacy in strategic discussions.
Governance, Information & Data Management - Lead on clinical audit, service evaluation, and performance reporting within the division.
- Support the investigation of medication-related safety incidents and implement improvement actions.
- Contribute to formulary management and the evaluation of new medicines and NICE guidance.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies and national standards for medicines governance.
Staff Management & Training - Line manage pharmacists within the Medicine division, overseeing performance, development, and workload allocation.
- Support the education and training of pharmacy staff, including postgraduate supervision and CPD.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, professional development, and collaborative working.
- Act as a role model and mentor for junior staff and trainees.
Research & Development - Lead and support practice research and quality improvement initiatives.
- Encourage publication and presentation of research at regional and national forums.
- Collaborate with academic partners to develop research capacity within the pharmacy team.
Financial - Provide budgetary advice and oversight of medicines spend within the division.
- Support the delivery of cost improvement plans and ensure efficient use of resources.
- Attend financial meetings and contribute to strategic financial planning.
Communications and Relationships - Liaise effectively with multidisciplinary teams, service managers, and external stakeholders.
- Communicate clearly and sensitively about medicines-related issues across the Trust.
- Provide training and education to pharmacy, nursing, and medical staff on medicines policies and developments.
General - Ensure effective management of staff within area of responsibility, including appraisals, training, and HR processes.
- Uphold the principles of safe and secure handling of medicines.
- Contribute to departmental meetings and Trust-wide initiatives as required.
Person Specification
Qualifications && Training
Essential
- B. Pharm / M. Pharm / BSc (Pharmacy) or equivalent
- Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Postgraduate Diploma in either Clinical Pharmacy or General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent)
- Mandatory CPD to maintain fitness to practice.
- Specialist higher degree (Masters) in Cancer or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience at senior management level and relevant short courses taught at postgraduate level.
Desirable
- Independent Prescriber
- Other postgraduate qualifications relevant to pharmacy practice, such as management or education & training qualifications
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post registration experience in relevant clinical specialities including oncology, haematology and parenteral nutrition.
- Demonstrable experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of Pharmacy to achieve across Trust developments.
- Demonstrable experience of managing staff/ teams.
- Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit and practice research.
Desirable
- Publications in relevant specialty.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to analyse trial data and use available evidence to make sound judgements.
- Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team both within pharmacy and a multidisciplinary environment
- Ability to prioritise and plan work effectively alone and for a team including the ability to delegate appropriately.
- Ability to think strategically.
- Applies sound professional judgement to legal and ethical issues.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information effectively using clear written and spoken English and overcome barriers to understanding.
- Ability to provide highly complex information on Pharmacy Services issues and impart knowledge to all levels of healthcare professionals (up to and including senior consultants /professor/ executive director level).
- Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills
Person Specification
Qualifications && Training
Essential
- B. Pharm / M. Pharm / BSc (Pharmacy) or equivalent
- Professional registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Postgraduate Diploma in either Clinical Pharmacy or General Pharmacy Practice (or equivalent)
- Mandatory CPD to maintain fitness to practice.
- Specialist higher degree (Masters) in Cancer or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience at senior management level and relevant short courses taught at postgraduate level.
Desirable
- Independent Prescriber
- Other postgraduate qualifications relevant to pharmacy practice, such as management or education & training qualifications
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post registration experience in relevant clinical specialities including oncology, haematology and parenteral nutrition.
- Demonstrable experience of working with senior healthcare professionals outside of Pharmacy to achieve across Trust developments.
- Demonstrable experience of managing staff/ teams.
- Demonstrable experience of co-ordinating and leading on clinical audit and practice research.
Desirable
- Publications in relevant specialty.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to analyse trial data and use available evidence to make sound judgements.
- Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team both within pharmacy and a multidisciplinary environment
- Ability to prioritise and plan work effectively alone and for a team including the ability to delegate appropriately.
- Ability to think strategically.
- Applies sound professional judgement to legal and ethical issues.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information effectively using clear written and spoken English and overcome barriers to understanding.
- Ability to provide highly complex information on Pharmacy Services issues and impart knowledge to all levels of healthcare professionals (up to and including senior consultants /professor/ executive director level).
- Proficient in all Microsoft Office software with proven computer literacy and IT skills
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).
