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Job summary

Main area
East of England Lead Pharmacist - Health and Justice Services
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 24 hours per week
Job ref
333-D-HJ-1992-B
Employer
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
HMP Bedford
Town
Bedford
Salary
£64,455 - £74,896 pa pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
23/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust logo

East of England Lead Pharmacist - Health and Justice Services

NHS AfC: Band 8b

 

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond.  We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run. 

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation.  We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.  We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles.  For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our   Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page

Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Job overview

To lead, deliver and evaluate an advanced comprehensive medicines management service to patients at HMP Woodhill, and oversight of the above at HMP Bedford and Yarl’s Wood IRC.

To ensure all the services compliance with medicines legislation in particular controlled drugs legislation.

Main duties of the job

· Accountable for ensuring delivery of measurable improvements in medicines optimisation and compliance standards across all allocated sites.

· To lead on medicines audit, procedures and research and provide input into policy, affecting the use of pharmaceuticals at the HMPs & IRC, Health and Justice Directorate and other CNWL Foundation Trust sites where appropriate.

· To lead on communication with the pharmacy supply function, security and healthcare functions to ensure provision of an effective dispensing and supply service to all locations.

· To deputise for the Health and Justice Head of Pharmacy, this may include attending senior meetings.

· To lead on the management and clinical supervision pharmacists, and technicians where appropriate.

· To provide appraisals for the direct managed pharmacists at HMP Woodhill and HMP Bedford, and Yarl’s Wood IRC.

 

Working for our organisation

We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care. 


Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. 
We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Ensure safe and appropriate use of medicines in order to maximise benefit and minimise risk to patients. This includes advice for clinical monitoring, compliance with legal aspects (Medicines Act) of medicine supply and compliance with the services and CNWL Foundation Trust formularies.

 

· To advise and support General Practitioners and other medical staff at the HMPs and IRC clinical and legislative aspects of prescribing, including primary care, substance misuse and mental health.

 

· To postholder is accountable for ensuring clinical pharmacy services meet CNWL, CQC, HMIP and GPhC standards.

 

· Be responsible for providing clinical pharmacy input at unit level to the multidisciplinary teams caring for the patients. To ensure pharmacy staff providing a service to the HMPs and IRC have adequate competencies to deliver such service.

 

· To write, plan, organise, implement and monitor In Possession Medication policy for detainees across the patch.

 

· To lead to the planning, organising, implementing and monitoring the electronic prescribing and medicines administration policy and other medicine related SOPs for healthcare staff.

 

· To lead to the planning, organising, implementing and monitoring Medicine Review Clinics and New Medicines Services, and Structured Medicine Reviews for patients within the services.

 

· Co-ordinate the management of the meeting dates, agenda and work plan of the Medicines Optimisation Group for HMP Woodhill and supervised the MOGs for HMP Bedford and Yarl’s Wood IRC. Provide annual reports in relations to the work of the group as dictated by Heads of Healthcare.

 

· Produce ADIOS (system for monitoring Controlled Drug/ Abusable drugs) reports for the CNWL Accountable officer for Controlled Drugs.

 

· To lead and take the lead in medicines management initiatives working closely with Primary Care, Substance Misuse, Mental Health service leads and the GP teams.

 

· Provide expertise and recommendations on the use of medicines at the IRC/ HMP using evidence-based approach for all new medicines, formulations and all medicines with newly licensed indications.

Person specification

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential criteria
  • Vocational Masters Degree in Pharmacy
  • Five years post registration training relevant to hospital pharmacy or clinical environment (two years experience in a mental health setting preferable)
  • Advanced Theoretical Knowledge acquired or in the process of being acquired through Certificate/ Diploma (Higher Degree) level training or equivalent.
  • Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
  • Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
  • Qualification in or working towards a qualification in pharmacist non-medical prescribing
Desirable criteria
  • Qualification in or working towards a qualification in mental health medicine
  • Management qualification

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrate the ability to appropriately recommend, substantiate and communicate medicine related information to young people and young adults, carers and clinical staff in the areas of mental health, primary care, sexual health and substance misuse.
  • Previous evaluated experience of mentorship and training skills
  • Staff management experience.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working with young people, young adults or vulnerable people

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

Essential criteria
  • Clinical and critical appraisal skills
  • Evidence in writing procedures, clinical guidelines and policy/protocols The ability to identify and prioritise clinical workload
  • To have an awareness of national and local priorities
Desirable criteria
  • Demonstrated application of formal performance management processes.
  • Experience in implementing and assuring compliance with organisational policies

ATTITUDES, APTITUDES PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrates ability to meets set targets, delegates appropriately
  • The ability and willingness to deputise for senior staff while recognising limitations of experience and ability
  • Takes responsibilities for own actions and makes others accountable.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Trust IDWe are a Living Wage EmployerEmployers for CarersPurple SpaceHealthy Workplace - Excellence 2018Veteran AwareNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeNational Autistic SocietyDisability confident committedStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.AccessAbleStonewall Gold 2022Step into healthCarer Confident -AccomplishedNHS Rainbow Badge - BronzeArmed Forces CovenantStonewall Gold 2024Working Chance - unlocking women's potentialProud Employer

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
Marta Pitarch
Job title
Head of Pharmacy Health and Justice Directorate
Email address
[email protected]
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