NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB

Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist

The closing date is 11 June 2025

Job summary

Fixed Term / Secoondment until 31st March 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the SNEE Medicines Optimisation team for an enthusiastic, self-motivated Pharmacist to support the delivery of the best value medicines programme and work closely with the Ipswich and East Suffolk Alliance.

This role provides a great development opportunity for the successful applicant to lead on the development and delivery of specific project workstreams and provide place-based support to the Ipswich and East Suffolk GP practices to ensure safe, high quality and cost-effective prescribing. You will work closely with colleagues across the ICB to deliver on local and national objectives.

This is a rewarding role for those who enjoy a challenge and can demonstrate excellent clinical knowledge and communication skills. You will join an experienced, committed, award winning Medicines Optimisation team made up of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and nurses.

There are no requirements for weekend, bank holiday or evening working. We promote flexible working for all team members, offering a mix of remote and office environments which support a healthy work-life balance.

Main duties of the job

Actively participate in the development of prescribing incentive schemes for practices PCNs and support the development of Local Enhanced Services for practices PCNs.

Lead on one or more Best Value Medicines BVM projects and support implementation of the BVM plan at place.

Support the development and implementation of guidelines and policies in response to NICE or NHS England publications and directives such as new revised clinical guidelines, low priority prescribing and self-care.

Support the implementation of NICE Technology Appraisals in primary care, within the stipulated timeframe.

Provide highly complex, sensitive, or contentious information and advice to GP practices, care home staff and provider organisations regarding all aspects of medicines and prescribing.

Responds to PALS enquiries, complaints and FOI requests as requested. This may include exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances.

Offer professional clinical advice to health and care professionals. This requires a highly developed knowledge of commissioning arrangements, medicines licensing and medicines legislation and will entail applying professional judgement when responding to complex queries.

About us

The Government has recently announced it is looking to make some significant changes to the NHS structure in England. This will have an impact on the ICB, but we are unclear at this stage on what that impact will be. Unfortunately, at this moment in time we cannot give any guarantees that the position is not going to be affected by the news. Any proposed changes will be subject to full consultation with staff and their representatives and will follow management of change guidelines as stipulated by ICB Policy and NHS Agenda for Change.

The NHS Suffolk and North-East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) plans and buys healthcare services for our population. This function is commonly referred to as commissioning. To do this, we work within a budget of around £1.5 billion, which is set by NHS England, and work closely with local government and the NHS providers in our area. Our performance is judged by how well our local health and care system as a whole is working, including the health outcomes of our communities.

The ICB has delegated some authority to the three health and wellbeing alliances that operate in Suffolk and North-East Essex to act on its behalf. This is to ensure that the needs of smaller, local areas are addressed.

The ICB remains accountable for all of its functions, including those it has delegated. Local residents have a big role to play in the operation of the ICB. We rely on the experiences and perspectives of our communities to help shape our decision-making.

Details

Date posted

28 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

D9710-ICB463

Job locations

Endeavour House

8 Russell Road

Ipswich

Suffolk

IP1 2BX


Job description

Job responsibilities

The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Department and the Organisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Department and the Organisation.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of using critical appraisal skills to aid decision making.
  • Experience of planning, developing, and implementing change in the health environment impacting beyond own area of work.
  • Experience of budget management/oversight
  • Experience of delivering contentious information and managing conflict

Desirable

  • Experience of line management
  • Experience of working with care homes
  • Experience of writing reports for clinicians and/or non-clinical staff
  • Experience of training/presenting to large groups of people.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional knowledge acquired through vocational masters degree in pharmacy plus 1 year pre-registration training
  • Post graduate qualification in pharmacy or equivalent experience
  • Registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

  • Leadership qualification.
  • Specialist knowledge acquired through non-medical independent prescribing qualification (nb. no prescribing will be undertaken as part of this role)

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge and understanding of the prescribing and medicines optimisation opportunities and challenges facing the NHS
  • Highly developed and extensive knowledge of therapeutics in practice

Desirable

  • Knowledge of NHS contracting and funding mechanisms
  • Knowledge of CQC and inspection process
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft software

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to influence.
  • Able to disseminate information accurately and to facilitate collaborative working across organisational barriers.
  • Able to create clinical and/or financial audits and interpret the results.
  • Able to interrogate and interpret highly complex clinical, financial and prescribing data.
  • Able to concentrate for prolonged periods of time, when clinical/financial accuracy is paramount.
  • Able to use a keyboard to enter prescribing or financial data with a very high degree of accuracy, using nationally approved coding where necessary
  • Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
  • Highly developed interpersonal skills, able to work autonomously as well as part of a team

Desirable

  • Good presentation and training skills
  • Behaviour change techniques

Other

Essential

  • Able to use Visual Display Unit equipment for prolonged periods of time and on most working days.
  • Able to work in a variety of environments, to include own home, office, GP practices and care homes.
  • Able to travel independently across Suffolk and North East Essex (and occasionally further afield) as required.
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of using critical appraisal skills to aid decision making.
  • Experience of planning, developing, and implementing change in the health environment impacting beyond own area of work.
  • Experience of budget management/oversight
  • Experience of delivering contentious information and managing conflict

Desirable

  • Experience of line management
  • Experience of working with care homes
  • Experience of writing reports for clinicians and/or non-clinical staff
  • Experience of training/presenting to large groups of people.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional knowledge acquired through vocational masters degree in pharmacy plus 1 year pre-registration training
  • Post graduate qualification in pharmacy or equivalent experience
  • Registered as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

  • Leadership qualification.
  • Specialist knowledge acquired through non-medical independent prescribing qualification (nb. no prescribing will be undertaken as part of this role)

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge and understanding of the prescribing and medicines optimisation opportunities and challenges facing the NHS
  • Highly developed and extensive knowledge of therapeutics in practice

Desirable

  • Knowledge of NHS contracting and funding mechanisms
  • Knowledge of CQC and inspection process
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft software

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to influence.
  • Able to disseminate information accurately and to facilitate collaborative working across organisational barriers.
  • Able to create clinical and/or financial audits and interpret the results.
  • Able to interrogate and interpret highly complex clinical, financial and prescribing data.
  • Able to concentrate for prolonged periods of time, when clinical/financial accuracy is paramount.
  • Able to use a keyboard to enter prescribing or financial data with a very high degree of accuracy, using nationally approved coding where necessary
  • Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
  • Highly developed interpersonal skills, able to work autonomously as well as part of a team

Desirable

  • Good presentation and training skills
  • Behaviour change techniques

Other

Essential

  • Able to use Visual Display Unit equipment for prolonged periods of time and on most working days.
  • Able to work in a variety of environments, to include own home, office, GP practices and care homes.
  • Able to travel independently across Suffolk and North East Essex (and occasionally further afield) as required.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB

Address

Endeavour House

8 Russell Road

Ipswich

Suffolk

IP1 2BX


Employer's website

https://suffolkandnortheastessex.icb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB

Address

Endeavour House

8 Russell Road

Ipswich

Suffolk

IP1 2BX


Employer's website

https://suffolkandnortheastessex.icb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Catherine Butler

Catherine.butler@snee.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

28 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

D9710-ICB463

Job locations

Endeavour House

8 Russell Road

Ipswich

Suffolk

IP1 2BX


Supporting documents

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