Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent: Will work one Saturday / Sunday in six
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Per annum inclusive of HCAS)
- Job ref
- 391-RFL-7869984
- Employer
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Pharmacy Department, Barnet Hospital
- Town
- Barnet
- Salary
- £61,631 - £68,623 Per annum inclusive of HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 10/04/2026 08:00
Employer heading
Band 8a Senior Specialist Pharmacist -Cancer Services
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.
Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.
Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
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If incorrect or misleading information is identified, this may affect the progression of an application, any employment offer, or continued employment. As part of our due diligence, the company may verify the information provided by applicants and take appropriate action where necessary.
Applicants can refer to the Fraud Act 2006 for further information: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/contents
Job overview
Job title – Senior Specialist Pharmacist – Cancer Services, 8a
We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic pharmacist to join our well-established cancer pharmacy team. The role is mainly clinic based, providing prescribing, monitoring and screening of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) prescriptions including ensuring doses are within protocol and take into account blood results and comorbidities. This role will also allow you to develop your specialist pharmacy skills including writing clinical guidelines, maintaining the SACT prescribing system and understanding funding streams and commissioning processes for high-cost drugs.
This role would be expected to cover a prescribing clinic once a week, reviewing and prescribing SACT as a non-medical prescriber.
This completely new post will be based at the Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospitals but would occasionally be expected to work at the Royal Free Hospital as well.
You may be a band 7 pharmacist looking to further develop your skills within cancer services or a current 8a pharmacist looking to move towards a prescribing and managerial role. The successful applicant will be a team player who ideally has some experience of working in SACT clinics and/or in the screening and verification of chemotherapy. Full support and training will be given.
Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities for the role include:
Prescribing and monitoring of SACT including ensuring safe, appropriate and cost effective use of anti-cancer medicines.To provide clinical screening support for the supply of systemic anti-cancer medicines (SACT) including ensuring:
Anti-cancer treatment prescribing is in accordance with an approved protocol or ensuring an ‘off-protocol’ form has been completed
Anti-cancer treatment is in accordance with NICE / CDF guidelines or criteria for use
Funding arrangements are in place prior to commencing treatment
Doses are correct, taking into account laboratory results, dose reductions and previous treatments
Appropriate supportive medicines have been prescribed
Provision of a clinical pharmacy service to patients on the cancer wards including medicines reconciliation, supply of medicines and timely preparation of discharge medicines.
The post holder would be expected to cover a prescribing clinic once a week as a non-medical prescriber reviewing patients and prescribing for them under the mentorship of an oncologist.
Provision of expert medicines advice to nursing and medical staff
To contribute to the continuing development of policies and procedures within the specialist area
Forecasting new drug developments and identifying changes in prescribing practice that may impact on the drugs budget
Ensuring SACT is appropriately funded and in-line with NICE/CDF guidance
Working for our organisation
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.
Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top.
For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Person specification
Royal Free World Class Values
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential criteria
- MPharm or equivalent
- Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Post graduate diploma in pharmacy practice or equivalent
- Registered supplementary or independent prescriber.
Desirable criteria
- Advanced qualification in specialist area
- RPS Faculty membership
Experience
Essential criteria
- Considerable experience working in hospital pharmacy and some experience as a specialist clinical pharmacist working with cancer patients
- Experience of screening chemotherapy
- Experience of managing change and leading service developments
- Experience of managing and anal y sing drug expenditure and high cost drugs
- Experience of writing / implementing clinical guidelines and government directives
- Experience of multidisciplinary working
- Evidence of clinical audit/drug evaluation/practice research and the promotion of evidence based practice.
- Experience of appraising staff and giving feedback
- Experience in delivering education and training.
- Comprehensive band 6/7 rotation
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in cancer clinics
Skills and aptitudes
Essential criteria
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills
- Good negotiation skills and the ability to influence medical, pharmacy and management staff
- Ability to manage a complex workload
- Good presentation skills
- Good teaching and training skills
- Good management skills
- Ability to carry out day to day responsibilities and deal effectively with unpredictable/acute demands.
- Ability to justify and reason any advice given should this be challenged.
- Ability to communicate with patients/carers and staff of all levels
- Ability to manage time, people and resources to deliver timely outcomes
- Ability to work alone and a part of a team
- Ability to work accurately under pressure.
- Ability to integrate in a multidisciplinary forum
- Ability to manage difficult and ambiguous situations
- Ability to motivate and act as a role mod
- Demonstrates initiative particularly in relation to problem solving.
- Ability to identify and implement best practice
- Ability to identify and manage risk
- Demonstrates expert clinical knowledge and pharmaceutical care skills in the field of Cancer
- Critical appraisal skills
- Higher level of clinical reasoning and judgment
- Ability to take full responsibility for and be accountable for own actions
- Ability to contribute t o business plans, policies and clinical protocols
- Understanding of clinical risk and clinical governance
- Understanding of current national standards, guidelines and service delivery issues relevant to cancer patients
- Understanding of NHS national and local priorities
- Computer literate (including word processing, email & use of internet) Preferably knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages)
Desirable criteria
- Undertakes own research
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
- Simon Jenkinson
- Job title
- RFL Pharmacy Cancer Lead Pharmacist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 02074726306
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