Job summary
Medication Safety Officer
Department: Pharmacy
Band 8a: £53,755 - £60,504 per annum
Full-Time 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
To support this next step, the Pharmacy Department is currently looking for an outstanding Pharmacist to join our team as our Medication Safety Office.Applicants to the position must be passionate about providing high quality patient care, medication safety and ensuring safe processes through robust governance across the Trust.
We are looking for someone willing to show their commitment to delivering excellence and working with us to developour Pharmacy service even further, for all staff in our wider team and the organisation. A can-do approach and commitment to self and service development is essential to enable the person appointed to be able to train and develop others in partnership with other pharmacy staff members.
Weekend work to supply immediately neededmedication, including TTOs, is required of all pharmacy staff. The post holder will also participate in the on-call rota.
Interview date: 15.07.2025
Main duties of the job
- To act as the MSO & be responsible for the development, implementation & evaluation of medicines safety initiatives across the organisation in line with relevant guidance.
- To be responsible for the development, implementation & evaluation of a programme to promote learning from medication incidents within pharmacy & across the organisation.
- Ensuring comprehensive reporting on medication incidents to the relevant committee meetings & be responsible for driving actions to improve patient safety across the organisation.
- To lead on the governance of Controlled Drugs working with the Clinical Director of Pharmacy & the Controlled Drug Accountable Officer.
- To support the Medicine Use and Quality Manager to develop, deliver & evaluate the service they are responsible for in accordance with relevant standards and guidance.
- To facilitate the continuing professional development of all direct & indirect reports in the domains of medication safety.
- To support the Medicine Use & Quality Manager to develop & deliver the medicines governance agenda including the preparation & maintenance of pharmacy-wide policies and procedures relating to the safe, effective & affordable use of medicines.
- To represent the Trust in meetings with local, regional & national MSO networks in primary & secondary care.
- To support patient centered medicines optimisation as an advanced pharmacy practitioner & where service need require, to practice as a non-medical prescriber within an agreed scope of practice.
About us
"We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute"
Professional, scientific colleagues feel their roles positively impact patients and service users(NHS Staff Survey 2023).
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free tea and coffee
- Great flexible workingopportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Medication safety organisation & management role:
- To represent pharmacy and Medication Safety at organisational Operational, Safety and Governance meetings.
Expert practice:
- To act as the nominated MSO for the Trust, ensuring compliance with national guidance for the role.
Research, evaluation & service development:
- To create and present reports and data on medication incidents within the organisation at relevant prescribing governance committees and clinical improvement groups.
Professional leadership:
- To contribute to the direction of local, regional and national groups pertaining to Medication Safety.
Clinical practice role:
- To practice in compliance with the General Pharmaceutical Council code of professional conduct within scope of practice, being responsible and accountable for own decisions, actions, and omissions.
Education and training responsibilities:
- To provide a comprehensive induction programme for all new members of staff coming into the Medication Safety Team.
Professional role:
- To ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times
Please refer to the Job Description for further details.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Medication safety organisation & management role:
- To represent pharmacy and Medication Safety at organisational Operational, Safety and Governance meetings.
Expert practice:
- To act as the nominated MSO for the Trust, ensuring compliance with national guidance for the role.
Research, evaluation & service development:
- To create and present reports and data on medication incidents within the organisation at relevant prescribing governance committees and clinical improvement groups.
Professional leadership:
- To contribute to the direction of local, regional and national groups pertaining to Medication Safety.
Clinical practice role:
- To practice in compliance with the General Pharmaceutical Council code of professional conduct within scope of practice, being responsible and accountable for own decisions, actions, and omissions.
Education and training responsibilities:
- To provide a comprehensive induction programme for all new members of staff coming into the Medication Safety Team.
Professional role:
- To ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times
Please refer to the Job Description for further details.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouraging diversity and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust, all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- B.Sc. / B.Pharm. / M.Pharm
- Registered with GPhC
- Post-graduate degree / Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy (Level 8) or equivalent experience
- Evidence of on-going CPD (in line with GPhC requirements)
- Evidence of a good understanding of medicines value and commissioning pathways and arrangements.
Desirable
- Independent prescribing qualification
- Member of RPS
- Formal teaching or mentoring training
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates a passion for Medication Safety
- Significant post registration experience in a hospital
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care
- Experience of audit work and research
- Evidence of supporting multidisciplinary teams through change in clinical setting
- Experience of service development or change management
- An awareness of current national standards, guidelines and delivery issues relevant to patient and medication safety
- Experience of supervising, developing and appraising staff as well as giving feedback
Desirable
- Experience of writing evaluations or reviews of medicines and critically appraising evidence
- Experience of managing drug expenditure and understanding of budgetary mechanism
- Awareness of tools and techniques to support horizon scanning
- Experience of business case synthesis, financial planning and reporting
Skills
Essential
- IT, Presentation skills and report writing
- Meets targets and identifies a vision for the delivery of pharmacy and medicine services to patients
- Good inter-personal skills, with the ability to liaise and influence senior managers and consultants
- Meets expected levels of practice as identified by others and identifies new areas of practice
- Understands local and national priorities in care and has the ability to reconcile these with local realities
- Demonstrable ability to manage time, people and resources to deliver outcomes
- Integrates research evidence and audit results into practice; documented experience of own research & audit
- Identifies and manages risk
- Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to governance and medicines safety agendas
- Demonstrates clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning and judgement; manages difficult and ambiguous problems
- Identifies own training needs, actively seeks training opportunities and maintains a portfolio of practice
- Works autonomously and can delegate authority appropriately
- Evaluates the quality of own work and can evaluate service quality
- An ability to prioritise a complex workload and work accurately under pressure
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience as a trainer
- Experience of supervising, developing and appraising staff as well as giving feedback
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
- Common sense
- 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
- Post-graduate degree / Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy (Level 8) or equivalent experience
- Evidence of on-going CPD (in line with GPhC requirements)
- Evidence of a good understanding of medicines value and commissioning pathways and arrangements.
Desirable
- Independent prescribing qualification
- Member of RPS
- Formal teaching or mentoring training
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates a passion for Medication Safety
- Significant post registration experience in a hospital
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care
- Experience of audit work and research
- Evidence of supporting multidisciplinary teams through change in clinical setting
- Experience of service development or change management
- An awareness of current national standards, guidelines and delivery issues relevant to patient and medication safety
- Experience of supervising, developing and appraising staff as well as giving feedback
Desirable
- Experience of writing evaluations or reviews of medicines and critically appraising evidence
- Experience of managing drug expenditure and understanding of budgetary mechanism
- Awareness of tools and techniques to support horizon scanning
- Experience of business case synthesis, financial planning and reporting
Skills
Essential
- IT, Presentation skills and report writing
- Meets targets and identifies a vision for the delivery of pharmacy and medicine services to patients
- Good inter-personal skills, with the ability to liaise and influence senior managers and consultants
- Meets expected levels of practice as identified by others and identifies new areas of practice
- Understands local and national priorities in care and has the ability to reconcile these with local realities
- Demonstrable ability to manage time, people and resources to deliver outcomes
- Integrates research evidence and audit results into practice; documented experience of own research & audit
- Identifies and manages risk
- Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to governance and medicines safety agendas
- Demonstrates clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning and judgement; manages difficult and ambiguous problems
- Identifies own training needs, actively seeks training opportunities and maintains a portfolio of practice
- Works autonomously and can delegate authority appropriately
- Evaluates the quality of own work and can evaluate service quality
- An ability to prioritise a complex workload and work accurately under pressure
Personal and people development
Essential
- Experience as a trainer
- Experience of supervising, developing and appraising staff as well as giving feedback
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
- Common sense
- 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).
