Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 9
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Participation in the Director on Call rota)
- Job ref
- 382-CS06-26
- Employer
- Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Blackpool
- Salary
- £109,179 - £125,637 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 02/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Director of Pharmacy
NHS AfC: Band 9
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.
We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.
We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored.
Job overview
The Trust is seeking an experienced, strategic, and driven leader to become Director of Pharmacy—a pivotal role shaping and managing the strategic and operational development of medicines management services across the organisation.
The successful candidate will ensure compliance with medicines legislation, escalating non-compliance through Trust processes in collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer. They will oversee the financial plan for medicines and pharmacy services, lead strategic development aligned with national and local priorities, and work collaboratively across primary and secondary care in the North West to deliver high-quality pharmaceutical services. Driving innovation, they will transform pharmacy into an integrated ward-based and community health function.
We seek a compassionate, inclusive leader with significant operational experience as a Chief Pharmacist in a large district general hospital or Deputy Chief Pharmacist in a teaching hospital. Proven strategic leadership within complex environments, including Board-level delivery, and alignment with the six NHS Leadership Competency Domains are essential.
This is an excellent opportunity to make a real impact on pharmacy and medicines services at a critical point in the Trust’s improvement journey. Following our recent CQC inspection, we are committed to improvement and invite a dynamic individual to join our leadership team and help drive transformation.
Main duties of the job
Act as Superintendent Pharmacist ensuring compliance with GPhC, MHRA (GDP, GCP, GMP), and RPS standards. Serve as Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs and maintain statutory licences for clinical trials. Lead Trust-wide compliance with medicines directives and provide professional leadership and pharmaceutical advice across the organisation.
Drive strategic and operational development of medicines management, oversee prescribing systems and informatics, and transform pharmacy into an integrated ward-based and community model. Collaborate with primary and secondary care partners across the North West, ensuring alignment with national, regional, and local priorities. Advise senior leadership on medicines optimisation, develop policies, contracts, and service plans, and lead commercial opportunities.
Ensure compliance with CQC, NICE, and commissioning standards within the clinical governance framework. Manage risk, incidents, and continuous quality improvement. Act as Budget Holder, meet financial targets, monitor drug usage, and implement cost-saving initiatives. Lead the senior pharmacy team, workforce planning, recruitment, and professional development, fostering a culture of engagement and lifelong learning.
Promote audit, research, and innovation in pharmacy and medicines optimisation, ensuring compliance with clinical trial regulations. Champion governance, benchmarking, and transformation to deliver safe, secure, and cost-effective use of medicines across the Trust.
Working for our organisation
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was established in 2007 and gained Teaching Hospital status in 2010. Operating as a Group, it includes BFW Management Ltd (Atlas), providing Estates Services since 2017, and Blue Skies Hospitals Fund, our registered charity.
The Trust delivers hospital and community health services across the Fylde coast, Lancashire, and South Cumbria, serving 1.8 million people. We provide hospital care for 352,000 local residents and 18 million annual visitors, community services for 445,000 people, and specialist regional care in cardiac and haematology. We also host the National Artificial Eye Service, offering specialist care across England.
Main sites include Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Clifton Hospital, Fleetwood Hospital, Whitegate Health Centre, and several primary care centres.
Our values—Caring, Safe, Respectful—define our culture and guide how we work. These were chosen through Trust-wide engagement sessions and a staff vote in 2023. They reflect our commitment to delivering high-quality, compassionate care and fostering a positive workplace.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Act as Superintendent Pharmacist under the Medicines Act 1968 and comply with GPhC requirements.
- Serve as Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs and Home Office Licence holder.
- Ensure compliance with MHRA standards (GDP, GCP, GMP) and RPS guidance.
- Maintain statutory licences for clinical trials and ensure adherence to Good Clinical Practice.
- Ensure Trust-wide compliance with medicines legislation and new directives.
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Lead and manage the strategic and operational development of medicines management services.
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Provide professional leadership and pharmaceutical advice across the Trust.
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Oversee prescribing systems and associated informatics.
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Drive transformation to an integrated ward-based and community pharmacy model.
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Liaise with primary and secondary care partners across the North West.
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Align pharmacy services with national, regional, and local priorities.
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Advise the Chief Executive and senior leadership on medicines optimisation and policy.
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Develop and implement service level agreements, policies, and contracts for pharmacy services.
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Formulate long-term strategic plans and annual pharmacy service plans.
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Lead commercial opportunities and manage relationships with commissioners.
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Ensure compliance with healthcare standards, CQC, NICE, and commissioning requirements.
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Deliver medicines management within the Trust’s clinical governance framework.
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Implement and monitor national initiatives and directives.
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Manage errors, complaints, and incidents within Trust guidelines.
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Strengthen governance culture and continuous quality improvement.
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Maintain departmental risk register and escalate issues appropriately.
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Benchmark services and lead change to achieve best performance.
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Promote continuous improvement and quality initiatives.
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Provide leadership for Diagnostics, Support, and Community Services Division.
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Ensure safe, secure, and cost-effective use of medicines.
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Act as Budget Holder for pharmacy services.
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Meet financial targets and cost improvement programmes.
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Monitor drug usage and expenditure; implement cost-saving initiatives.
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Ensure compliance with Trust Standing Financial Instructions.
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Manage senior pharmacy team and ensure appropriate skill mix.
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Foster a culture of lifelong learning and professional development.
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Oversee recruitment, appraisal, and performance management.
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Ensure compliance with GPhC standards and CPD requirements.
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Promote staff engagement and implement workforce planning.
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Lead audit processes to ensure compliance with legal and professional standards.
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Promote and coordinate research and development in pharmacy and medicines optimisation.
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Ensure compliance with regulations for clinical trials.
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Drive multi-disciplinary audit and innovation.
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Significant experience as Chief Pharmacist or Deputy Chief Pharmacist in a large hospital or equivalent.
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Proven strategic leadership within a complex healthcare environment.
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Board-level experience delivering health services in large organisations.
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Demonstrable alignment with the six NHS Leadership Competency Domains.
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Strong financial, governance, and workforce management skills.
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Ability to lead transformational change and foster innovation.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Master’s degree in Pharmacy
- Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council
- Relevant postgraduate qualification in pharmacy (e.g. clinical pharmacy)
- Management qualification or demonstrable management skills
- Leadership qualification
- Evidence of commitment to continuing professional development
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Recent/current experience in hospital pharmacy, including strategic leadership or national strategy input
- Extensive experience as Chief Pharmacist (large district general hospital) or Deputy Chief Pharmacist (teaching hospital), or equivalent
- Experience managing substantial pharmacy budgets
- Proven experience in developing and delivering significant change agenda
- Personal involvement in operational management, clinical and technical pharmacy service provision
- Business planning with project and financial management
- Senior leadership experience at/near Board Director level in a complex organisation/system
- Compassionate and inclusive manager with significant operational experience
- Experience developing relationships into productive partnerships, cross-boundary working, and stakeholder engagement
- Ability and experience to act corporately and support Board members/Directors
- In-depth understanding of NHS dynamics and UK public sector values
- Detailed understanding of current health issues, national policy/standards, and best practice
- Extensive Board-level experience delivering health services in large/complex organisations
- Successful management of service change and integration
- Proven ability in performance management and staff/team development
- Demonstrate the six NHS Leadership Competency Domains
Desirable criteria
- Coaching and mentoring experience
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Good understanding of current pharmacy service issues and future medicines management agenda
- Well-developed leadership and motivational skills
- Ability to lead a large team
- High standard of verbal/written communication, numeracy, and ability to analyse complex reports/data
- Strategic and operational lateral thinking
- Personal insight, sound judgement, and drive for improvement
- Innovative and responsive to change; ability to facilitate change and set pace/direction
- Ability to build/develop teams and maintain constructive relationships
- Consistently meet deadlines and targets
- Collaborative working across organisational boundaries
- Positive, optimistic, confident, and visionary
- Integrity and reputation for honesty/trustworthiness
- Exemplary personal conduct; meets fit and proper persons test
- Self-motivated to deliver work
- Ability to work autonomously and in a team
- Ability to produce documents for board/external audiences
- Strong analytical skills and strategic decision-making
- Proficient IT skills
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Ability to integrate into complex organisations; always presentable and professional
- Ability to motivate multi-skilled/complex teams for efficiency
- Experience managing complex organisational change
- Ability to respond quickly/confidently on unfamiliar topics
- Resilient, determined, persistent in delivering strategic objectives
- Commitment to promoting and celebrating equality/diversity in workplace/service delivery
- Commitment to zero tolerance for sexual assault, bullying, harassment, and discrimination
- Alignment with Trust values: Caring, Safe, Respectful
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Rebecca Bond
- Job title
- Director of Pharmacy
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01253 953790
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
BTH
- Telephone
- 03033 301 033
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