Job summary
A brilliant and exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic pharmacist to join the UCLH Senior Pharmacy Leadership Team and lead, manage and develop all aspects of the UCLH pharmacy production services (aseptic, repack and advanced pharmacy therapy units) and ensure all production services are delivered in accordance with the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice, nationally agreed standards and agreed objectives for the service.
You will be an experienced and dynamic pharmacist with demonstrable knowledge and prior leadership in both the areas of Pharmacy Production and GMP, and the desire and ability to deliver high quality pharmacy services to patients at UCLH. You will have:
- extensive Production and GMP experience
- a track record of leading a team of staff to deliver outstanding aseptic pharmacy services
- excellent working knowledge of GCP and GDP requirements;
- GPHC registration as a pharmacist; and significant experience of dealing with the MHRA and/or other external auditing agencies;
- excellent team working, communication and negotiation skills;
- the ability to lead the pharmacy production team;
- well-developed team and lone-working skills and
- an enthusiastic, flexible and professional approach are all essential.
Main duties of the job
To lead, manage and develop all aspects of the UCLH pharmacy production services (aseptic, repack and advanced pharmacy therapy units) and ensure all production services are delivered in accordance with the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice, nationally agreed standards and agreed objectives for the service. .
To lead on the Production responsibilities of the Quality Management System.
To be responsible for the strategic development of Production services to the Trust in line with National and Regionally agreed priorities.
To lead the research and development agenda for production and technical services
To provide high quality pharmacy production services within the resources available.
About us
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.
We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
- University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
- Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
- University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
- Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
- University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
- University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
At UCLH, we have a real 'One Team' ethos, and our values - safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Pharmacy Production Units hold MHRA MS and IMP licences and prepare sterile medicines, nutrition solutions, antibiotic and cytotoxic injections/infusions, to support specialist medical care. Our Cytotoxic Unit dispenses >50,000 doses per annum. The PN compounding service dispenses >8000 doses per annum to support our Level 3 Intestinal Failure service. The CIVAS service supports a Level 1 Neonatal Unit and dispenses >12,000 doses per annum (Section 10 and MS).
Our Repack Unit provides services to UCLH and many other Trusts in London and SE England. The repack service packs or overlabels approximately 300,000 packs or 1500 batches per annum. Current staffing levels are 5.5wte technicians or assistants.
UCLH will be opening a new Advanced Pharmacy Therapy Unit in 2025 and this post will help lead the setup, design and running of the new unit.
UCLH is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population from the local area and throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. The Trust mission is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education and world-class research across seven hospitals.
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact:
Jatinder Harchowal, Head of Pharmacy (jatinder.harchowal@nhs.net)
Closing date: Two weeks after advertisement
Interview date: One week after closing date
We offer our permanent staff an interest free ticket loan, a subsidised social club including gym and swimming facilities, a library for staff to use, free independent and confidential support for all staff and large retail discounts.
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Pharmacy Production Units hold MHRA MS and IMP licences and prepare sterile medicines, nutrition solutions, antibiotic and cytotoxic injections/infusions, to support specialist medical care. Our Cytotoxic Unit dispenses >50,000 doses per annum. The PN compounding service dispenses >8000 doses per annum to support our Level 3 Intestinal Failure service. The CIVAS service supports a Level 1 Neonatal Unit and dispenses >12,000 doses per annum (Section 10 and MS).
Our Repack Unit provides services to UCLH and many other Trusts in London and SE England. The repack service packs or overlabels approximately 300,000 packs or 1500 batches per annum. Current staffing levels are 5.5wte technicians or assistants.
UCLH will be opening a new Advanced Pharmacy Therapy Unit in 2025 and this post will help lead the setup, design and running of the new unit.
UCLH is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population from the local area and throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. The Trust mission is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education and world-class research across seven hospitals.
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact:
Jatinder Harchowal, Head of Pharmacy (jatinder.harchowal@nhs.net)
Closing date: Two weeks after advertisement
Interview date: One week after closing date
We offer our permanent staff an interest free ticket loan, a subsidised social club including gym and swimming facilities, a library for staff to use, free independent and confidential support for all staff and large retail discounts.
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Qualifications
Essential
- Master Degree in Pharmacy (MRPharm) or equivalent
- Pharmacist Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Specialist Qualification in Pharmaceutical Technical Services, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products e.g. PTQA MSc or equivalent experience and expertise
- Formal management qualification, e.g. MBA, DMS or equivalent
Desirable
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
- Eligible to act as Qualified Person (Investigational Medicinal Products)
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable significant post qualification work in hospital pharmacy practise.
- Demonstrable significant experience of aseptic manufacture (Chemotherapy, CIVAS and PN)
- Demonstrable significant experience of managing/leading an aseptic service, unit or sub-unit.
- Experience of dealing with MHRA and/or other external auditing agencies
- Previous assessable experience of budget management
- Experience of service management including managing human resources issues, e.g. Sickness, disciplinary
Desirable
- Demonstrable significant experience of repackaging manufacture (Overlabels, Repacks, Kits and Boxes)
- Previous assessable experience in the design, building and commissioning of new production facilities
- Previous assessable experience of multi-disciplinary health service research in technical services
- Previous assessable experience of delivering training and education at graduate or post-graduate level
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrated ability to manage routine out of specification results and incidents, and develop and review action plans to resolve these
- Demonstrated evidence of managing the safe handling of hazardous materials
Desirable
- Demonstrated specialist skills and knowledge to design novel pharmaceutical presentations.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Qualifications
Essential
- Master Degree in Pharmacy (MRPharm) or equivalent
- Pharmacist Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Specialist Qualification in Pharmaceutical Technical Services, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products e.g. PTQA MSc or equivalent experience and expertise
- Formal management qualification, e.g. MBA, DMS or equivalent
Desirable
- Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
- Eligible to act as Qualified Person (Investigational Medicinal Products)
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable significant post qualification work in hospital pharmacy practise.
- Demonstrable significant experience of aseptic manufacture (Chemotherapy, CIVAS and PN)
- Demonstrable significant experience of managing/leading an aseptic service, unit or sub-unit.
- Experience of dealing with MHRA and/or other external auditing agencies
- Previous assessable experience of budget management
- Experience of service management including managing human resources issues, e.g. Sickness, disciplinary
Desirable
- Demonstrable significant experience of repackaging manufacture (Overlabels, Repacks, Kits and Boxes)
- Previous assessable experience in the design, building and commissioning of new production facilities
- Previous assessable experience of multi-disciplinary health service research in technical services
- Previous assessable experience of delivering training and education at graduate or post-graduate level
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrated ability to manage routine out of specification results and incidents, and develop and review action plans to resolve these
- Demonstrated evidence of managing the safe handling of hazardous materials
Desirable
- Demonstrated specialist skills and knowledge to design novel pharmaceutical presentations.
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).
