Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed-Term contract until 09.08.2026)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 430-CC25-166A
- Employer
- Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Pharmacy (Dept)
- Town
- Milton Keynes
- Salary
- £46,148 - £60,504 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 10/07/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 21/07/2025
Employer heading
Principal Pharmacist - Education & Training (Band 7 to 8a progression)
Band 8a
MKUH staff scored highest for ‘I look forward to coming to work’ (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 refreshments
- Great flexible working opportunities
- 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 overview
Principal Pharmacist - Education & Training (Band 7 to 8a progression)
Department: Pharmacy
Band 7 to 8a: £46,148 - £60,504 per annum pro rata
Full-Time 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you an experienced pharmacist with a passion for training and developing others? Would you like to work within our Pharmacy Education & Training Team to support the development and delivery of our education and training offer to support our Foundation Trainee Pharmacists and Early Years Pharmacists as they begin their pharmacy journey? If this describes you, we invite you to get in touch with us.
Now is an excellent time to become part of the Pharmacy team at MKUH; we are a friendly, forward-thinking department who continue to grow in both size and influence. Recent enhancements include a major departmental refurbishment, the introduction of a new Pharmacy Robot, the establishment of a new Pharmacy and Aseptic Unit in the Cancer Centre, and the opening of a new Outpatient Pharmacy.
If successful, you be joining a supportive team that encourages both professional and personal development. Are you the person to help us make this happen? If so, we look forward to hearing from you.
For additional information about this post, please contact Jill McDonald (Associate Director of Pharmacy – Clinical Services, Education & Workforce) on 01908 995712 or [email protected]
Interview date: W/C 21.07.2025
Main duties of the job
- To lead the development, delivery & evaluation of Education and Training for trainee and foundation level Pharmacists
- To lead the delivery and evaluation of medicines related education and training for healthcare professional working at MKUH.
- To facilitate and support the efficient and cost effective use of medicines.
- To provide expert advice on all pharmaceutical matters which arise ensuring compliance with risk management frameworks and medicines legislation.
- To deputise for the Deputy Chief Pharmacist in matters relating to Education & Training as appropriate.
Working for our organisation
"We Care We Communicate We Collaborate We Contribute"
"73.4% of our staff feel they receive the respect they deserve from colleagues - a meaningful improvement from last year. At MKUH, mutual respect isn't just a value - it's a daily reality" (NHS Staff Survey 2024)
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 working opportunities
- 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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You will become part of a small team of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants who support the delivery of pharmacy and medicines related education and training across the Trust and who are keen to nurture an environment in which all staff can fulfil their potential. This role is crucial to the development, delivery and evaluation of our education & training offering and to ensuring our staff are supported to thrive in their roles.
Alongside your education and training role, you would have a regular clinical commitment and contribute to the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care within an agreed area of practice. You will also have the opportunity to gain experience in supporting and supervising junior staff, undertaking quality improvement and governance and advocating for medicines optimisation and safety initiatives across the Trust.
Our standard working hours now consist of four long days (8 am to 6.30 pm) per week, with coverage on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays on a rota basis. After a period of induction and training, you will contribute to the pharmacy out-of-hours service.
Our services are evolving to provide our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with more time to work alongside patients while supporting their medical and nursing colleagues. Our commitment is to ensure that every patient receives safe, high-quality care, placing our patients at the heart of our mission. This role is a compelling career opportunity for a skilled and dedicated pharmacist to join our hardworking, forward-looking, and innovative pharmacy team.
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
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 promote an inclusive workforce and encourage applications from applicants from all backgrounds.
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 criteria
- BPharm / BSc / MPharm (or equivalent)
- GPhC Registration
- Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent
- Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent experience
- In-house Train the Trainer training
- Formal Train the Trainer Qualification
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable criteria
- Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Masters or Doctorate Level Degree in relevant area
- Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care
- Experience of providing a clinical service to a range of specialties in the hospital sector
- Broad experience of providing a clinical service in the hospital sector
- Experience of supervising, developing and appraising staff as well as giving feedback
- Experience of delivering ad-hoc education & training sessions
- Track record of regularly developing and delivering of education & training sessions
- An awareness of current national standards, guidelines, and service delivery issues relevant to education & training
- Experience of audit work.
- Experience of Service development
Desirable criteria
- Experience of managing drug expenditure for a specialty and understanding of budgetary mechanism
- Previous evaluations or reviews of medicines
- Proven experience of working at a strategic level with senior clinicians and managers and experience of working in an integrated team
Skills
Essential criteria
- IT and presentation skills and report writing
- Meets targets and identifies a vision for the delivery of pharmacy services
- 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
- Identifies and prioritizes work and new services
- Understands local and national priorities 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 the Clinical Governance agenda
- Demonstrates expert 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 criteria
- Experience as a trainer
- Experience of supervising, developing and appraising staff as well as giving feedback
Communication
Essential criteria
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
Specific requirements
Essential criteria
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Knowledge and understanding of the safe handling and dispensing of cytotoxic medications, including COSHH
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jill McDonald
- Job title
- Associate Director of Pharmacy
- Email address
- [email protected]
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