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Job summary

Main area
Pharmacy and Medicines Management
Grade
Band 8b
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
828-PROVIDE4357
Employer
Provide CIC
Employer type
NHS
Site
Provide HQ
Town
Colchester
Salary
£66,582 - £77,368 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
06/11/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Provide CIC logo

Head of Medicines Optimisation and Safety

Band 8b

Job overview

Are you an experienced pharmacy leader passionate about improving patient safety, quality and outcomes?

We are seeking an inspiring Head of Medicines Optimisation and Safety to lead our medicines safety, optimisation and governance agenda. Working closely with the Director of Pharmacy, Quality and AHP, you will provide strategic leadership across the organisation, ensuring the safe, effective and equitable use of medicines while driving innovation and continuous improvement. 

This influential role offers the opportunity to shape strategy, lead transformational change and provide expert assurance on medicines governance, prescribing and medicines-related risks. You will work collaboratively with clinical teams, senior leaders and system partners to improve quality, reduce harm and deliver better outcomes for patients and communities. 

We are looking for a GPhC-registered pharmacist with significant leadership experience, excellent communication skills and a proven track record in medicines optimisation, governance, quality improvement and service transformation. You will be a collaborative leader who can inspire teams, influence change and foster a culture of learning, innovation and excellence. 

This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting impact on patient care, develop high-performing teams and shape the future of medicines optimisation across our services.

Join us and help deliver safer care, better outcomes and a healthier future for the communities we serve.

Main duties of the job

As Head of Medicines Optimisation and Safety, you will provide strategic leadership for medicines optimisation, medicines safety and governance across the organisation, ensuring the safe, effective and equitable use of medicines to improve patient outcomes and experience.

You will lead the development and delivery of medicines strategies, provide expert advice and assurance on medicines-related risks and governance, and drive continuous improvement through innovation, quality improvement and transformational change. The role includes overseeing prescribing governance, controlled drugs management and medicines safety frameworks, ensuring compliance with regulatory and professional standards. 

Working collaboratively with clinicians, senior leaders and system partners, you will improve medicines-related outcomes, reduce unwarranted variation and support integrated care pathways. You will also provide professional leadership for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and prescribing professionals, fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture focused on learning, improvement and patient-centred care. 

This is a unique opportunity to influence organisational strategy, shape the future of medicines optimisation and safety, and deliver safer care and better outcomes for the communities we serve

Working for our organisation

Provide is a Community Interest Company (social enterprise). We deliver a broad range of health and social care services in the community, and are committed to making sure that they are safe, responsive and of high quality. Provide is owned by its employees and has primarily social objectives. Any profits we make are reinvested into the local community or back into delivering services.

We work from a variety of community settings, such as community hospitals, community clinics, schools, nursing homes and primary care settings, as well as within people’s homes to provide more than 40 services to children, families and adults across Essex, Dorset, East Anglia and the North of England.

A highly respected, award winning health and social care provider. We expect our colleagues to demonstrate and uphold our values at all times:

Vision: Transforming Lives

Values: Care, Innovation and Compassion

Mission: An ambitious, employee owned social enterprise, growing in size and influence. We transform lives by treating, caring and educating people.

Provide is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills, proud to have LGBT+, Ethnic Minority and Men’s Networks.

We welcome applicants from underrepresented groups. If you have the skills and experience for the job, please apply regardless of your background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for a full list of the main responsibilities for this role. Thank you for taking the time to apply for a role within Provide. 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • GPHc Registered Pharmacist

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Comprehensive knowledge of relevant medicines legislation, professional standards, clinical governance and regulatory requirements
  • Significant senior pharmacy leadership experience within a complex healthcare environment
  • Evidence of leading improvements in quality and patient safety and managing complex medicines-related risks.
Desirable criteria
  • Postgraduate qualification in leadership, management, patient safety or quality improvement.
  • Knowledge of the medicines-related challenges associated with transitions of care and working across organisational boundaries
  • Senior pharmacy leadership experience within community health services and/or integrated health and social care
  • Experience as a Medication Safety Officer or equivalent. Experience of controlled drugs governance.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Positive about disabled peopleAge positiveMINTDisability confident employerEssex Family Friendly EmployersCare Leaver CovenantArmed Forces CovenantQNI

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Nisha Desai
Job title
Group Director Pharmacy, Quality and AHP
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07580911601
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